A long winter of running! by gordonm

Well it has been a few weeks since my last post. Things have been hectic as I currently work full-time and am doing a part-time diploma as the same time. The last month has involved handing in course works!!

Anyway, I spent a bit of time recently trying to work out a training plan and looked through various books and the Runner's World site. I finally settled on using the Sample and Advanced Competitor's schedule from the The Competitive Runner's Handbook ( a great book BTW). I won't be following this schedule exactly but using it as a guide. I believe in having a rough idea of what you want to do in a week and then playing it by ear depending on how much time you have, how your body feels and how much energy you can muster.

The schedule given in the book recommends running about 6 times a week. I am going to aim for that but know for a fact I won't manage to hit it every week - as long as I do it more often than not I will be training a lot more than I have in the past. 

So far this week I have managed to get out four times. I have done a couple of 6 mile runs, a 7.5 mile run and a speed session involving 6x4 min reps with 2 min rest in between. My legs are feeling good so far - a little strained during the runs at times but ok otherwise. 

My run today was an experience. It is about -1 outside and totally foggy. I went out running in my shorts and I could just tell that everyone I passed thought I was truly nuts. When it started raining after about 6 mins in to it I began to ask myself why I was doing it!!! I settled down after that but had a close call as I turned the corner near my house, there was a nice patch of black ice which I hit but I managed to recover my balance before hitting the deck.

One of my main ways of achieving the 6 runs a week or so is to do them at lunchtime. I have been taking my kit to work with me but as it is winter I have to remember a lot of kit - trainers, hat, gloves, key holder, LS T-shirt, normal t-shirt, mp3 player, watch, etc. I have had a few incidents recently where I have forgotten my shorts (just as I did in the preceding list) or picked up my wife's trainers and not mine and have only realised as I was about to go for a run! Very frustrating.

Anyway, I really hope the weather in Dundee picks up soon as it's really tricky getting it together to actually go out in this cold and icy weather.