where are you running?: RUN 205 to 210 - I've been a bad, bad blogger! ... must do better

I've been lazy, pure and simple. Making time to run during the week in addition to commuting and at the expense of time with my wife or socializing seems to be an eternal struggle which I feel like I’m barely winning. My next marathon (In Angelssey, North Wales in January) means that December I need to get back on track and ramp up my long runs… my mileage has been good with a 7 mile run either to or from work, but I need to push myself again, its so hard to compare the coastal trail marathons, but id really like to come in about 5hrs in Anglessey. 2011 I’m going to refocus on road races, begin with a few half marathons and 5-10k races and build some speed, with marathons in the final two thirds of the year, with a view to a bigger challenge in 2012! …

While I love the freedom of running to work and avoiding public transport, urban running is definitely different to my usual distance runs along the river where I can control pace and form, although avoiding pedestrians and cars is good practice for marathon racing, working your way through the crowds.

I’d like to get to the point where my fitness level and mileage is consistent enough to be able to build up to a marathon within a month or so, racing or running a marathon every other month seems like the best way to get that consistency and rhythm of training going, and that’s the advise I’ve had while racing around the coast of England and Wales over the last year.

I’m kind of a lone runner, I’m not really interested in joining a running group or training in a team, I’m not anti-social, it’s just that even if your running partner is of the same fitness level, either one can have a bad day, feel tired or unwell, its completely personal for me and I don’t really bow to peer pressure, my own success or failure is the biggest motivator for me. Although there are a few really good friends who I’ve run with at different stages; when I started, and needed her help to push me forward (Nici!) when we discovered a common passion and were able to share it (Victoria!, Ron!), now recently my friend (Ika!) recent ex-smoker(!), who is discovering her (perceived) boundaries and learning the biggest lesson; to push through them!… but there’s always something for me to learn too… it’s so easy to become complacent with my fitness level and fall into a pace pattern, 8:30 marathon, 7:00 half marathon, 6:00 5k… seeing Ika push through the final mile as I shout at her not to stop; that she can do it, reminds me that I can do it too… I have many other friends who have become runners, hopefully I’ll be able to run with them soon too.

I'll keep up with the daily posts from now on, promise!