One goal thrived, while another failed miserable - June Review

I had set myself two goals for June, the first focused on strength and cross training, while the second was down to pure milage, which I'll talk about first.

My goal was to match the previous months figures, which meant:

• Run for 11 hours
• Run 120K
• Obtain a better average pace (5m 20s/km) 

Personally, I think I smashed it. I ran 11 hours 24 minutes last month (topping 11 hours). I covered 134K (passing my 120K target by over 10%) and obtained an average pace of 5m 6s/km, knocking nearly 15s a kilometer off my average pace.

Now, before you start calling me Sonic or Mo Farah, I need to confess something about my first goal which was:

• Improve my Strength
• Do Strength Exercises twice a week ("Strength training is one of the single most important non-running aspects of training that can help you become a better runner.")
• Do one Speed-Work Training Session per week
• Do one Cross-Training Workout per week

For that, I this goal, I get a big giant FAIL! Yep, I have not done a single speed or cross training session all month. Not one... I don't know why considering I know how important these are for a runner. I have been working on my strength primarily through increasing the time I spend stretching before and after a race along with my foam roller which I always get out following a run. My knee problems have subsided so I can only thank the foam roller for that. I think that is why I have been neglecting this side of my fitness goals.

All in all though, this month has been pretty amazing - I got a new 5K PB in Tuam on the 4th of June of 23 minutes 11 seconds. I lost 7lbs and last weekend got a new 10K PB of 46 minutes 41 seconds. My BMI is (just) below 25 and  I feel great. Last weekend I ran a 5K in 22 minutes 47 seconds.

It's been an awesome month out on the road and I am delighted with my progress to date. It's hard to believe that I class myself as a runner now. I've even found myself being envious of passing people out running when I am driving to work. That feeling isn't the same however when I am the one out running and people are flying past in their cars mind you!

Going forward (if this was work, I'd probably call Bullshit Bingo right now!) I have to admit I am kind of worried about the coming month. July is going to be interesting... because I'm off on holidays! I've two weeks off work so being out of my regular day-to-day routine may prove to be a bit difficult. Not having the weekly weigh-ins at Weight Watchers also scares me a little but I suppose it'll be interesting to see what happens when I loosen the reigns a bit. I have my second Half Marathon at the start of August so this coming month is actually going to be quite important if I want to beat my previous time (2 hours 1 minute). 

I'm setting myself the following two goals for this month:

Goal 1:

• Do some activity at least 5 out of the 10 days I am in Spain (I don't know how difficult it will be to run in the heat but I have a back-up plan involving a Spanish Spin class so we'll see how that fairs out!)

Goal 2:

• Run 130K (While this target is less than the amount ran last month, I am setting it here as it will still be a challenge to achieve this taking potentially one third of the month off). I need to also start ramping up my distance-runs in anticipation of the Half Marathon on August 5th.

Last week I got to cash in my May reward - I flew over to London with my brother where we went to Viva Forever closing week. I'm so delighted we got to see it as I really enjoyed it! My June reward will be my Summer Holiday. Now while you might say that I was going on my holiday regardless of whether I had hit my goals or not (let's just skim over Goal 1 from last month), I have decided I deserve it. I'm going to enjoy every bit of it and I'm going to stay working away at my running. That's my plan :)

Outside Piccadilly Theatre

Half Time Cocktails