It’s 15 weeks until my half marathon and in the past two weeks I’ve run less than 15 miles per week – not much to blog home about, I think you’ll agree. I’ve learnt a fair few things about running in the past two years (and a lot since my first half) and I know enough to say that this is definately not the way to a PB.

There’s three main reasons for my lack of running. In no particular order…

1) It’s really hot.
I know, I know – you can run at 6am in the morning when it’s less hot, or at 8pm, but it’s taken me two years to get disciplined enough to head out the door four times a week at my set times. 6pm on a Monday I know i should be running. The negotiation with myself has gone and it’s almost like autopilot now. 6am on a Tuesday – I know I should be sleeping. Attempting to change the natural order has thrown me out of sorts. It was so much easier to run when it was minus 5.

2) I haven’t got a training schedule
That’s actually a lie. I have two training schedules narrowed down from a shortlist of about five. The problem is I can’t decide which one to follow. Runners’ World Smartcoach which has served me well in the past or slightly more pacey Runners’ World Garmin-ready sub 1:50 plan (that might be a bit optomistic)? It took me long enough to decise that the FIRST plan was too complicated (read hard) for me.

3) I’m lazy
None of the above would really be relevant if I wasn’t so lazy. I’ve also been telling myself that I deserve a break from running after the marathon. And I’ve been putting some quality time into improving my social life, which did take a bit of a battering during marathon training. The idea of half-marathon training starting up has also given my social life a little more ‘intensity’. I’ll just have one more glass of wine before i get on the wagon for a few months.

So it’s time to stop making excuses and start running. And maybe once i get out there again I’ll remind myself that running isn’t a punishment – I actually enjoy running.