Hi Runners,
Is any week on this rollercoaster *not* going to be challenging?! The second week of my new job and I have to come down with a cold. It's not a bad cold but combined with still adjusting to a new routine and the tiredness it's brought, it's definitely been a challenging one...again!
Run 1: Katnap was back helping with a new C25k group and the timings didn't quite match up for a lift to the track. I set youngest kitten up with a task to keep an eye on dinner and give it a stir occasionally whilst I went out for a run. The weather was being good and this was a longer run. It was still supposed to be intervals/fartleks but I've decided for now Mondays can just be progression runs until I can run at the park again (i.e. in daylight). It's slightly longer this Monday as I'm starting to build up the distance on both Mondays & Wednesdays. I just extend my usual loop and slowly build up the pace the further I get. The last km was a bit of a failure with this but I covered the 4 miles I targeted in a reasonable time, so I was soon home to take over the daal stirring.
Run 2: Starting to get a sniffle and not feeling the love tonight, but I've got to do it so I lace up my trainers and away I go. I haven't done both my local hills in one go before and I'm getting bored with my usual loop so I choose a route that covers both of them. I am pretty shattered tonight as the new routine is taking its toll as well as the impending cold but I make it up both in reasonable nick. I know I've done a good time up the steepest of the two but when I look at Strava I find that the local athletics club had also chosen that evening to run up that hill and I'm very firmly planted in 21st place out of 21 😭 Ah well, I bet they hadn't run up the other hill first and weren't fighting off colds etc etc… Anyway, I got 10km done. A bit slower than usual but done nonetheless.
Run 3: Well, my Friday run is optional and tonight it was definitely an option not to do it. Early night. Seriously considering not doing parkrun...but on the positive side I'm not volunteering so I get an extra hour in bed, which may help.
Run 4: Parkrun - I did it!! However, by mid day I'm no use for anything and spend the rest of the day in front of the telly with a blanket over me.
So a bit of a hit and miss week. Steps have been well down as have calorie burn off but no surprise. I've managed to get all my yoga in so far but I haven't been to the gym like I'd normally do on a Sunday as it usually takes a lot out of me. Feeling much better than I was but I need to be ok for work tomorrow. Next week I have a short spell of ramping the mileage up, I just hope I'm recovered enough. If I can't then I can't, I've still got 12 weeks to go so there's still some wriggle room in my plan. I should still get to the end of January with 100km run so I think I can be pleased with that.
Have a good week everyone!
