The marathon is now and truly out the system if not fully out of the legs.

London Marathon anger has been and gone. The 5 minute rant cleansed my soul straight away, but the blog really has done the rounds, in cyber space and beyond, with new insults and potential blog names accepted.

The classic “Markgallmac – the most irritating runner in Scotland?”, or the new and equally complimentary “Markgallmac – just a pathetic whinger?”, I love them both to be honest :).

Up until now I have kept quiet about my aims for the season as I didn’t really know myself what I wanted to do or achieve. All I really knew was I wanted to enjoy it more than last year, but, with a few weeks reflection behind me and a couple of semi decent weeks training I think I know what I want to do. I haven’t run a decent 5k since I did my one and only sub 18 5k in August 2016. It’s here if you fancy a read #projectsub18 I only got within 30 seconds of it last year and that’s it. Likewise I did my one and only sub 38 10k last year at the Brian Goodwin , this one is here sub 38 at the Goodwin and have been nowhere near that since. Why on both of these? Maybe it’s ability and they were one offs for a reason, maybe it’s the legs getting older, but I am more inclined to put the emphasis on it being a combination of lack of focus, a head that hasn’t been in the game, and a total lack of belief in myself. Now I have the endurance in me from the marathon training so I am going to try and add some speed or speed endurance into that and try and get near that sort of shape again. I have the Scottish 5K at Silverknowes next week which is far too early to get anywhere near that but it’ll give me a good marker of where I am, and if I can get near the mid 18s I will be delighted and have something to work with. A stream of 5ks and 10ks coming up and that is my aim, to get down there again, even if it takes until the last race of the season 🙂

I even went to the track at EK this week at lunchtime from work, on my own and had the track to myself while I did a set of 600s in rain, wind, hailstones then shine, and that was quite surreal. As tough as I found it I actually enjoyed it.

At my age PBs are going to be very few and far between now, and I probably have my quota for the year with this month’s PBs in the marathon and 10,000 track (aye ok first time I have done it but it’s still a PB ;)), but the work starts now. I’ve finally got to christen the Shiny Day-Glo Adios I got at Christmas.

Tempo 5k done.

Track session done.

A wee parkrun tomorrow to get rid of some rust, then the real season starts.

It could work, or it could blow up in my face, or I could take another downer from running like I did last year, but hopefully giving myself a few aims can get me moving again. If I can keep the heid, steady the nerves and believe in myself again then why the hell not? #Projectworkhardenjoyracing starts here. Find your thing, do your thing, Jistdaeit!!!!