Monthly Update – September
The last month has flown by with a flash. It has almost been a full year since I started running competitively again and I can’t believe It’s gone so fast. At the start of the year I set myself some short term and long term goals which I have tried to focus on the entire year and I would highly recommend for anyone starting out to do the same.
My first goal and arguably the most important was to enjoy running again. From being injured and ill I now understand how it feels to stand on the side lines and watch your friends and fellow athletes compete and continue to progress while you only go backwards and all the hard work unravels. When I came back to running I had a completely different mind-set and attitude. I knew that from taking some time out I had only increased my desire to run again and hopefully in the long term run competitively.
However, despite my desire to start racing again as soon as possible I knew I had to start slow and to remind myself that you are going through all these long runs in the cold and wet for a reason. That reason is because you enjoy running. Over the year I have tried to remind myself that at the end of the day you should enjoy what you are doing otherwise you won’t train as hard, enjoy the moments that count or continue to do it.
My other goals varied from getting back to a good base of fitness, breaking a 40 minute 10km and breaking a 18 minute 5km. I can gladly say that I have achieved all my goals for this year with a 36 minute 10km and a sub 17 minute 5km.
September has been a packed month with moving back to university, my last big race I was targeting and the start of winter training.
I moved back to university on the 6th of September with work starting immediately. My training since moving back hasn’t changed much despite the terrain becoming less steep. September also had my last race of the season, The Scottish 10km at Musselburgh which I was wanting to perform well at. I didn’t quite break 37 minute but a 37:12 wasn’t too bad for a day I wasn’t feeling my best. The most recent thing that has happened is my transition from speed work to winter training and starting to do some longer miles at a more gentle speed. I haven’t done a structured winter training for a long time so my aim is to decrease the speed and allow my legs to become more adapt to the longer distances.
October will include some park run appearances I am available but I think I will be focusing on getting a good structure into training.
Hopefully once assignments have calmed down and the Christmas Holidays get nearer I should have some more time to do some more posts.
As always Happy Running
Comments