The last few weeks has  been great.  Although I've had to manage a few minor injuries, which haven't necessarily held me back but I haven't been able to do exactly what is in my plan from Ronnie.  What I've really enjoyed recently is getting some long runs in consistently along with the shorter ones around near the house.  The long runs have been great fun and what I enjoy the most.  I get to use the map a bit and explore new routes and get lost now and again ha ha! The 160 is nearing, each day I feel like I am now on count down.  8 weeks to go till the 55 so its about 16 weeks till 160 eeeekkk!  The question is, am I any further on or in a better place than I was a couple of years ago.  Yes!  Without a doubt.  I feel more confident at the moment as my training seems to be improving each week and I don't just mean speed I mean the whole thing.  Fitter for sure, stronger yes, faster marginally, healthier definitely and not injured!  Whats the plan at the moment? Well I want to keep up with schedule Ronnie has written for me but I want to make sure I don't start over doing as is my way and get injured.  I need to listen to my body and rest when needed and work hard when I can.  My work schedule and family life are important to me so I am trying my hardest to work it around everything which means at times running when I don't want to or when its uncomfortable.  On the flip side to that, I think that is a good thing as it will make me stronger and more capable of coping with 'uncomfortable' which basically is Ultra Running!

How's it going at the moment? Well mileage wise I've just done a 60 mile week which is something for me.  I don't think I've ever done that many miles in a week for training.  Which is why I'm now being overly cautious about strains and niggles as I can feel soreness in my archilles tendon on both legs.  So as good as last week was I'm now just going to ease off again slightly.  My toughest part of training it seems is the speed work.  I just don't adapt well to it and I really have to force myself to push harder during a run whereas my natural state is go steady and save some in the tank because I want to make sure I finish comfortably.  I guess that's the clue right there though, 'comfortably' for me to improve my work rate and achieve the goals I've set I need to force myself out of these mind sets of comfort and make it more about long term improvement and not about short term satisfaction.

I'm now starting to think about the race more and more.  Just little things related to where I want to train more and what sections I really need to be doing better at.  A little test that I'm going to be putting myself through is pushing harder than normal on the 55 again to make it uncomfortable and to see what kind of time difference this will make.  This is mainly because on the 160 I want to be doing the first 60 miles ish a bit quicker than last time, either to give me more rest time at Ravenscar or so I can get Saltburn a bit quicker.  My plan is to not go crazy in that first section but not to be dilly dallying around which I felt I did last time and took too much time getting to Scalby and on to Ravenscar.  I need to put some measures in place for coping mentally after Ravenscar as this was the main problem last time, I just had a melt down and I need to prevent this from happening by putting coping mechanisms in place to deal with it.

One thing is for sure my amazing Fiancee is now also my amzing crew.  I couldn't do it without her and knowing she is there at each meet point is my drive to get there.  I just don't want to let her down.  Always supporting and pushing me to do more and letting me carry on doing this craziness ha ha!