Nice day for it

The weather lately has been depressing.

There seems no end to the relentless grey skies and drizzle.

This contributed to challenging conditions in the inter-club cross country home fixture on Sunday. The mud was oppressive. Energy sapping. Sections of the course were walked. 

I finished around 5 minutes slower than my previous effort on this course. It may have been fatigue from the ski trip, the conditions, current fitness levels, or all of the above.


There's a fantastic video from legendary coach Frank Dick. He talks about what it means to be a winner, about being better today than you were yesterday. It captures the essence of our sport beautifully:

What it means to be a winner

OK, I may have been slower than I was two years ago, but one year ago I was in the trenches with cancer and chemotherapy. 

A reminder to be patient, a virtue I have rarely demonstrated in life.

I've got the Donfaster 5K coming up in March, the day after my 44th Birthday. As I approach the V45 category, I've got it in my head that I can achieve a lifetime PB and beat 19:12. After testing my theory on Tuesday, with an all out effort at this distance, I may have to revise my goal...this year at least. I've not given up on breaking the 19 minute barrier, but I need to accept my body has been through a lot. I'm heavier than I was in my prime, it's likely my Vo2 max and lactate thresholds have suffered. I can feel it.

But I'll keep plodding on. Consistency is the key.

Yesterday, I didn't really feel like running. The week's mileage was already quite high, for me. The weather was grim. But I had a drive out into the Peaks to one of my favourite routes and was treated to some lovely weather on the hills...


I think the horizontal hail was my favourite part. It's a good job I know the route, as I couldn't look up!

In other news, I've had a flexible working pattern approved at work and will be working reduced hours for a while. This will free up time to spend with loved ones, to do more fun stuff and to study.

Play before work. Always.



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