Not hard. Not easy. Just another run.

Thursday - Milton 3½

Distance: 3.59 miles
Time: 33m47s

Friday - Treadmill Hill Run

Distance: 1.15 miles
Time: 15m00s

Sunday - Charney 8

Distance: 7.86 miles
Time: 1h15m15s

So I've reached the end of Week 1 of my revised 18-week plan, and have run about 16 miles. This has been a bit of a shock to the system, given that I was unable to get out and run during the big freeze. In hindsight I should have made more of an effort to at least get to the gym to keep things ticking over, but I find that running promotes the enthusiasm to run, and days without it allows the lethargy to creep in.

No more of that now! I'm back on track, and have managed 5 runs in 8 days. Now I'm in the habit of running, I can keep it up come rain or shine. I do need to be a bit smarter about rest though, as I haven't been helping myself recently, often staying up too late watching television. And even when I do get to bed in good time, I find I can't sleep well. I had this problem last year, and it may stem from the increase in training causing extra stress on my body, mucking up my ability to get a restful night's kip.

Things will get better soon, as I get used to the amount of running I have planned over the next 4½ months. And the running will get easier too. All three runs this week (not counting the 15 minutes on the treadmill on Friday) have been, well. Not hard work as such, but then not easy either. I'm running slower than I've been used to, but that's ok, as I can't push too hard too soon. So I don't try to stick to a particular pace at the moment, and don't try to run faster if I think I've been running more slowly than expected.

Here's a question for you: Do you (if you're a runner) try to stick to a set pace? Do you always plan your runs to make sure you go faster, or further to constantly push yourself? Or do you just run roughly the time or distance you'd planned, and just let your body dictate the pace? That's what I do, and find it works for me. Over time I get better, and that just comes with the mileage I put in. But I don't mind if I run faster or slower than the previous run, I just let my legs do their job, and they take me the distance in their own good time.

Maybe I'll have to change things when I want to get my Half Marathon time down to under 1h30m but for now I'll keep on plodding along, mile after mile, enjoying the fresh air and the countryside...