The Month that was!

Well that one went quickly but then so much has been happening (hence the silence).... well when I say so much actually that is probably an overstatement.... but I DID start my new job at the start of August... and having had ...err almost 9months off having fun and seeking out adventures getting back into the routine of it was a bit tiring to begin with.

BUT I AM NOT COMPLAINING.

No - I have been very fortunate. I have found a job I really like, a company which is fun to work for, with people who are passionate about the company and what we do. I know I know - I'm in the honeymoon period right? Well hopefully not - I feel very happy and lucky.... but yes time is early and time will tell but so far so good :)

Of course - having had so much time off, going back to a 9-5ish sitting down job took me a good few weeks to get my brain in gear. Getting up has not been a problem as I have never been one to sleep in anyhow (apart from probably when I was a teenager), but the brain strain has meant I have been tired.... I have to say by 4:30pm on the Friday of my first week my brain was fried! But that was kind of expected.

Another thing kind of expected was a blip in my training routine - not that there was much routine before I know - but I had been following pretty well a plan from "Brain Training for Runners" which was leading to Henley Half Marathon which is in mid-Oct. So my training whilst not completely k-put has not been what it was, although good news is I have managed to suss out a cycle to work route and done that successfully a couple of times. Probably won't be doing that more then once, may twice a week - but it has been fun :)

The other bit of amazing news on the training front is I've actually managed to be to the local pool - not once, but twice, in the past month. Whilst a lot busier and more chlorinated then my old gym pool it has proved to be a good option for the time being. Not sure longer term though if it'll work for me. I am keeping my eye out for the trial of the endless pools at my old gym, should get an invite to that this month - and also eyeing up a different gym to join.

So here are my August stats (I'll keep it brief as there is little to tell....)

Run: Total 60.9km in 6hrs 11min
Bike: Total 59.1km in 2hrs 43mins
Swim: Total 1.85km in 47mins
Other Stuff (Yoga, stretching, core etc) 2hrs 34mins

Total a rather measily 122km and just short of 12hrs of training - there was a time in the distant past where this was just about a week of Ironman training!! Lucky I don't have one of those planned anytime soon...

My aims for September are;
1. Survive my first quarter end at work!
2. Whilst I accept I shouldn't go back to my running plan (I think I have missed too many key session in the last month), I want to get back to running consistantly; 3 times per week and want to get my long run towards the 2hr mark (the half marathon is 6 weeks away)
3. I was good with my core and stability work in June and July and this has fallen off the side of the planet - so I want to get on average at least 2 short (10-15mins) of core in a week. Doesn't sound like much and I know it will be of benefit
4. Make sure I start doing some regular "anti-sitting" stretches in. I can definitely notice the difference in my posture since I'm now sitting down for most of the day.

I've entered another half marathon since my last blog - looks like a fun one as it is along the Grand Union Canal (well fun as long as the canal is not flooded!), it's not until mid-Nov and a nice 4 weeks after the other one so I should be nicely recovered.