Frustrations

Well after yesterday I'm a little frustrated with myself and the running. I know we all go through these little up and down patches, but it does annoy me. An interesting thread started on the MDS website (www.themds.co.uk), which talks about a run/walk strategy when doing longer distances. I guess my biggest issue at the moment is having the confidence in myself to be able to run a marathon and I'm doubting that. Given that I wanted to go and do 16 miles yesterday I was disappointed that I was so tired after just 7 miles. I know there are factors to consider, but it annoys me. I guess also my preparation at weekends is poor. I usually get up late, my eating patterns go off plan, and I end up not eating up through paranoia that I'll get stitch. Yet when I run after work, I often have my best runs as I'm into a pattern, have eaten well during the day and feel good. Common sense really isnt it!

If anything my run yesterday should have taught me something in that I would usually average around 56-58 mins for the 7 mile loop that I do, and by coming in at 61 mins, whilst walking up hills, tells me that all is OK, even walking up hills. My issue is that I feel walking is a failure and that in doing so I've given up. I guess I'm comparing myself to if I'm doing a marathon, and I should not even be contemplating walking in a marathon! Which I won't of course, but I'm my biggest critic when it comes to things like this, and the fact that I didnt do the full whack annoys me intensely. I guess I need to chill out a little!

So need to rethink strategy a little, and focus on what it is I want to achieve. The problem is that at the moment I'm focusing on a marathon in April (not the mds), so need to behave accordingly. In the short-term I want to be marathon fit. i.e. run a marathon in 3:45mins and feel ok afterwards. That is goal number one... so really I need to just shut up and get out there and bloody well make sure I do it... once I'm done on this... then it's a case of just keeping that intensity up and then adjust training for the mds.

Hmmm, maybe I just need to get out there and run and chill :)