Getting a grip on running

This theme goes around and around because I too often have too little focus on any one discipline. Sure, running is my favourite and my most regular but I really feel like I've been off the rails the past few weeks; as always, I haven't been doing anything near to what I'd like. This year sure has been a whirlwind!

I feel like my running training has been limping along with other activities taking running slots. That said, I've run two half marathons this year (both in Feb) and I'll doing a 32km on Sunday. That's one more road race than I did during the whole of last year.

Occupying my during-the-week evenings and nights has been the six-week photographic course, teaching dance class once a week, attending another dance class once a week, and then other activities and commitments on the one 'open' night, Wednesdays. I feel as if I've barely been at home at night in weeks! From this week much of this is alleviated, which makes a big difference to my timing for evening runs. I feel tense and jumpy - need to run, run, run!

I think I also tend to get frustrated when I allow other things to sneak in because having done my '35 days of running' last year, I know how doable it can be to get in even a 20-minute run every day. I get slack because some days I just feel so overwhelmed that I close down; it's really the wrong response. This year I'm in for '36 days of running' in the lead up to my 36th birthday. According to my calculations I start this on 14 May.

I have a running friend in the US, Rebekah Trittipoe. We met running Jungle Marathon in Brazil in late 2003. She is bravely doing 366 days of running; I think today is Day 61. Go girl!

This time next week I'll be just about landing in Bangkok for the start of my two week non-event HOLIDAY. A real holiday where yoga and running are my main focuses. As the days now count down I can barely think of anything else. Tick-tock. Yeeehhhaaa!