Day 1 of 30 - A Month To Change

I feel that I need to change.  I've been saying that for a few months now but have not really done anything about it.  This month I've decided that I need a challenge.  I've not run any races this year and have not signed up for any either and this lack of a target I know has affected my motivation.  I guess I've lost the habit of running.

They say it takes 21 days to make a habit so I'm going to use this month to make and then strengthen a habit.  I aim to run at least 5km a day, each day for the month.  A total of 30 runs and at least 150km.  It is a big challenge for me as the most runs I've ever done before in one calendar month has been 12.  Well challenges are supposed to be challenging.

I'm also going to cut out chocolate for the month, I eat too much of it and I really should be eating a piece of fruit when I get peckish.  I each practically no fruit at all.  Let's see if I can make two habits and break another.

This is my month to change.

July - A Month In Review

Just a quick up date on the month of July which was another good running month for me.  I managed to get in 10 runs totalling 56km.  Not a huge distance but it was good to get out those days.  The month of August was a wash out in terms of running, as I never once got out for a run.  I hope to rectify that in September.  With just 31 runs completed this year its been a slow year.  Still any run is better than no run.

Been Away But Been Running

With the wet month of June over in our very green country and with with looks like a wetter July on the way I'm glad I've got back into running to try and cheer me up on these wet days.  June was a great month for me running wise.  While I may not have ran great distances, just 51.68km for the whole month, I did manage to get myself out the door ten times during the month, which is not bad considering I ran 11 time in the whole five months before it.

I finished the month of June on a sunny, by Irish standards, day with a run along the river.  Out from home it is 800m to the river and the track that runs alongside it.  With my longest run begin just 6.25km this year I was aiming for 7 or 8km.  I decided to run with music, which I normally don't do and I was glad I did.  I really enjoyed myself, the music was great, the sun was out the scenery was calming and peaceful and I found myself smiling the while run.  Before I knew it I had run 10km and was feeling great.

It feels great to be back on the road.

June 2012

June 2012 - Runs

June 2012 - Total

2 Run Week

Not so bad this week, only two runs but at least I'm still running.  5 runs in two weeks must be a record for me this year.

My planned Tuesday run never happened.  I finished late at work and by the time I got everything sorted it was time to go to bed so that run was scrapped.

Thursday - 5.5km
I did get out on Thursday for a run with a friend.  A nice 5.5km run in a slight bit of drizzle out on the back roads of Carlow.  During the run we got to formulate our plans for a bit of a running challenge.  We decided to run the gauntlet on the 18th of November.  It is a half marathon through the gap of Dunloe in Kerry, south west Ireland and will provide some nice hills.  As I have never really run hills and am a bit out of shape due to lack of running during the last 6 months it seemed like a good challenge.  Luckily for us we have Killeshin Hill nearby for a bit of training that should get us in nice stead for the race.  I'm looking forward to this now.  It is great to have a race on the cards to provide some mush needed motivation to get out there and to have the challenge of trying something new.

Sunday - 6.25km
Sunday in Ireland was Father's Day.  I had a nice lie in and when I got up my son, who is almost 3 gave me a card that he coloured in himself.  A great start to the day.  I told him I was going for a run and he wanted to come and was not so happy when I told he he had to stay inside until I got back.  He cheered up when I told him I'd run with him when I came back.

Out around the roundabouts I went and over the bridges, a nice 6.25km run.  I stopped 750m from home and walked the rest as a cool down.  After a few stretches I went inside and then back out again as me and my son ran a nice 400m around the green in our estate.  A great start to a great day.