Best Laid Plans ...

Sunday 30 January (96 days to go)

Well, I believe it was Robbie Burns who said that the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.  Well I can relate to that this week.  Again my training hasn't gone to plan at all!  I had planned to;
a) Go football training on Tuesday.
What actually happened - nada, nothing, nicks.  Why?  No reasonable reason or excuse. 
b) Run Wednesday
What actually happened - Spinning class, no run.  Why?  I gave blood after spinning and didn't think it would be a particularly good idea to run aswell a pint of blood light.
c) Run Thursday.
What actually happened  - ran about 3.5 miles (more on this later) and went football training too.
d) Play footy Saturday
What actually happened - naff all.  Game was frozen off and I didn't go for a run which I probably should have.
e) Run Sunday.
What actually happened - ran 6.5 miles (more on this later too)

So, although things haven't gone as well as expected, what have I found out?  Well first and foremost - blisters are a bitch!  The ones I got a couple of weeks ago have flared up again, if that's what blisters do?  I thought they had dried out and it would be ok to run on them again.  It was ok on Thursday (I had other problems which I'll go into in a moment) but today, my goodness, they stung somewhat!  It is mainly the ball of my right foot.  I don't know whether it is my trainers, my socks, my technique or what!  Plasters, Vaseline, don't seem to have any effect.  Anyway, I ran home from my mum's in Holbeck today, back through the Abbey after looping through Roose first.  My body did conspire against me, I got to about Parkhouse Farm and started needing a poo!  I thought about doing a Paula Ratcliffe but what would I have wiped ... you know what I mean!!  Then the blister reared its ugly head.  I was surprised that I managed 6 and a half miles, again I felt ok lung and leg wise, just the pain in the feet was the reason I didn't push on further.  That and the impending poo.

The other problem this week occurred on my run on Thursday, originally intended to be about 5 miles-worth.  This was coupled with taking Seth the bonkers Springer out for his morning constitutional.  There lay the problem, running first thing!  I picked the hound up at about 7.30 and set off.  However, I was coughing and wheezing and my mouth went ridiculously dry barely a mile in.  I tried to bully myself to go the full distance but my blamange like will power won in the end and I shortened it ending up doing about 3.5 miles.  Disappointing, but I think it will just be a case of getting used to running at that time.  I mean, it's a 6am race start for the K2B!  "Race" ha!  That's a laugh.  More a war of attrition.

I am concerned about this blister problem.  I know I'm going to have to let them heal properly but how far will it put my training back?  I just hope the problem isn't my trainers.  Hopefully all will be ok.

I'm tempted not to make any big predictions or claims about training this week.  I can't see there being too much running - bad times.  Well see anyway.

Any one with any good tips on blister care and prevention would be more than gratefully received.

Me