Half Marathon Blog 6: A month to go.

There has been a lull in writing. If anyone lost faith I can reassure you that even though I wasn’t sharing I have been running. Only this morning I ran 15 km.

I admit that three weeks ago I went through a period of sustained hatred, when every step was a drain on will power as well as leg, heart and lung power. I’d like to say that I’ve been diligent and maintained my training intensity, stuck to the plan and all round been an obedient trainee but that simply isn’t the case.

Not long after my last missive I ditched my plan, took several days off then ran a few half-hearted laps of the reservoir. I put more energy into thinking of reasons not to run than I would have used just getting on with it. I was ready to give up. Luckily, I had already paid the race entry fee and worse, told people I was running the thing.

At the bottom of my motivational low two of those people came to my rescue, Melissa supplied her half-marathon training plan and Pete offered to be my running buddy. Pete has been intermittent in his attendance at training but still manages to out pace me every time. This should be disheartening but I have simply accepted that he is part mountain goat; has natural ability and I suspect he actually enjoys running.

The training plan Melissa provided is easy to follow and strikes a balance between stretching me to run further each week and being achievable. I printed it out and I smile as I tick off each run as I do it.

I must admit the training it isn’t all bad. I get to spend time in nice places, the bush trails around Ross Creek reservoir are some of my staple routes. Once all this is over and I’m not on a ‘programme’ I will visit again Ross Creek. Instead of pausing only long enough to get a drink from the water fountain and on warmer days fill my baseball cap with water, I will find a bench in the sun and sit down to watch the world and its dogs walk by.