Earlier this week, I was getting frustrated with my running.  I had made the decision to focus on easier effort workouts, which I hoped would enable me to enjoy my training more.  Unfortunately, my runs on Wednesday and Friday did not feel good at all.  It was clear that my run fitness, was not what it was a few months ago.

I should not have been surprised about how I was feeling.  If I had taken the time to look back at my training history, I would have realized why I was feeling the way I was.  The chart in today’s photo explains everything.

That chart shows my weekly mileage, from the beginning of the year until this week.  It shows a steady level of training up until April, when I started to have issues with foot pain.  I first had an issue with my left foot, but after only a week off to recover, I was able to return to normal mileage.

Then my gout issues hit, and I did not run for a whole month.  This missed month, is what I am recovering from now.  I am doing a good job of staying patient, and gradually building my mileage back up.  Getting back to full run fitness takes time.

Today, I had my first long run in a number of weeks.  It actually went much better than I expected.  It gave me hope that I am back on the road to full run fitness and most of all, it gave me a huge mental boost ahead of my next race in three weeks time.