This year my Christmas holiday starts on Friday 21st December, which is also the Winter Solstice (longest night, shortest daylight) and I'm setting myself a challenge.
I'm going to have a run EVERY day until I return to work on Tuesday 2nd January 2013. I can't wait! It's one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to Christmas. This is why.....
- It is a brilliant way to forget all about work. Work is bugging me quite a lot at present and I need to get it all sorted out in my mind, plus blowing away a few worries and bits of stress
- I am sure my calorie intake will go up a bit over Christmas - those mince pies, Christmas puddings and so on. Can't afford to let my weight increase and running uses up about 700 or 800 calories an hour and that gives a little more room for treats
- A chance to do some training, other than simply going for a run. I will do some shorter runs involving some intervals (running as fast as I can for a minute or two and then jogging for a minute and repeating a few times).
- A chance to do my favourite kind of run - the long run. Knowing that my weekend runs over the last few months have only been 7 or 8 miles, I will do a couple of 10 mile runs. This will be at a slow pace, maybe around a 9 minute/mile pace.(Just corrected - see comment below) I know we should only increase our long run mileage by a mile a week and I hope I can manage this again.
- Christmas time is also a nice family time. I love my family "to the moon and back and more besides" but sometimes it seems to work best to have a little solitude mixed in with all the excitement
- It is a great way of rounding off the year, reflecting on the things that have happened, all the things I have to be grateful for. Also a chance to get the new year off to a good start.
- Although I like the summer best of all, I think there is a certain beauty in our quiet, sometimes dull, English countryside when everything is resting and sitting it out until Spring time
- I have signed up once again for the MK Marathon which is on 6th May 2013 - the training starts
- Finally, it is a great thing to do because, well because, because it is there to be done
Having said all that, I do hope there is nothing untoward that will foil my plan (trips, falls, blizzards etc).
So what about you? Will you accept a challenge to do something like running every day? Perhaps the challenge could be to start running in the first place - if you do, take it easy, don't over do it - build up slowly.
Crickey Doug, if you plan to run everyday and manage a "slow" 6min/mile pace on a ten miler, you have my respect. Today I ran a 18miler with an average pace of 8:37. I WONT be running tomorrow, although my 9year old lad wants to go and run a couple of miles after school and I can hardly say no, when he needs little encouragement.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Mark
Ooooops sorry Mark, that's a typo but I wish I could claim the 6min/mile were true. I think a slowish run of 9min/mile is about right for me at present.
DeleteYour 9 year old wanting to go for a run with you sounds a lovely thing to do and as you say, you can hardly turn him down.
Regards,
Doug
Sounds great, Doug. I always have a run on Christmas morning. It really sets you up for the day.
ReplyDeleteI have been on mainly short runs this Winter, just enough to maintain a level of fitness. I also find that I am a lot slower because of the cold and slip-sliding around in the mud.
It good to reflect on the past year. I feel like I'm in a phase of transition at the moment. My 40's have been somewhat traumatic. I'm now 52 and I suppose most people around here think I'm a bit eccentric running around in my shorts. Well, they don't know the half of it!
Anyway, you and your family have a lovely Christmas.
'H', Liz and Kirsty.
Many thanks H, glad to know you're still clocking up a few miles and not being fazed by people in your 'neck of the woods'.
DeleteBest wishes to you and yours over Christmas.
Doug.