The Road Not Taken

Tonight I completed my first run in the evenings since the clocks went back; it was cold and very very dark. From my house I either have the option of running up and down a half mile stretch which is lit or I run into the darkness, I chose the darkness.

The view from my run

Tonight I realised how much of a mental game this training is going to be; when its dark, cold, raining and I need to go out and run for an hour or two I’m going to need to be strong because tonight staring into the darkness with the little light from my head torch to guild me it was completely overwhelming and I had the same thought over and over again, the thought, that this is going to be a long hard few months of winter training.

Hopefully with my work shift pattern most of my runs I will try and squeeze into the day but with the ever approaching December ‘Winter is coming’

After a little cry at home and a completely sense of ‘this is not going to be fun’ I re-read my latest email from the Marathon trainers from British Heart Foundation that I received this afternoon. I quote “You certainly do have a challenge when you look at all your shift patterns but also the fact that you have an hour’s commute as well, I think you’re doing very well to be achieving the training that you are currently doing. “ I had briefly read this before my run and I think I remembered the wrong part. I need to forget about “You certainly do have a challenge” and remember the “I think you’re doing very well to be achieving the training that you are currently doing”

I can do it. I am doing it.

So this week is about getting out there and getting used to the dark, start putting those regular miles in and trying a few new techniques featured in my training plan although I have to say I’m not looking forward to being in ‘controlled discomfort’!

Onwards, Upwards and into the Darkness!

On a brighter and lighter note my ankle seems to be settling; with some strength exercises, a compression sock and some fab new trainers I haven’t had any pain in a few days now, fingers crossed that’s it.

Look at them…. very shiny and new!!

7 weeks to go of my 2017 challenge!

164 Days to Go!