there’s been a bit of a delay getting this update online, however I am very pleased to report that week 1 of training went without a hitch!
it’s actually not really week 1, I just got itchy running feet, and could not hold off any longer, so the 30 week training plan has now become a 32 week plan, with week 1 and 2 being repeated in the pattern week 1, week 1, week 2, week 2… and then week 3 onwards as per the original.
there’s a couple of tweaks that have been made already; instead of running 25k then 18k on the weekend of Nov 5th and 6th, I will be running the marathon event at the World Masters Athletics Championships on Nov 6th. Also I will be taking part in the Oxfam Trailwalker in September, with a 100km trail walk over 48 hours providing a great opportunity to train the mind as well as the body.
generally speaking, I will be sticking to the program though. in fact I don’t think I have approached any training cycle with a more serious and determined frame of mind; I will complete the Australia Day Ultra 100km event in January, and I will do so within cut-off and, ideally, within 13 hours.
so last week saw me put in the most training kms in one week for about 7 months, and while I felt the stiffness, soreness and heaviness of my legs this morning, it actually feels really good.
I know there is a long way to go, and a lot more kms to cover, but I can feel myself fully switched into training mode, there are a few key goals to keep me focused and motivated, and it really feels like things are running smoothly again.
I’ve kind of given up on having the weight goals too – my focus now is to get the eating habits back on track, making sure that my nutrition helps take me towards my goals. By doing that, I believe that I ought to be able to achieve a sustainable 1kg loss (on avergae) per week of the program.
Now I have to admit to stacking on quite a bit of weight since October/November, and I guess that is another symptom of having got into a post-event rut, but 1kg per week will mean that I am around 98kg for ADU2017, a long standing goal weight, and one that I believe will give a massive boost to my running.
in closing then, apart from saying things seem to be going well, I have to reiterate that having goals is such an important part of achieving anything. I knew that I needed to get back into things, and I knew I had to do it soon, but it was the goals that really pulled it all together. that 100km goal is burning inside at least as brightly as the desire to reach Brisbane, and with the World Masters thrown in, how can I do anything except give my all to training?
it’s going to be (yet another) amazing year!
how about yours? what are you striving to achieve in 2016 and beyond?