Back on track....Accidentally!

I felt strong getting ready for my run today, so I tried for a 10km Galloway technique run i.e. a Run-Walk-Run that I was previously going to attempt on Thursday.  I was hoping that if I could complete this distance then it would help me get back up to some resemblance of my fitness in Nov 11 before illness struck with the view of then recommencing Week 9 of my 32 week Marathon training programme next week!


Somehow though, very unlike me I ended up getting completely lost when I decided to try and improve a running route which previously ran out of pavement for a portion of the route....problems started when I tried to find an alternative route to keep on the pavement.  I succeeded to a point, but eventually had to backtrack through rabbit warrens of closes, avenues and dead end roads.  When I finally got out I still had to run a long way on grass verge anyway so my attempt at a diversion was all for nothing.

The grass was flattened which suggested its what people use anyway but, crazy to have no pavement, especially along a relatively busy residential road!


Unfortunately on top of this it didn't help that I had completely underestimated the distance of the route!  So, I went from a planned 6 miles (10km) which I thought I might of struggled with up to a whopping 9+ miles instead (15km)!  A distance that I have not run since my Half Marathon in Oct 11 but, conveniently the next longest distance in my training programme which I can now happily cross off which will see me starting back on Week 10 next week!


As for the run, I felt good up until the last couple of miles and when I was starting to despair when I was briefly lost.  I had built up a good rhythm, felt focused and relaxed for the majority of the run and not too cold either!


Another surprise and another positive for the Galloway Run-Walk-Run technique, was when I compared the time of this 15km run with the 15km I completed as part of my Half Marathon.  I was only 22 seconds slower this time around which isn't bad at all especially when you consider I had 16 walk breaks as part of the Galloway Run-Walk-Run technique, it wasn't a race, I got lost and I spent a good while trying to find the way out and back onto familiar territory!

Pothole Surprise

The surprise being that they can affect runners as much as they can cars. In Wednesday's run, following a back track to avoid the patch of an oncoming vehicle whilst crossing a road, I managed to slip into a pothole and twist my ankle.  

I carried on running and managed to shake off the injury at the time but since then I can feel a bit of tenderness and soreness in the area where I have stretched the tendons in my ankle.  As a result I will not be running again until next week at the earliest so its likely that I will be continuing with the maintenance running theme for another week….better to be safe then sorry though and thinking about it I was lucky not to come away with anything worse!

Looking Forward

After a difficult run in windy conditions with lingering chest issues followed by a run with motivational and shoe issues this week I will be looking to stay with the maintenance theme for another week before recommencing my marathon training programme to allow my fitness to build back up.  However, the run yesterday despite the issues was my longest run in more than a month so there are some encouraging signs.  I am now looking forward to the rest of the year in terms of what I want to achieve:

Marathon - Due to my cold and running break before Xmas, I am now no longer on track to enter the Marathon race that I was heading for, instead I will be looking to complete the required distance as part of my current training plan in the first instance.

Personal Bests - I don’t expect to beat any Personal Bests of 10km and below this year with the exception of maybe the 1 mile as this may be beaten during my current programme’s Magic Mile runs.  However, those above 10km may be beaten in my marathon training and it will be interesting to see whether the run-walk-run strategy allows them to be beaten.

Weight - I don’t envisage much more weight loss in 2012, certainly not up to the same level in 2011 where I lost about 3.5 stones.  My aim this year is to lose about 6lb / 0/5 stones which will see me reach the middle region of the Ideal BMI scale for people of my height.  Thanks to a Xmas present I am also planning to visit to a Personal Trainer / Gym in Jan/Feb to see how I can tone my body a bit more and to see if I can pick up any running tips.  I'm hoping that this work will help me get into 34" waist clothing, I'm probably about 36" now down from 38/40" prior to starting running. 

Races - I am not yet fully convinced that I have entered and experienced a race that brings with it the gains in performance and enjoyment that they normally promote.  So, maybe I might have more luck in 2012 if I enter any...

Blogs – They certainly helped give my running more focus last year and they helped me to push through boundaries, so I will certainly be looking to continue posting about my running experiences throughout 2012.   I hope that they provide some insight into running and hopefully they show that almost anyone can get out and run.

It will certainly be an interesting year, lets see what I can achieve.  Happy New Year to all my readers.

Looking Back

Although I didn’t set out many running goals at the start of 2011 other than to just keep on running as I had only been running for a couple of months, looking back now I am really pleased with what I have achieved during my first full year of running:

• Became a One Hour Runner (OHR).
• Completed a Half Marathon training programme,
• Successfully completed two races; a 5km trail run at Stourhead and the City of Salisbury Half Marathon,
• Lost 3+ stone in weight which enabled me to reach the ‘ideal’ BMI state for my height,
• Set some good Personal Bests for the 1 mile, 5km and 10km distances.

Towards the latter half of the year, I certainly felt like I turned from a beginner into a more experienced amateur runner, so what does 2012 hold for me running wise?  Check back in a few days to find out.