Last minute panic training

Yep, that stage of training, the two-weeks-to-blitz.

In two weeks I'll have done my 8.5 mile fun run. With tutu. I'm on good form for 10k which is most of the way there, so it will be a bit of a jump from my current comfort zone, but I'm optimistic. It's my first repeat of an event, and this time last year I hasn't gone that far before, and still did it in a good time, and this year, I've got a better fitness base behind me.

This week saw my first pre-work run. I was prepared. Prepared as in substituting pajamas for fresh running clothes to cut my pre-run faffery. I'm chuffed to have got myself out of the house by 6:22 am. It was just a short one, a trip around the block, and my body wasn't really interested in waking up and shaking off my regular morning stiffness. But I did it. It counted as a run. I followed up the next morning with a short kettlebell DVD.

Saturday saw another deviation from my routines. 9am is my circuits slot which usually wins over Parkrun as it covers strength work and only involves a 4 minute walk to get there. This week I had an awkwardly timed osteopath appointment which made the location and timing more convenient. It's in the same park as Buggy Babes, so I'm used to the big hill on the course. As I slog the two laps up there, I remind myself that it's easier to run than lug the pram, 2 year old and 4 year old up it! The run went well, I followed my strategy from the 10k of keeping my watch displaying pace. I could feel my body working hard, but I reminded myself that it was only half the work of the 10k, and that I could do it. I ran all of it, and was cheered on near the end by my husband's colleague who had finished a few minutes earlier. Early indications showed a time of 29:15. The official time came in at 29:02. A PB shaving just over a minute off my first attempt of 30:13 in February. I think that counts as progress. According to Parkrun stats, I'm average for my age/sex rating- I'm happy with that! Given that 2 years ago I couldn't walk home from the local shops.

Sunday is my usual long run day. The youngest woke early, then mercifully went back to sleep after a light breakfast. I stayed up. I wanted to be out for the amount of time I want to run the fun run in. I wasn't so concerned about distance, just the stamina to be moving that long. Just as well, as my body wasn't on best form from it's endeavours the previous day. I used the Stamina track twice to help keep me moving, but I developed a twinge around my knee so adjusted my route to get me closer to home and walked to the beat to avoid aggravating it. I don't want an injury! It was still an enjoyable trip out. Lots of birds, startled squirrels, cats and a St Bernard and Irish Wolfhound. The bluebells are still out, and I got the best of the day's sunshine.

Next weekend... camping!