Middle Pack

The last two nights I have finally managed to get running again. A small step to getting fit again after a few very patchy months. I realise I have a fair bit to get back to where I used to be back in Autum. I also realise I should have got myself sorted a LOT sooner. It is a stupid thing to do to continue running when injured, but when running is such fun and quite important to my wellbeing, it is hard to tell yourself you need to stop.

This gap since pretty much Mid November, with the odd race to “test my foot” (Another stupid thing to do) and no training has meant I have managed to look at my season goals and make a few adjustments.

Main thing is  no Bob Graham round in 2009. Was planning on the 5th June as it is my birthday that day, it falls on a full moon and is in the height of summer. It seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. Now I think I will give it a miss. I don’t want to rush it. I want a long build up and to enjoy the whole experience. Not cram in a load of training and just end up injured again right before summer.  So plans are afoot for a 2010 BG but there may be some other runs in the meantime worth reading about.  Also means I am free for recce’s and support for anyone interested in a bag carrier?

The lack of a Bob Graham free’s up a massive chunk of my year and given me the chance to be a bit more varied in my events.Something missing last year.

Some of my favorite races are now free for me to do! So the first thing I can now do is the Lakeland Classics series again! I have entered Wasdale and Langdale as it is English Champs races and I will do Duddon and Ennerdale to qualify.

I will also spend some of those planned Bob Graham recce weekends doing adventure racing or mountain biking. I have a few pencilled in already as well so should be good. I will also be spending a few weekends either running or biking or both, with wild camps  in our national parks generally having fun and taking in the views with friends.

I will try to do the Runfurther series, albeit without the Fellsman as a friend is coming over from New Zealand that weekend. Mates come before a run! I will also partake in the club championships. First race of 09 ebing Noonstones next week. My first race back (hopefully)

All in all, despite putting my big goal to one side for a full year, I am looking forward to this year! I actually think I am looking forward to it more now than I was before. Without the BG training shadow looming over me, without the recce, recce, recce mentality getting in there, basically without Bob Graham I can relax and enjoy the build up to June 2010.

So this is the time for change. Time to review what you want for next year and put in plans to get there. Usually I keep mine a secret as easier to ignore them or roll them over to the next year but this year I thought I may as well put my sports related resolutions up on the blog and hope it motivates me to work towards them.

So here they are:

1) Train properly

None of this high milage having fun just running. I realise to take my running up a notch I need proper speed sessions, structured training, hill sessions etc etc. All boring but essential. More of this to come soon.

2) Track training with a training diary

Apparently it is a good thing to track your training. In the past I have just kept a running tally of miles in a week but now I will track individual runs, how I am feeling terrain and other stuff that is useful. This will be a page on this site so other people can have a nosey if the inclination occurs. Half way through coding this and should be online soon.

3) Update this site more

I have been a bit slack with updates and I want to generally put more on this site. More reviews, more articles and a bit more views on things as opposed to just races. Problem at the moment is if I am injured then nothing gets updated.

4) Go climbing more

I started running because I took up climbing, but was too fat to climb well. I started running to lose weight so I could climb better but never really got back into climbing. Two new bouldering wall in Leeds will hopefully mean I can run down there after work with shoes and a bag and then run home afterward no fuss climbing!

5) Get a decent mountain bike

This is in limbo at the moment as I am trying to get a new employer with a bike t work scheme. Once this is done I am looking at a flash new racing hardtail and then a lot more time spent on a bike. Long days out with block training of bike run bike. Great for adventure racing and also ensure that I can get the milage up without too much overuse injuries.

6) Do more different types of races

I am wanting to do different types of races this year. Will have to wait till I get a decent bike however as these would be trailquests, a 24hr enduro, and more adventure races than I am currently doing. I think I would be aiming at the back end of the year for these as I have a lot of running related goals to do first.

So there they are. I am not going to tell you how many are the same from last year but this year is going to be different…honest.