Monday 16 November. Just about hanging on in there.

It's Monday and I'm somehow left thinking that last week's training was below par. I managed 12,500' of climbing and am feeling strong but somehow I feel uneasy.

I didn't manage a really big day. Life and and a weird lack of motivation have conspired to get in the way. It's been a tough old week.

This culminated in a new and unpleasant experience for me on Sunday. I drove out to Moel Famau to run on a fine morning and just couldn't bring myself to get out of the car and run. I was lethargic and supremely unmotivated. So, I drove home and went to the shops before coming home and cookiung a roast. Call myself a fellrunner!

There are a number of reasons for this. I am tiring a bit of the same old routes, I'm a bit tired full stop (not achey, just flat and needing my sleep), I'm troubled by my continued lack of success on the job market (interviews to come, so there is some hope) and I'm feeling generally like I need a rest.

When I look back at my recent training, I can see why. No easier weeks, not many rest days, some long days and some hard running. I think backing off for a couple of days is not going to stop me getting round. So Sunday was indeed a day of rest.

Despite beating myself up, as I seem to be wont to do, I had a reasonable week's training, after a very tough week last week.

Monday was mentally difficult - the day after the Roaches and a big week. I could have rested up but decided to go for some railways - just 3, to test how my legs were doing. I assumed I would struggle up that 1000' of steep steep climbing and was actually ok. I was delighted to find my legs responding well despite feeling really heavy. A good sign.

Tuesday was an enforced rest day because of lots of things to do

Weds - 2:15 in the Clywdian Hills, about 3200' ascent and a steady pace in the wet. Ran well at the start. Looking back at my training log, climbing Moel Famau in under 18 mins from the bottom car park was previously a decent effort. On Weds, i reigned in the effort and yet popped out on the summit in 16:10 which was a genuine surprise. I think that you expect to find running easier when you get fit, whereas it never gets an easier, but the times come down....

THurs - a steady 6 mile road run, all i had time for. Didn;t feel too good.

Fri - Was planning to do a solo bash at Legs 1 and 2 of the BGR, my big day for the week, but Richard Kenworthy called me and asked if he could come up and do Leg 1 with me as he's going to be with me on the day and he wanted to check it out. I'm really glad i sacrificed half a big day out for Richard's company (not to mention Bramble, his brilliant Jack Russell!) because i really did need to lighten up. We pottered round just about on the 23.5 hour schedule without any major effort on my part and just enjoyed the day. Whilst it wasn't a long run, it was good to feel that 5200' of ascent pass by without any tiredness.

Sat - very very heavy rain, and a shortage of motivation! I headed out for Moel y Gamelin and did 4 reps of it's short, steep and rough western slope (a 500 foot climb) having climbed there from teh valley so a 3000'+ day. I really didn;t want to go but felt OK once i got going and ran strongly up those steep, loose reps.

Sunday - nowt. All good intentions, but something stopped me going out that day...

Total - 12,500', about 40 miles.

This coming week i'm going to get out and do another 12 hour day/night. Probably legs 2 a bit of 3 (to Esk Hause) and then a bit of 4 (Gable to Honister) and all of leg 5 to Keswick. Hopefully!