Hilly ground...

I've just done my last long training run before the Reading Half next weekend. I'm on a course in London all week, so won't get a chance to do any long sessions over the week, maybe a 10k at some point.

I'm struggling on all fronts...speed, stamina, and strength on the hills, and it's all really down to a lack of training. I only got the all-clear to start ramping up my distances in the middle of January, and got back to Road Runners a month ago. I've been increasing the distance way beyond the recommended 10% a week, and while I'm now reasonably confident that I'll get round, it's not going to be breaking any records, and I'm certainly not looking forward to the hills. It doesn't help that I entered the before my injury, and so have received a stupidly low number (125, out of about 17,000). At the time my goal was 1 hour 25, now I reckon I'll be doing well to get under 1 hour 35, which will be my slowest half ever (and almost a minute a mile slower than initially planned...)

On the plus side, over summer I'll be doing triathlons, with the first one booked for May. I now have all the kit, and will be concentrating on the cycling stuff once the half is out of the way... the goal is to get up to the required 20k at a sort-of decent speed, and then focus on boosting up the speed while the weather is decent.

Fingers crossed I don't screw my leg up next weekend then...