Thankfully normal transmission of life should resume on Monday. I’ve realised this week how important running is – being in quite a stressful situation and not being able to run reinforced for me how we use our runs not only to exercise our bodies but sort out our minds and while we may be physically tired at the end of our run, our minds are often refreshed. Running is a great way to unwind and de-stress and I can’t wait to don the running shoes on Monday evening.

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Family crisis – flight quickly booked, necessities stuffed into hand luggage and off.

No chance of running for at least 4 or 5 days.

We’ve all been there. Best laid training plans and then suddenly things are out of our control either through injury, illness or other crises. Our training plans suddenly go to pot. We panic. But we need to realise it’s not the end of the world – keep positive – do what we can do, which in my case is keep up with the stretching and knee exercises and eating healthily. For some the period out of action will be longer than others and then it’s harder to keep positive. That’s when online running buddies and friends can make all the difference.

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After all my good intentions in my New Year’s post for my plans for the year, I find myself having to reduce my mileage rather than increase it and avoid hills!  Basically things haven’t been right since before my October marathon in Dublin. Running didn’t feel good and my legs always felt stiff. I kinda thought it was just a bad stage, a bit of dehydration etc etc but I let slip at the weekend that my knees are always sore the day after running and especially when I’m going up/down stairs. So I was told in no uncertain terms to stop doing my ostrich impression (i.e. remove head from sand!) and face facts – at the moment I feel like I’m about 70, flexibility is zilch, calves are tight, knees are sore – okay shoot me now. I definitely won’t be passing the MOT.

So I need to sort this out – and marathon training is probably not the way to go about it. I’ve identified the exercises and stretching regime I need to follow. I will have to keep my runs shorter and avoid too many hills for the time being. I may concentrate on half marathons later on in the year but I shall wait and see how things go.

It all did however make me realise how much I would miss running if I couldn’t do it. I actually felt a bit panicked at the thought that maybe I wouldn’t be able to run marathons any more. So this is the incentive I need to keep being disciplined with the exercises. Will keep you posted on progress – hold off the firing squad for just a bit yet!

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On Monday night when I came home from work I felt shattered. To say that the thought of putting on my runners and going back out the door was unappealing is a complete understatement. Hubby said, at least go out to the traffic lights to loosen up the legs a bit (a couple of miles). Did what I was told – once out the door thought I can probably do my 4 mile route. Ended up doing 7 miles. Moral of story – you might feel crap and shattered after work but often it’s not physical tiredness and a run will do you good. At least try a few miles – if you’re really tired then that’s okay. More often than not you find you can keep going and it even feels good!

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I did some mental toughness training yesterday - I had my annual trip to the dentist.

Even typing the word “dentist” makes my palms sweat! I would rather run a marathon (and believe me I know how painful those last few miles are..) At least I’m in control there – when you’re pinned in a chair with a metal clamp stuck in your mouth and someone trying to carrry on a conversation with you while inflicting all manner of pain on your mouth, mile 26 seems like a doddle.

It’s good I suppose to have to do things we don’t like and can’t control (but not too often). It’s good to face fears head on no matter what they are. Different things hold different fears and challenges for different people – toughing it out is what is important.

PS there’s a difference between toughing it out and actually coming to enjoy it. I can guarantee I will never, ever enjoy the dentist!

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Here are some views from snowy Scotland. We’ve had snow from before Christmas and it’s showing no signs of going yet. Running in these conditions is hard work. Did my first run of 2010 this morning – gave up waiting for the snow to go and instead did a really early morning run when I could run a bit on the roads as they were quiet.

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Here are just some of my thoughts on 2010. I don’t do resolutions (it’s usually a sure-fire way of jinxing any goals/change from the start!)– but like to have a plan on what I would like to achieve from my training.

I’m basing my thoughts for 2010 on this little saying I read somewhere recently…

“Those who do not attempt to go beyond their limits should never complain about the mediocrity of their existence”.

I’m afraid too often I like my comfort zones – and excuse this to myself by reasoning that at least I do more than 80% odd of the population. But I’m not really happy deep down about this … so here goes for 2010…

I want to do more hill running – for various reasons partly to ease monotony of road running and add variety and because I love being out on the hills. I used to do a lot of hill walking and so this is a good compromise – I get to run and I get to be out on the hills.

I’ve done a bit this year but know that, in order to enjoy it and improve, I need to lose a bit of weight so I’m not trailing extra pounds up and down the hills. So weight loss is top priority for 2010. I know as well it will have positive spin-offs for my road running.

While past attempts to lose further weight have failed – mostly because I wasn’t fully committed to the cause or wanting it for the right reasons – this time I think I realise what a difference weight loss will make to my running and enable me to enjoy it better. I carried our 13lb Xmas turkey home from the shops this year and boy it was heavy. I am carrying probably about a 10lb metaphorical turkey round with me all the time…..

There are of course other areas I want to work on such as increasing weekly mileage and the amount of stretching I do to improve my flexibility but in the main 2010 is the year of ridding myself of the turkey and getting out on those hills!

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Just been giving some thought to what has helped motivate me during the past year in my running from the different online resources that I use. My top three – well it’s really difficult to decide as one thing on its own would be less effective without the other resources. But here goes….

3rd place

Mapometer (http://gb.mapometer.com/en/ )

I discovered this mapping tool only recently but in my opinion it far surpasses other mapping tools which I had used up to now. This tool is devoid of annoying ads and seems faster and less clunky. I used this when I had problems with the calibration of my Garmin Forerunner 50 watch and it gave me incorrect and varying distance measurements. Useful in planning varied routes to keep boredom out of covering the same route time and time again.

2nd place

Fetch Everyone (www.fetcheveryone.com)

I love Fetch Everyone site with the ability to see my training log in different formats, see how many miles are on each pair of my shoes, see where I’m ranking on the monthly and annual running league tables, which can spur me on to put in a few extra miles, enter scheduled and completed race info. This is only some of the functionality which this brilliant site offers.

1st place

Twitter (www.twitter.com)

But there needs to be a human element in all this as well, even in the virtual world and this is where Twitter is an invaluable resource. Of all the resources I would rank Twitter top for what I get from it in terms of motivation, support and a good laugh. It also, I hope, gives me the chance to offer the same in some small way to others. This is a virtual community there when you have a brilliant run and also there when you have a crap race. These are people who are as mad as you, who understand the need to go out running in storms and gales, to wear definitely untrendy luminous gear, who get equally excited about acquiring the latest gps watch and who pore over spreadsheets and logs working out minute miles! This is the Twitter running community and you are the best!

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Hope everyone had an enjoyable and happy Christmas. I’m just back from the usual Christmas travels to visit family and have to say it is nice to be back home and relaxing. I’ve had my fill of mince pies, Xmas cake etc and was looking forward to getting back into the running routine as I only managed a couple of runs last week.

However, decided on second thoughts that running was a bit dicey today given the amount of snow and ice still around so instead had a truly wonderful walk in a winter wonderland. Fields full of untouched snow glistening in the sun like they were sprinkled with jewels; sheep huddled by the fence where their feed had been left; ice on branches; sun streaming through trees their branches still heavy with snow.

Now, where is that leftover Gluwhein – it’s just the day for it!

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I so enjoyed last night’s 7 miler. It was like running in a magical world where anything could happen or appear round the next corner. All day there had been thick fog which had never cleared and which created a mysterious world. By my lunchtime walk time you couldn’t see far in front – dog walkers would suddenly loom out of the mist and the bare trees took on a ghostly appearance.

By run time in the evening the fog was just as thick and the streetlights only cast a very hazy glow before being swallowed up by the dark. The occasional car headlights projected huge circles in the fog, bare branches glistened with drops of moisture and the dark fields seemed to stretch interminably and mysteriously into the murky fog.

I love the variety the seasons bring to running and last night’s run was something special.

View from office window

Lunchtime walk

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