Nope

Another negative post I'm afraid, The good news is I met the recovery week mileage last week, the bad news is I'm short of this weeks target of 58 miles.  Six miles short, so as I type this I feel I am waving goodbye to the training target mileage as it leaves me behind and disappears over the horizon.

I just can't find the time to clock up the miles and to be honest I'm not enjoying the runs when out.
Saturday morning was a prime example, I'd planned to hit Bennachie for some snowy trails and hill work.  A 3 o'clock appointment meant an early 0800 start for five hours on the hill.  The alarm went off at 0630, did I jump out of bed and head for the hills?  No, I preferred another couple of hours sleep before getting up and running the local roads.  This was okay till I arrived at the track leading to the Braes, it was completely covered in ice.  I should have turned around and run on clear roads but the stubborn streak in me said carry on.  Carry on for five miles of slipping, sliding, scrabbling and generally trying to keep upright and not injure myself.  I completed the run tired, cold, stiff and two miles short of 25.

Today wasn't much better, with 13 miles on the cards I couldn't be bothered.  I dragged myself onto the local roads once again.  It was a tiring run, broken up by one of the worst dog incidents I've had, thankfully I wasn't bitten.

A while back I reported buying the Hoka Rappa Nui trail shoes.  They are a good bit lower than the Mafate I'm used to wearing, so much so they look like "normal" running shoes.  I wasn't too keen on them for a start, I ordered the obligatory Hoka one size bigger and felt they were way too big.  So big they blistered the top of my toes where the shoe folds stepping forward.  I persevered and broke them in, the first time I've had to do this with running shoes.  Sticking with the shoes was worth it, they are now the shoes I grab whether road or trail running, very comfortable with a roomy toe box.

Another purchase lately has been the Suunto Ambit 2s.  The strap broke on my trusty Soleus so it was time for a replacement.  Suunto have a few models out including the 3 and R but I preferred the older 2s.  I'm just getting to grips with it and still have to explore the apps available.  On first use I wasn't too happy, it took an age to find satellite signal, so long I got fed up waiting and started running without GPS.  A couple of miles in, I switched on the GPS once more and it picked up the signal straight away.  I'm happy to report a fast satellite gain signal at all times now, usually taking seconds.

Cold weather is due later in the week, another obstacle in the way of reaching my training target.  Lets see if I can do 58 miles this week.

Week ending 18th - Tues 2, Wed 4, Thurs 4 & 2, Sat 10, Sun 8.  Weekly total 30 miles.
Tues 4, Wed 4 & 4, Fri 4, Sat 23, Sun 13. Weekly total 52 miles.