Planning My Summer

Just back from a 3 week holiday - including 2 weeks Mediterranean cruise. Fantastic holiday although didn't do large amounts of running.

I ran twice in Hyde Park/Kensington Park in London, one of the two being in the heaviest rain I've ever run in. Despite this it was a great environment to run, better for me than Central Park. I also ran twice in Villa Borghese Rome - which despite being smaller than the aforementioned 2 parks, was perhaps the nicest of all 3 to run in.

Then it was on to the boat and, as Sling Runner terms it, the dreadmill. Although the treadmills were set up to look directly forwards from deck 9 with some spectacular scenery at times, I still couldn't manage more than an hour in a session. Overall managed about 210k for the 3 weeks, so hopefully not much lost in terms of fitness. I do feel a little flabby after 24hr/day free food and excessive amounts of alcohol, but the scales suggest I've only gained about 1.5kg, so this should be shed rapidly in Sober'Tober.

So my thoughts turn to the remainder of the running year. The basic plan is - solid training block in October, John Gilmour 10k track and Penninsula 5k in November - hopefully to round out a year of PBs in all distances other than the marathon. It also seems that Masters track Tuesday nights will now be on the synthetic track at AK reserve, rather than previously on the grass at McGillvray. If this is the case it will be perfect to swap current track intervals on tuesdays to some track races at the same time and place. Potentially this could have me setting PBs in 800,1500,3k,5k,6k,8k,10k,12k,14k and HM this year (although many of these will be the first time I've run these distances in my adult life) Finally if the body holds up I'll round out the year with the 45k Six Inch trail marathon.

My mantra for the summer will be plenty of short races and only medium mileage training, without taking things too seriously. Let's see how things pan out.