Taking it easy... it's taper time!

I remember the first time I attempted a 10 minute mile. I can't remember how long I'd been running, I reckon it would have been a couple of months. I was on a treadmill as at that point I hadn't worked myself up to running in the great outdoors. I set about it not really knowing hat number I needed the still somewhat unfamiliar device to be set at, just upping it until I was going as fast as I could then pushing it until I was sure my legs would fall off and my lungs would burst.

I hit the mile in 10:11, and I still think that was perhaps the slowest 11 seconds of my life. I can't even really remember the first time I hit the 10 minute mile if I'm honest, I wouldn't have thought it would be too long after. But for some reason that one failed attempt really sticks in my mind.

Skip (or run...) forward two and a bit years and I'm just entering the taper period for my second half marathon. I always think a lot while I'm running and my steady three miler around Colwick Park yesterday lunchtime was no exception. As my trainers got going, so did my brain and my thoughts trailed to just how far I've come since those early treadmill days.

Strangely, despite all the long run miles I've put in over the last few weeks in preparation for the upcoming race, it was a short run that made me think a lot about the progress I've made. Yesterday, my little trot around the park made me realise the one mile time I was once so desperate for is now something I class as a 'steady' pace for a short-ish run.

I'm not saying it's easy, but instead of feeling seconds away from cardiac arrest I felt strong and in control and just the right amount of uncomfortable.

I know I'll be running a slower than that round the 13.1 mile route on 24th September... but, thinking about how far I've come makes me all the more excited for where I can still go if I keep pushing!  

Sun, sand and slacking off

I never normally follow an 'official' training plan in the lead up to an event, I tend to find them too tricky to fit into my already packed schedule. But I've looked at lots of them for tips etc and not a single one has ever included having a week in Benidorm eating the wrong things, drinking everything and dancing through to the early hours as part of race day preparation.

However, being an avid sun worshipper with an annual pilgrimage to Benidorm on the calendar, I had to add this slightly unconventional week into my training plan.

So months ago when the holiday was booked I pencilled in all my weekend long runs so I'd be sure to get enough miles in to be comfortable that my half marathon training progress wouldn't be completely messed up just a few weeks before race day.

In the couple of weeks post-birthday pre-holiday things were going great. I hit 10+ miles, had a good routine of a couple of short runs in the week complimented by a long one at the weekend and finally hit the sub 30 5km for the first time in many months. So as I packed my trainers and running club top along with my passport I set off on my travels feeling relaxed and without and pressure to fit in any serious runs while away.

I managed two runs while I was there. One hot and sweaty canter up the promenade then down the backstreets to keep out of the 28 degree sun. The other was still hot and sweaty, this time up the practically deserted promenade which was being completely pounded by warm rain. Neither were far and neither were fast but both enjoyable.

Arriving back in England a couple of shades darker and almost certainly a couple of pounds heavier but feeling happy and relaxed, the sensible thing to do would be to hop straight back onto the Slimming World plan I've been hopelessly following for years and get myself back in prime training position.

It appears I'm not very sensible.

What I actually did was carry on the holiday (with a couple of days at work thrown in) culminating in a night going 'out out' with my best pal and biggest drinking partner. So long run Sunday soon rolled round, my sleeping pattern non-existent and apparently my motivation out of the window with it. I got up and made my breakfast, as I have done pre-long run loads of times then I headed up to my room to get ready. Except instead of getting ready I got in bed and went back to sleep, something I've never done before!

As the day went on I thought of every excuse to postpone my run. I'd already decided I didn't have the 10km I had written in my diary all those weeks ago in me but I knew that after pretty much having two weeks off I couldn't afford to skip another run altogether.

Eventually, after countless episodes of Big Bang Theory I begrudgingly pulled on my lycra, tied up my laces and off I went. To be honest it wasn't really as bad as I thought it might be. I managed 4 miles (one of which almost all uphill) in a fairly consistent and not too slow pace so by the time I got home I was feeling much better than before I left.

So now I've got three weeks to go. That'll be one long run and one long-ish one plus quite a few smaller ones to keep the legs ticking over. It's too late in the day too worry about boosting my speed much now (especially as I've also got a weekend away the week before the Half) but I'll be happy if I can reverse the Benidorm based damage and get myself confident that I'll manage to whip around the course in around the same time as I did last year... 2:22 if you're wondering.

I've got my various sessions planned in the diary, written in pen and not pencil as they're non-negotiable and I can't let myself get distracted with social plans, rainy routes or any other excuses I can think of. This time in three weeks I'll (hopefully) be writing a post about my second half marathon experience with a picture of a shiny new medal.

Let's see how it goes!