Break and entry

So, for 10 more days at least, this remains a desert-based blog. The big move to Amsterdam means that this year’s race season is really over before it even begun as I’ll be leaving Dubai before any of the local races kick in, and arriving in Holland a couple of months after the summer season has ended there. All of which is likely to result in around nine months between my last race and my next!

So, I’ve been relaxing, putting my feet up and getting fat, right? 

Well, not too much as it happens. Even though I know it’s not really with any particular goal in mind, I’ve kept up the training just coz I enjoy it and know that, come 1 November, my training will take on a whole new form entirely as I juggle a lack of races with cold weather and hitting the gym a bit more.

It is, I admit, quite hard to keep motivation levels up at times and there’ve been one or two sessions that I just couldn’t drag my ass out of bed for; I’m a firm believer in goals and, for me, racing is the goal that keeps me going.

With that – and a long, cold winter (having not had to put up with a northern European winter for more than a decade, I’m probably exaggerating it somewhat but, in my mind, it looks something like Beyond The Wall in Game of Thrones) – in mind, last week, I went race mad. After the break, time for the entry… so to speak.

Winter run training?

Having failed to get into the London Marathon through the ballot, I entered the Rotterdam Marathon which takes place in, well, Rotterdam (think that’s how the race got its name, but I can’t be sure about that…) on 14 April. As the last two marathons I’ve done have come at the end of 3.8km of swimming and 180km of cycling, I can’t wait to see what I’m capable of doing in a straight running race.

Liverpool or Rome..?

A few weeks after that, I’ll be heading to the UK for something completely different altogether. The Rat Race Dirty Weekend is being pitched as the world biggest and toughest ever obstacle course – 200 obstacles in 20 themed zones, with 20 miles of running (five-sixths of a marathon) in between. Basically, I’ve always wanted to tackle one of those crazy army/game show assault courses and, when I saw that and the words ‘toughest ever’ I knew I had to have a crack!

Well, if GI Jane could do it...

Couple more race ideas up in the noggin at the moment but just going to allow them to soak and brew until I make a firm decision. Even just those two events have given me some real motivation and helped me to plan my winter training. It’s a simple but good tip that I find always works: if you’re having trouble focusing on your training, get yourself entered into a race. Everything becomes far clearer.