Progress!

It's really strange that the busier I am, the more posts I write. Since finishing exams, I have hardly written a thing in this blog! I guess because there is more to say when you're busy. I'm going to mix it up and write a post with random list type things, because lists are awesome.

I am, ever so slowly, increasing my running speed without trying. To be completely honest, although I've been "running" for a year... I've actually only been consistently running 3x a week for 16 weeks now. So I'm super happy that my pace has gone from roughly 6:50 to 6:00 in that time (KM paces), and who knows what it can improve to with time, maybe if I actually start doing intervals and tempo runs and all that kind of thing... all in good time though!! Too injury paranoid - plus I'm not training for anything in particular right now.

Well, that was point 1.... point 2.. I attempted to make the peanut butter protein cookies featured in my WIAW post. The batter was amazingly awesome. When it cooked, the texture came out strange, and the flavour wasn't quite the same. I haven't figured out where I went wrong yet, but I will give it another go at some point!! Would love to have some daily protein cookies mmmmmm....

OK, that's actually all I've got ;) My iPhone has stopped being able to import photos for some stupid reason, so I've got no photos and probably no WIAW tomorrow :(

Increasing mileage.

My fridge looks something like this again :(

And I really miss these muffins. They were super amazing. But I'm not in the mood for baking today - mainly because I don't feel like doing the dishes! I'm also not in the mood for shopping. Time for PB & J sandwiches, because we always have PB, J & bread!

Oops, off topic already :P

Anyway. So I would call myself a "beginner" runner, as although I've been running for about a year, I've not really been doing much mileage due to the injuries I've had from going out too fast too quick. I've been reading a lot of Runner's World, R4YL, Women's Running, Women's Health and running books, running websites etcetera as these injuries still plague me - mentally. 

I'm so so worried about getting injured and not being able to run again that I'm really careful about my schedule. I try to follow the 10% rule but there will always be something that will happen, like having to go away for work for a week or getting sick, and then I don't know how to pick up the schedule again.

 That or I run a race and I don't know how many days till I should run again, and then what kind of mileage. It seems like reading all these books and magazines should give me the answer, but it doesn't. Like there's sooo many schedules out there for "how to run a half-marathon" but what about once you've done the half-marathon?

Anyway so I've got the Runner's World Smartcoach app on my phone, where you plug in the statistics for your last race, current mileage and stuff like that and it comes up with a plan to run a race of your choice. I've been following it for five weeks so far no problems, but I'm still paranoid about injury. Like, it tells me to run at a 7:50 (km) pace, but I find this ridiculously, painfully slow and usually go at 6:50 instead... which is still slow, but I feel like because I'm not following it exactly that I'm going to get injured. I'm quite tired after each run and... I don't know!!! I'm basically using the app to attempt to increase my mileage, probably up to the point of running 30 km (18 miles) a week, but I may go for more, depending on how I feel.

I'm also finding it really difficult to not throw in a sprint or two, or just some faster running in what's supposed to be an easy run.. I just really love the feeling of running much faster!! Even if it's only for 10 or 20 seconds... Yeah, that's why I get injured ;P

How do you get over your fear of injury?? Despite getting as much knowledge as possible, and doing all the right recovery stuff...

This week I ran 21 km (13 miles) split into 3km, 8km & 10km. Maybe it would be easier if I split it to 5, 6, 10? or 6, 6, 9?

Next week one of my friends is going to do some interval training with a coach, I think maybe I should go with and just ask them these questions. Otherwise, I'm off to educate myself some more with my new Runner's World magazine... (November edition :D)

Sorry for this completely rambled and confusing post!

EDIT: I should probably add I'm also doing 2-3 kickboxing sessions a week, which sometimes incorporate sprints, and can also be quite demanding! Just went tonight and got absolutely smashed, with pyramid kicks, sprints, pushups, situps and all that kind of stuff...? I don't know, that might affect my running recovery also! OH... and anyone using blogspot... how do you reply to comments?!