The oh f*@k moment

It always happens eventually.

It's clear everything isn't 100%.  Running feeling awful - generally just carp - but also feeling my body slowly break down towards the inevitable hip injury.

Running is tough, probably one of the toughest things on your body as you evolve into an old fart!  You need to be on top physically and mentally to get through it.  

The last few days I've had a chance to think about things. As I have said over and again, I get into decent shape and then slowly deteriorate to injury and then recover and start again.  It's not ideal!  My blogs are prettty interesting (ven if I do say myself) when I am on form.  Once I'm loosing it they become absolute drivel.

First up, the physical.  I am taking a couple of weeks to rebuild my body.  My core has always been neglected.  A couple of weeks focus on addressing this and we'll see if that helps running.  I reckon that my weak core is possibly the root of my hip/glute issues that I have been plagued with. I mean, if 10 minutes on Dr Google doesn't prove this I'm not sure what will !!  Today as core class plus some weights and I have to admit my hips don't ache like they did beforehand. This is the ONLY stone I have never unturned.  I honestly have never done any core exercises.

Next up, the mental.  No messing about, I am going to become a track stud again.  I love 5k, Parkruns, tempo runs but I hate miles, long runs and the feeling I have to run forever.  I built everything as a kid on running quick.  I love running quick.  Plodding everything out for endless hours just doesn't do it for me.  I have 10 marathons in the bag.  I'm going back where I belong!  The thought of track racing as a vet interests me a lot more than the Cambridge Half!

I need a new mental challenge.  Is this it?  Maybe not, who knows but I get excited by the thought of it and the added bonus of #project15 still existing and maybe more likely off track speed.

The limited track racing I did last year was cool.  And winter running - heck I can see indoors being longer this year to make up for a missed track season !!

The two things kinda go hand in hand.  My initial issue was with the fact my legs cannot take pounding.  I literally cannot do drills or hop.  They just need strength and conditioning to allow plyometric exercises.  This will then open the door to speed.  Speed = fast running.  Generally I get crippling DOMS doing track work and can hardly ever make it into spikes.  The brief now is to be able to drill, bound and run in spikes.  Once I am there I can shift focus to sessions.

So that's me all caught up.  Step 1 - get fixed.  Step 2 - get quick.  I think step 1 is going to be the hardest !