2019 - will one thread be enough for the whole year?

[marathondan]

A quiet optimism rises as the start of the official training plan approaches. Over recent weeks the goal has just been to get back into the habit of running three times a week. To retrain the mind out of the excuses mindset. This week I felt sufficiently enthused to complete the full routine of easy, tempo and interval sessions for the first time. The interval session was conducted old-school, after dark around the field, counting steps rather than trying to read times. Yesterday I strung together 2.5 sub-8 miles in gusty winds, with considerably less effort than I was expecting. As ever, it's a joy to see the simple correlation of effort and results. I've even got within 30s of my Parkrun PB, a mark that I thought was probably out of sight forever.

This has been my lighter week of the fortnightly teaching cycle, so I'm under no illusions that every week will go this well.

The main uncertainty ahead is the left heel, and whether the swelling and resulting debilitating soreness will recur this year. So far there is the tiniest of twinges, but not a problem at all yet. I will religiously stay off the tarmac this year, and amazingly for me I've already bought a new pair of shoes - before the training starts, not half-way through when I get injured. It remains to be seen if the increased support from new kicks outweighs the fact that I will have a fresh, stiff ankle collar rubbing on the heel.

Jan 21 miles; Feb 20; Mar 33; Apr 47. Year to date: 121