So I skipped the update for week four.  I’ve now just completed the fifth week of my return to running.  I passed the 10K mark in week four and have started to become reasonably comfortable with running five mile with ease.

Last week I completed my longest run to date, which was 7.5 miles.  That was quite a challenge for me, and is not yet a comfortable distance, and my pace was slower than my first 7 mile run.  But I’ll take an achievement where I can get it.

 I have generally been running in the village where I live.  I’ve established a general circuit that will give me five miles, and I enjoy this run.  I’ve identified a few extras to either shorten or lengthen the distance.

What I rarely do is set off and say to myself, I am going to run a minimum distance.  I find that either too restrictive, or it is making the run feel forced.  I am a great believer in listening to my body and exercising appropriately to how I am feeling.  I try not to tag a minimum distance to a run, so often my decisions on distance will adapt as I am on the road.

Another thing that has factored in for my of late has been the weather.  It is now mid-December, it is winter and the weather can be very changeable.  I began using an app that shows weather just for the next 45 minutes, I’ve found this very helpful when deciding where to run too.  It’s a great app, and is focused on there here and now.

I started running from a desire to push up the intensity.  It has given me that, but I am not rigid with it.  I plan workouts ahead, but I tend not to fix them to a day, as I have plenty of activities in my planning (walking / boxing / spin bike / functional / weights/ suspension trainer).

I’ve planned exercise through the rest of this year, I’m taking a practical approach to Christmas.  I am not really celebrating Christmas much this year, so I am going to give myself a boost and keep the intensity up right through to New Years Eve.