Mr. Mojo Risin

Coming back from holiday always brings a case of the blues. This time was no different except I had to get up and run 5 miles, 16 miles, 5 miles, 10 miles, 11 miles and 15 miles in successive days before heading off again to Riga for a long boys' weekend with friends from work.

Coming back from that holiday (I can recommend Riga as a very nice place to spend two or three days) and I was faced with another string of consecutive runs which would cumulate with a 20 miler on Sunday.

It all started to feel like a chore and my running mojo dipped significantly. So much so that what with my disrupted training due to minor niggles and holidays together with this lack of running spark I have decided to pull out of the Chester marathon this year (although I hadn't entered it yet so am not really pulling out if anything, rather not entering).

It's a shame but I like to run because I LIKE to run. It shouldn't feel like an arduous job, it's my hobby that I enjoy.

What to do instead? Well, I've found a maintenance running plan that I will use for four runs a week that will be run at my preferred pace. I'll also start looking for a spring marathon (assuming I fail to get in London again!) when I'll hopefully not have so many disruptions getting in the way. I don't usually go on holiday during the spring (honeymoon notwithstanding) so it should be easier to maintain a proper schedule.

I'll update next time on whether the mojo has returned or if I've slumped into an ever decreasing circle of despair!

Horses for courses

You never know what to expect when planning training runs on holiday. When I was in the US on a road trip I was able to keep my running schedule because the weather and conditions were perfect. Last year in Cyprus I had to drastically reduce my plan due to the extremely hot weather which meant no speed work or long runs over 8 miles.

So far in Italy I have had a mixed bag. In Amalfi I was scheduled to run one 5 miler which I managed although the roads are very much in the undulating category so I was pleased to not have to run any more than that.

In Rome I was due to run some longer runs, 10 miles plus. This is not an easy thing to do. The roads are small, busy, undulating. There are no clear running paths or areas. Also, the weather so far this holiday has been almost Cyprus hot so not conducive to quality training. My plan then has been altered to running what I can when I can just so I can maintain fitness. It's almost like treating the two weeks of holiday as if you are coming back from a short injury. So, with that in mind I was able to run two more 5 milers in Rome.

I'm now in Florence, about to depart for Genoa and I've managed another 5 mile run along the River Arno. It's been the best course to run so far, flat and criss-crossing the river over numerous bridges including the Ponte Vecchio which is lined with old shops from the 15th century.

Because of the amount of walking I've done and stairs I've climbed on this holiday through sightseeing I have managed to slightly pull my left groin muscle which means I really am having to treat this holiday as if I am coming back from a short injury.

My hope now is to run at least once in each new location we visit (4 remaining, Genoa, Lake Como, Venice and Bologna) and to run at least 5 miles in each. Ideally I would like to run for all of the remaining days of the holiday (5) but we'll see how I feel.

Once I get back I can pick up my schedule again although I am away for the weekend after I return for another short break, this time with friends from work so I will have to cram my runs in before I leave. After that it should be normal service resumed until the marathon itself.

Hopefully I'll update again before the end of the holiday.