“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. It’s in the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” – Zig Ziglar

Monday 18/02.

On reflection yesterday’s intermediate run through the New Forrest was probably just what I needed. Running at a realistic pace along an unknown route with mates was pretty refreshing compared to running alone in the local area. No aches, no pains and woke feeling ready to take on a long one later in the day.

Intention is to take on the Warsash loop (yep, I’ve actually named my routes!) and if I feel good then I’ll try and tag on a couple more.

Last week’s distance totalled in at 52½ miles but this week, keeping in with the +10% formula we’re looking at around 59 miles. Providing I manage my time properly, it should be achievable.

Unlike yesterday, the weather wasn’t as warm so, although it was a shorts kinda day, it was still a couple of upper layers sort of evening

Rain had made the trail section pretty muddy but hey, that’s cool. The rest of the route is either road or shingle so no dramas there.

Tagging on to the route, an extra leg to Stubbington village (to drop some vet samples off) managed to add on 3 miles which came in at a respectable 21 miles.

 

Next one will be Wednesday’s short to and from the dojo but a great start to the week.  
 
Wednesday 20/02.
Having not run yesterday, the post-worktime focus was getting out there and getting time on feet with the weight again.

Intention was to crack out a light run to the dojo and back and use it as a barrier-breaker for the Thursday longer one.

Set out to the dojo with a steady plod which is always weird because the run there is always almost pointless. It’s only 2½ miles but the first 2 miles are always spent getting into the rhythm of things and boom, I’m there.

The return is a load better having spent a couple of hours training with the students. Reached home after the trip back, then thought, hey, collect the four-legged loonies and cracked back on for some more.

5 mins getting their harnesses on and back out the door. Only down side to spending runtime with the two mentalists is, as soon as they’re out the door it’s a fricken sprint!
 

2 miles out at breakneck speed with me constantly shouting for them to slow down a bit, it was time to get the return home stretch done (again). A total of 9 miles clocked up against the weeks target of 60 miles felt pretty good considering I’d never planned to use a Wednesday into the training regime.

Next up, a 10 miler tomorrow…

Thursday 21/02.
Up, work and mentally planning for this evenings run, I knew it’d be a slightly later session because I had wave one of the inoculation program.

Out the door with a focus on the mid turning point. Route was fairly ok since we’d not had any rainfall for a couple of days so it wasn’t a big deal. I’d had every intention of taking it steady but no horrific mud en route made it loads better where footfalls were concerned and pace was a little quicker than intended but hey, if yer feeling the love then why not?!?!

Unsure if it was psychosomatic but I had a couple of hip / groin niggles whilst out. Nothing major and after a couple of hundred yards walk it felt fine but something I need to watch I guess.  

Doing another accumulated 10 miles today put me in a great position to wrap up the 60 miles for the week. With 40 miles completed so far I’ve only 20 remaining in the next 3 x days and that can be chopped up to suit how I’m feeling. Was lovely to bump into a fellow Park Runner (Amie - who seems to have the same pace as me) near the end of today and finally have a chance for a quick chat before getting the final piece completed.

Friday 22/02.

Working half days on a Friday is a great way to start the weekend AND it gives me the chance to hit the trails earlier than usual, enjoy the day light and not have any pressure to get the job done in a set period of time.

I’d planned to do a 15 miler by doing the “Hook Village Loop” but as usual, when the fork in the road appeared, I’d make the decision to hang a left or right. The right turn would mean 18 miles meaning only a short one tomorrow whereas the left turn means 15 miles and a slightly longer one on Saturday.

 

Inevitably it was the right turn (stubbornness kicked in I guess). Was feeling pretty good right up to the point where I hit the Warsash shingle and I felt something in my groin area go. That had a knock on effect with my left knee and then it all went horribly wrong from there on.

Walked the shingle and then gave the trails a bit of a gentle jog which wasn’t too bad but once you know there’s a problem, it eats away at ya. Made it home and decided there and then that the week was done.

Advice I’d be giving to someone else would be to rest so that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.
 

 

To be totally honest I feel a little dejected at not meeting the 60 miles BUT, what I've stupidly failed to remember was that I should’ve been including last Sunday’s 11½ miler into the mix. Sundays are rest day and last week I’d swapped it out so, I'm taking it!!!  

Saturday 23/02.

No Park Run, no jog, no distance no nothing apart from waking up feeling a bit urgh! Sore throat, cough and generally run down so nothing. It’s probably a blessing what with the groin strain going on. It meant that there was no temptation to get out there and ignore physical pains. So, today was a definite rest with feet up, healthy food. Need to make an honest / sensible reflection after a good night’s lseep and figure out what’ll happen next week if I’ve got a cold brewing.

Sunday 24/02.

Another rest day!! Defo have a cold and defo pulled something in the groin region so sofa and nothing apart from a pity of self-pity.

Questioning if the strain and cold was caused by doing too much bounces round and round but at the end of the day, the cold is probably coincidental coz there’s a load going about. The groin strain is a bigger worry b’coz I have no idea if it’s from over working.

Next week, at the moment, is a nothing week until the cold has started to fade. Tomorrow’s long one is an absolute NO, Tuesday & Wednesday are teaching days so I’m hoping that Thursday I’ll be OK to get something done. We’ll just have to wait ‘n’ see.

Weekly total mileage came in at a fairly respectable 58½ miles without adding on last Sunday. Adding that to the week actually gave me a whopping 70 miles but have I paid the price? Who knows. What I do know is that if I didn’t feel like urgh, I have been super happy.

Whatever you’re training for, whatever your drive, get out there, make it happen and enjoy!
 
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