Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Almost Ready For Action

by Russell Turner - 15:56 on 04 January 2022

The pre-training plan warm-up has begun. Yesterday I sauntered around a modest 5k route on what I hoped would be the first of four short and easy runs before Week 1 of the latest schedule opens on Monday. It’s three months since I’ve had a training plan to follow, which means I’ve become a little rusty, not to mention one notch wider on the belt.

Whether I’ll manage another three runs this week remain to be seen: the snow has been little more than a dusting (where we are, anyway) but the flakes are being driven horizontally by a bitter wind. If it’s the same tomorrow my only route will be between the armchair and the kitchen.

The 20-week countdown to the Edinburgh Marathon begins with the nine-week half marathon plan I’ve used in the past, calling for four runs a week. I do have a more advanced five-run programme tucked away, which I hope will one day turn me into a master half marathoner, but it’s probably best not begun in January – four-run weeks are much more flexible when wintry weather descends on the Highlands. The remaining 11 weeks mostly feature five runs, including the 16-20-milers. That’s when things really get tough.

I’m still impressed by the people who have to get their runs in before or after work, whatever the weather. I don’t know how they do it.

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