It's astounding....time is fleeting....madness takes its toll.....

But listen closely....
Not for very much longer....
I've GOT TO keep control!

It's that time of year again where the best part of a month of my life disappears in a frenzy of data analysis and post-Christmas reviewing.  It means late nights, sleepless nights, weekend working and lots of things and people to try and get organised, coordinated, saying the right thing, using all the many data sources, being insightful, having decent looking presentations, ensuring there are chairs/food etc to try and keep the audience happy.  

I've been doing this for the last 6 years and they never get any easier...it is strangely one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of my job though....it just messes with the ability to get the right balance of training and rest....and hence no blogs for a couple of weeks either. 

That's the bulk of it over though - Tuesday came and went - in a bucket of coffee, several cheese filled bagel bits, sausage rolls and other assorted energy providers, very few of which seemed to tick the box of being healthy.  By that point I was past caring though.  And on the whole, I think it went pretty well (aside from one supplier over-running her session by almost 30 minutes....grrrrr!!!)

Anyway, this isn't generally where I blog about working!  Where's the fun in that?!  So onto the training!


Things always have to 'give' at this time of year.  Physically and mentally it's not possible to be superwoman.  Not all the time anyway ;-)

Training has been ok though.  

Since I last wrote, there was the WHW organised training weekend at Balmaha.  

This is an annual event and in the two years I've been, the turn-out has been great.  I didn't stay over this year, so missed out on some of the fun, gossip and beers :-(.  It was good to see many familiar faces (albeit many only a brief hello), and get a beautiful day of running on the WHW.  Oh, and some free sample Honey Stinger jelly things which were pretty tasty too!

I didn't manage the full 30 this year, and I am a little sad about it.  At that point though, there was little point in pushing myself to do more miles than I was ready for 'just because'!

I had a blether with a number of folk on the way out - with Silke and Carol getting some insight on their time at the CCC last year (I think I'm a bit more scared now), and a longer chat over a few miles with Noanie, who seemed happy enough at my pace for a while, before I turned at just after 10 miles to head back, tempting as it was to continue!  

I thought I was going to be on my own for a while at that point but spotted Donna and Lynn just ahead as I was almost back at Rowardennan, and managed to catch them and crash their party for about 5 miles or so, which was brill and stopped me thinking about being too tired!  It was a busy day on the trail, and we got separated between a hoard of school kids, and me drifting away in my head for a while.....

Back to The Oak Tree for a quick bowl of soup and some coffee and then hit the road home to the comforts of my own bed!  Good miles in a good place!  And not so broken that I couldn't put another 10 miles on the clock the next day, back on the snow on the turbine trail at Braco.

The main parts of training that have taken a back-seat are the gym sessions and pilates, I've tried to keep most of the miles there.  Last weekend was a combo of 18 road/icy miles on saturday and a tough mixed terrain 12 on the sunday.  This weekend, I was keen to get over 20, and did another mixed terrain run from Strathyre to Killin, taking in some of the Glen Ogle race route, and a wee detour to Kirkton Glen behind the church where Rob Roy is buried to get some more ascent in - it's a killer start that wee loop!  So 24 hilly miles, and it was a bit dreich.  Mentally needed it and physically feeling it today!  Opted for spin and gym today instead of the scheduled back-to-back, I don't think that will do me any harm though!  And my monthly sports massage appointment too....ouchy!

Touch wood, no illness or injury so far this year, and long may that continue!

I've been more conscious of ascent this year, with that an objective and learning from last year's WHW, and mindful of the CCC later this year, and trying to get that balance between upping the mileage, and keeping some good climbs in the mix.

So, these last two weeks, 3 runs a week...a 36 mile week and then a 33 (after a 41 the one before).  And I'm not unhappy with that!  I honestly don't think I could have done any more!

Comparing vs. last year (it's the statistician in me that feels compelled to do this):
Jan 2014 = 13 runs : 104 miles : 3490 meters elevation gain
Jan 2015 = 16 runs : 152 miles : 4697 m elevation gain

Feb 2014 = 15 runs : 176 miles : 5735 m elevation (the WHW 30 fell into Feb last year)
Feb 2015....to be continued! (7 runs so far and 80 miles, 2647m elevation....so still some way to go!)

Feeling ok and back on it tomorrow, which will be good for the control freak in me!  The gym/spin sessions will be back in the mix, and excuses for sweetie scoffing should be reduced!  (on that note however I am pretty much 10lbs down on the start of the year....).

All good, and heading in the right direction (to Fort William for goblet #2!!)

Happy training, stay safe, stay healthy.