What's next in store?

For those of you that have been following my ever rambling blog posts you will have noticed that I have been quiet for a couple of weeks. This has nothing to do with anything really! In fact i have just been having a couple of weeks of R & R (rest and relaxation) and eating, drinking and doing whatever I felt like, which in all honestly was nothing!

I also had my 26th birthday during this time, so really it was well planned with the drinking and resting on my schedule for the time being.

But hey ho, you didn't tune in to read about my wild party animal ways- of which I am glad to say there are not many, but you came to read about what I am up to at the moment and what 2013 has in store for me.

Winter is virtually upon us now with those shorter days and longer nights, (cold dreary and defiantly not motivational at all!) and I have this very week started to ease back into training. For me the next few months have taken a bit of a change from the norm (norm being 10-12 hours of running, swimming and cycling each week- if that's normal for any person then you must be a triathlete as well?!) to mainly just running. Running. Running. And maybe even a bit more running!

This photo is taken from a couple of years ago when I completed the Chester Half Marathon in May. It was my second ever Half and I missed the crucial 2 hour mark by 1 minute! Gutted.

Anyway, as many of you that regularly read might know, I got my coveted spot into the London Marathon 2013. I had actually got this place to run this April (2012) but due to chronic shin splints I deferred my place.

I have drawn up a plan as helped by My Asics and I am able to see exactly how far each run needs to be. I am basing my winter miles on 4 runs per week with the longest one naturally being on a Sunday. This won't increase much past 10 miles before the end of 2012.

I have entered a few running events in order to prepare me for the actual Marathon where I know there will be tens of thousands of people running and therefore I want to have some kind of racing experience prior to this.

The races which I am doing are:-

• 20th January 2013- Folksworth 15 (15 miles)
• 17th February 2013- Stamford 30km (Valentine's 30km)
• 3rd March 2013- Silverstone Half Marathon

Realistically I want to get to the start line in as best possible shape that I can be and then I want to be able to have run a couple of long runs (18-20 miles) to be as well prepared as I can be without getting injured. The other point is that I want to be injury free as much as I can be. On the back of this thought, I have begun to go to Body Balance classes at my local Gym. Even though it sounds quite poncey and fuddy-duddy, it is anything but. As a mixture of Tai-Chi, Yoga and Pilates, it relies on good core strength and strong mindset as well as thighs of steel! It has made me so much more aware of my body and what needs strengthening. Supplementing this will be two core sessions each week of around 45 minutes in order to give my body the best grounding as possible.

And even though swimming and cycling look as though they will be getting a back seat for the meantime, I plan on trying to cycle at least once a week and swimming twice a week to relieve the stress and impact of the running.

From January onwards, the mileage will increase and then taper off towards marathon day.

After this my year is looking towards the Vitruvian at the end of August. Being my first ever Middle-distance event will be challenging and tough, but something that will be a good aim for next year. I had so much internal pressure to qualify for the Worlds this year that I think having a different goal and challenge will be something that I can put my mind and body into.

Hopefully this Winter will be uneventful and I will manage to get those all important running sessions done.

Happy Training everyone! :)