Well, it's been a strange one!
I began the year running 1 mile circles around my home in the thick snow to try and train for my marathon in Marrakech. My training had gone well, and I had even managed a 20 mile run in the November beforehand with not one single walk break, so the snow really knacked it all up at the last minute. I thought training in 5 layers would prepare me for the heat... it didn't! My first DNF for a marathon after getting heat stroke, and a medal achieved because I did get through the half! To me though... it was still a DNF.
The Kilomathon came next, and with Hadds training going well, and what I would deem as perfect weather (but maybe a little windy), I averaged a 10mm which I was delighted with. Then a couple of weeks later, I put on a Camelbak and ran from Middlesbrough to home on my longest ever training run (24 miles). This was the perfect run up for the first Virgin London Marathon and my hopes were high for a 4:50 finish... hopes were dashed as the horrible muggy weather after months of training in snow proved too much and I walked a vast amount of it, coming in at 5:01. I began to consider that Hadds training wasn't too reliable if the temperature wasn't perfect, there had to be no hills and if there was wind... well that knocked the heart rate out of kilter too!
3 weeks later I'm doing the Windermere marathon after having done no hill training at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this marathon. I loved the changing elevations, the scenery, the company (it was Fetch-tastic) and as I am a huge fan of Windermere, I found the whole weekend to be fabulous. I came in at 5:06 here, but had thought I would be much slower and so was very pleased to be so close in time to a "flat London" only 3 weeks prior.
At the end of May, my first ultra got cancelled due to lack of entrants (which was probably a blessing in disguise) and it was around this time I changed my mindset and training and plucked up the courage to email William Sichel and ask to be coached by him and Shaun Brassfield Thorpe. This was also the time that my training became far more taxing and far more enjoyable, running in a weighted vest, weight training, intervals... all things I'd not done much of before!
August saw me cancelling one marathon due to problems with accommodation and another DNF because of horrible weather conditions during Fleetwood marathon (very very strong wind and a good old sandblasting that Cheryl Cole would have paid thousands for, as my skin had the best exfoliation it has ever received!)
Feeling that it was the right move to pull out made this not too disappointing, and I felt I could capitalise on this and get straight back into training, which I did! Shortly after this, being paced by Kerry to a 4 minute and 20 second PB in a 10K made me feel over the moon and also made me realise how far I'd come in the short time I'd had help from William and Shaun.
Unfortunately, the following month, being ready to get myself a huge PB in a half marathon by 10 minutes or so... my hopes were dashed as I had to pull out at 4 miles due to feeling terribly ill. I was completely gutted about this and became determined that my next race would be fantastic and I would finally prove how far I've come in a short few months on my current training programme.
2 weeks later I hurt my back after decorating a hallway, which put payed to doing any strength training for 7 weeks before the marathon, which I was most unhappy about as I knew how important this element of my training was. Fortunately I did manage an 18 mile run in my weighted vest before Florence which made me feel quite confident.
Florence wasn't what I was hoping for, as it was supposed to be between 12 and 15 degrees. It turned out to be minus 1 and heavy heavy rain. Getting a PB of 16 minutes and 2 seconds was good, but I expected better of myself and so was a little disappointed. In hindsight, I know this to be a great achievement (of which I can further strengthen in future). One of these days I'm going to do a race in "normal" weather with no extremes... although I'll have nothing to blame for when I do a crap job of it will I? ;-)
And so, when I was ready to run post Florence, the snow was too bad and the roads were far too icy to attempt it, then when the roads thawed I got a cold and also a bad chest! Typical!
So, plans for next year.....
1. I'm getting a power cage so I can do my strength training properly with no risk of injury when training alone.
2. I'm entering Basel 12 hour race in May (when I can work out how to pay for the race... I don't understand the form at all!)
3. No DNF's next year (illness permitting)... if the weather is rubbish, I'll just get on with it and not let it get to me. If it's too hot I'll slow down, if it's too cold I'll speed up!
4. Keep fit and injury free. I'm off to the physio on Tuesday for a once over, to make sure everything is all hunky dory ready for the impending (but enjoyable) pain I'm about to put myself through for 2011. I'm fortunate to have a physio who runs 70 miles a week... he understands my art! ;-)
5. Be of a strong mind! I'm going to need it!
So, I'm really looking forward to next year. It's going to be great. I'm looking forward to doing some races in preparation for Basel (not sure what William and Shaun have in store for me there yet).
I have learnt a lot about myself this year. I've learnt that when I really dig my heels in (Florence) I'm very very strong willed and can do anything. I have learnt that I can easily get annoyed during races when something unexpected happens (sand and wind at Fleetwood) and this is something I need to address because more often than not... something unexpected will happen!
I have finally found a training regime that I think works, thanks to William and Shaun, and the harder the exercise sounds, the more I want to do it!
I have also learnt that when I lack motivation, it tends to be one of two things... a). I am coming down with something and not feeling 100% b). I'm starting to feel nervous about an up and coming race.
I'm sure I've learnt much more than all of this, but this is all I can think of at the moment. So, it's not been the best year for racing... but that just means I should have a blast next year. Roll on 2011
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