Loving it!

Not enough hours to train but enjoying every session all the more for it!

Well, more than two weeks since my last update and I'm going to keep this one brief.  If it weren't for the fact that I'm in the throws of work which seems to be sapping every spare second of my time, I would have blogged before now or would be making the most of this update... alas.

Anyway, this is the first blog in quite some time where I'm not only an eager beaver in terms of wanting to train, I'm actually loving it - all over again!  After my lull over the summer where every step felt like a slog (worse than that, it actually hurt) to the point where I wasn't enjoying running and had to talk myself into training each day, I've now moved on.  Although my training opportunities are severely limited due to the commencement of a new term and having the girls at home with me - not to mention a new job (hours are even more demanding), I'm actually looking forward to my training sessions and enjoying them.  My legs are feeling good and my times are improving again.  In fact, I'm back to that stage that I know so many runners will identify with, whereby I'm actually getting itchy feet that are desperate to get out and run each day.  (Oh, how I've missed this feeling!)

I'm now more than 39 weeks into my 48 week plan (I know - where did these last few weeks suddenly disappear to?) and I'm enjoying the challenge in the same way that I did during those early weeks of enthusiastic running.  I still cannot quite get my head around the fact that in just a few weeks time, I'm going to be starting (and hopefully finishing) the Hereward Ultra race.  In fact, having just looked at the history of the finishing times, I get so nervous as I know I really cannot compete with the competitors finishing times to date... my coping mechanism, therefore, is to not think about it and to simply concentrate on each of my individual training runs and the next couple of weeks ahead. 

I've moved on from the early stages of training in that I can now look forward to the next marathon rather than the next training run and am actually looking forward to my next challenge.

Training since Wolverhampton has been varied and generally fairly pleasing. 
The week directly after was a slow, recovery week with a couple of 5km jogs but nothing more.  The following week saw me start to build up again, culminating with a 17 mile (very slow) run starting at Walsham and through the surrounding villages (was meant to be 16 miles but it would appear that both my friend Emma (bike support) and I have a dreadful sense of direction.  I really enjoyed this (despite the warm weather) and actually felt as if I could take on the world again. 
Last week saw me having the girls virtually every night so it was a case of stealing 30-45 minutes after work where possible.  On the plus side, the lack of long runs meant that I could focus on my speed work and even knocked out a 4 miler in 29.40 (slow for some but it's the fastest I've ran since May). 

My plans for the next week or so in terms of running:
Today - rest day (not by choice - work and family dictate this)
Tuesday - 10km (hard)
Weds - 5-6 miles (easy)
Thurs - rest day
Friday - 5km jog
Saturday - 20 mile slow training run.
Sunday - rest day.
The week thereafter will include a couple of 8 milers (I hope) but generally slowing down a little bit in preparation for Leicester on the 14th October.

I'm really hoping that I can work well over the next week/two weeks and benefit from some decent training.  First and foremost, I want to complete the Leicester marathon but more than that, whilst I may not be at the standard I was in April/May, I'd quite like to achieve something to be reasonably proud of. 

To finish - all is good in my running world today.  What a difference it makes to my life... the same works in return!  :o)