New chapter

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas, even if different due to the lockdown restrictions.  Perhaps these restrictions might make us view life differently, appreciate simple things more like meeting a friend for a coffee or taking time out to check in with the beauty that surrounds us.
Since my last blog we have successfully moved into our new "forever home".  The peace and quite surrounding me is amazing.  I keep stopping to listen for noise and there is really next to none.  The weeks and months ahead will be emptying boxes from our old house and doing another de-clutter as we wonder why on earth we packed that item?  We're also discovering how to operate lots of new gadgets/technology which has been challenging and frustrating - technology isn't my strong point!
In many ways it's a new chapter in our lives.  I have a country park less that 0.5 km away and have been exploring the many routes through the trees and the amazing views over my home city of Glasgow.
Training is ticking over as my turbo isn't set up, wifi issues, and my gym is currently in storage.  However I'm building up my running slowly, very slowly.  At the start of each year we focus on my heart rate and it usually takes up to a month to get it where my coach wants it.  I've to run very slow and get the rate low.  This isn't helped by the reduced training and the increase in rich food and wine over the festive period but I know it will settle down in time. But I'm also taking this period to rest, when not lifting boxes, so that when I return to normal training in January I'll be fresh and ready to go.
My "A race", postponed from 2020, is still the Ultra Race Romania on 9 August for 7 days and getting ready for that will take a lot of focused effort.  I can't wait to get back racing properly and hope you have similar plans even if it's going from "couch to 5 km" - that's a fantastic achievement and also a new chapter for you.
You will know I don't believe in new years resolutions as so many of them have failed before January is completed.  My next blog in Jan 2021 will talk about how to achieve your goals, I have a 5 step plan which is simple and works.  There will be plenty on telly/internet about reflecting on what happened in 2020 and that may inspire you to greater things in 2021.  But looking forward is the key and as 2020 draws to a close, it's time to turn the page and start a new chapter in 2021 which you are the author of.

City living

Time flies, when you are looking back but when you are counting the minutes it seems to drag.  The last 10 days have been like a staged event, an unsupported ultra.  If you keep looking at the finishing line it seems far away so I applied my mental approach for a staged event to living in cramped student accommodation.  Granted it's nice accommodation but very different to what we're used to with environmentally friendly neighbours recycling their bottles at 3am!  What I didn't appreciate was that the birds don't wait till dawn to provide their glorious chorus, they start about 2am and keep it going.  Fair to say I've lost some sleep during the week.
I've enjoyed the varied running through my home town but the countryside certainly has less air pollution from exhaust fumes.  On Saturday I took at trip out of town to Chatelherault for our club annual fancy dress run.  We had a huge turnout and everyone was wearing fancy dress with some outfits causing the dogs to get out of our path!  The pace was slow but we had a great time.  Pace didn't matter as we chatted, socially distanced, with our pals we hadn't seen for most of the year.  What a great run and it just underlined how much more I enjoy running on trails in the countryside with friends.
Today was my final run in the city.  I headed west along the Clyde and then up the River Kelvin.  It was encouraging to see so many runners out of all shapes and ages.  Walkers too and with us going back to Level 4 on 26th December, I hope people will have the freedom to go out for a walk or a run.  It's so important for our mental and physical health.
Looking back over the last 10 days, time has flown and in 22 hours we will arrive at our new house that's been built over the last 13 months.  To say we're excited is putting it mildly as we have been dreaming about this day for a long time.  It's a new chapter and in addition to the new house, I have lots of new running routes to look forward to.  I'll be back in the countryside again, surrounded by green fields and trees - my happy place.  But if I want the city life then it only a short journey as we are more centrally based.  Bring it on......quickly please!

Priorities

Every so often I have to remind myself that I don't do this for a living or that sometimes life will just need to get in the way.  Training six days a week can "interfere" with important things in life and I have to concede, that moving house trumped my training this week.  In a way, it substituted my training and at times it was like an ultra event.  For two days my wife and I packed boxed, ran up and down stairs with boxes, lifted heavy furniture, grabbed some food when we could and were constantly up against the clock.  We left our family home of the last 18 years shining like a diamond as we collapsed into temporary accommodation at our son's student flat in Glasgow.
That's come as a bit of a shock as we step over our suitcases in our bedroom and share a couch with him.  Based on his kitchen, our diet may suffer for the time spent here (carry out food) but what's really nice is stepping out right into the centre of (lockdown) Glasgow!  Surrounded by pubs and restaurants but closed by 6pm and not a glass of wine in sight!
The last two days I've pulled on my running shoes and headed out to run new routes 1st thing in the morning.  Yesterday I went east along the Clyde and today west.  Running through my home town has been wonderful as I saw it from a different perspective.
My turbo training is on hold as my bike is packed away and won't be available till I get to my new house and I think it would be advisable to unpack the Christmas tree before my bike!
I'm looking forward to a new home, a new location, a new chapter and many new running and cycling routes.  2020 has been a challenging year but I really am starting to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Keep the faith, we'll get there - a mantra I've repeated on many an ultra!

It's only weather...but be careful

We're definitely in winter now.  This week we've seen snow and flooding which creates a few other hurdles we need to take care of.
It's not so much the snow but it's how it is underfoot when you decide to run.  When I was clearing the driveway the soft snow was lovely but the time taken meant I had to delay my run till the evening.  Unfortunately living high up in the countryside meant that while most surrounding, lower, areas were clear of snow but back home the frozen slush and ice meant the pavements were dangerous to run on, especially in the dark.  One fall could put you out for months so I put my sensible head on and switched to a turbo session on the bike.
On Saturday I was looking forward to our Chatelherault run but there had been a lot of rain and of course there was the melting snow.  As a result it was very wet underfoot and at the lowest part in the run it was completely flooded which meant we were up to our knees in water trying not to fall off the path, which you couldn't see, into deeper water.  The water was baltic but if you're wearing the right shoes and socks, withing a few minutes your feet warm up.  
It's been a busy week with hard training sessions and on Friday I'd done 25 x 1 minute efforts on the bike with 1 min recovery in between.  But that took it's toll towards the end of my run when my legs felt like led and my lungs were working to capacity.  In the end a great run and it was good to be out with my pals - this is the only training session where we meet up physically, with another two occasions virtually on the bike but there's no banter.
Winter means we have to be aware of the elements and take care.  We can't afford to be out in the wilds without proper clothing and fuel to keep us going.  Be careful if out on your own because one ankle twist and you could be in serious trouble.  If I'm out on my own I always have a foil blanket with me and fully charged mobile, just in case.  Take care out there and enjoy the change of season.