I'm either mad or a runner......or both! by JoCompton

I have fallen in love..... with running!! I just love, love, love running at this time of year and as no one else understands (that doesn't run) thought I'd head on back to a place where people do - so here I am. Again!

I stopped blogging because my love of Autumn/winter running is in stark contrast to my hatred of running in the summer and this year I did continue running but they were short little runs that never progressed in anyway and quite frankly were not worth talking about. It kept me ticking over though so come the end of September when the dreaded sound of THAT mag lands on the mat the serious marathon training comes to forefront of our minds again.  This year (or next if we're being precise) is a no for me for VLM but the madness that is marathon running had me entering the Brighton marathon a week before I'd even run VLM this year and so I knew I'd be running at least one marathon next April, maybe 2 if I got accepted into VLM which would have been a bit of a challenge but thankfully (for sanity's sake although I was gutted) I didn't get in so only one marathon for me in April.  EXCEPT for the small matter of the revival of the Southend Marathon at the end of April. There is no way I could miss the marathon that's nigh on in my backyard, my hometown marathon, where many of my training runs were done. Anyway I've expressed my interest so it's just the small matter of once they've made the final arrangements, signing on the dotted line, which I invaribly will, and so will be the challenge of 2 marathons in 2 weeks. Good times!!

I started my serious (as in longer, harder, faster, stronger!!) in Oct but developed a knee injury just as I was getting into the swing of things. 2 weeks of forced rest and I was literally itching to get back out there.

Week 1 was an amazing start. 5 runs in 1 week totalling over 15 miles. Run 1 after the knee injury wasn't going well 1 mile in with the knee twinging but I put my head down, turned my music up and by the end had done over 4 miles and the knee seemed fine. Touch wood it hasn't hurt since. Runs 2,3 and 4 were on consecutive days and were 3 1/2 miles, 2 1/2 miles and 2 miles and then run 5 was done on a Sunday after a heavy Saturday night drinking and dancing and a lack of sleep.  4 1/2 miles later and I've got me a new hangover cure!! Except for run 5 all of these runs were Gaminless as it wasn't talking to me for ignoring it for so long but they were slow.

Week 2. Hubby gets manflu and me and the boys get a cold (funny that!!).  Decide that if I can run with a hangover then I'm damn well sweating out this cold. 2.5 miles later and I'm questioning my sanity but at least I'm not giving in and still getting out there. Had to have a rest day in between runs this week and am still suffering come Thursday but am determined nothing will stop me running and head off for a lovely 5.5 miler. Run 3 of the week was just 2 miles and I'll be honest it was hard. The run the day before and the effects of the cold were still there and I wanted to go further but did admit defeat. That just left the LSR for the Sunday. I wanted to do more miles this week than the week before so was looking at between 6 and 8 miles. I've got a lovely little route at the moment which is a mile around the school field and then they've cleared all of the bushes and trees from along the river which runs by the school field so that's a 1.5 miles to as far as you can run and back so depending on how I feel I can add more miles as I need and it's just beautiful at this time of year (except for the A road which they have now built over the river but with my music turned up loud you barely notice it!!). Didn't manage to fit the lsr in yesterday though. Woke up late (I never set an alarm as my kids are always up early, 7.30 the latest, except the one day I want to get up early and they wake up at nearly 9!!) and then a million things to do in the day I was hoping to fit it in once the boys were in bed but it was 8.30 by the time I could have gone and to be honest it was just too late and I was too tired. So off I set today.  Managed 7.7 miles and had a gel at 5 as I was feeling tired so not too bad and a couple of more miles than week one with one less run so going well.

Week 3 is going to be a bit challenging as I have lots of school stuff on this week which makes it hard to fit runs in and I also have my cousin's hen do in Liverpool at the weekend so aren't going to fit a run in then. I'm hoping to fit 4 in but not quite sure how.  May have to do a long run on Thurs or Fri and then a little one before I leave on Sat or may even go again on the Monday.  Will keep you posted though.

Right, now that's you all up to date with my running but there is one thing I need to get off my chest.  I use the word "running" very loosely as I have somehow got slower in my running and have lots of walking breaks (my 5.5 miler this week took 1 hour 15 mins  but I was ill and tired). In the past I've got quite hung up on how slow I run and never really classed myself as a "runner" but this time I'm loving running so much I actually don't care.  I still run more than I walk, have run off a hangover, a cold, a mega stressful day and ran through muddy puddles in the wind and rain with the biggest smile on my face. My days are now done around running and if I have a spare morning or afternoon I'll fit in a little extra run.  Most of my xmas pressies are running related and carbs are my friend again.  Therefore I finally feel like I can class myself as a "runner" and obviously I want to get faster and run further without walking but if that doesn't happen just the sheer pleasure of putting one foot in front of the other and the exhiliration I feel at the end of each run is enough for me and everyone that laughs/critisizes me can go and sit their fat ar*e back down on the sofa they've not moved from for hours!!

Now the only other task is to catch up on what you've all been up to.  Like my running this will be slow and steady but I will get there in the end!!

Happy running everyone xx