This lockdown thing is starting to scarily feel a bit too normal now isn't it? Maybe it is just me, but my life seems to have slipped into a routine of waking up, lying in bed for what feels like forever not particularly looking forward to the day ahead, but then somehow getting back into bed that evening and wondering where on earth the day has gone! Needless to say this week has passed quickly, which I know is due to the fact I have been busier 'at work' (aka my kitchen table). It is bittersweet really, as my extra workload comes from the fact we have had to furlough other staff and I am now taking on other's roles. There have been points of struggle though do not get me wrong; I am worried about a few friends who are finding things tough and yet I feel helpless to reach them. This week was also due to be the London Marathon and the influx of 'memories' I had popping up on social media from past events made me a little wistful. Berlin Marathon also announced its cancellation this week, and this was due to be held the week before the rearranged London Marathon date in October. This made me fearful of further cancellations ahead, and whilst I spoke last week about not minding races being off for a while, it was more the feeling of not having anything to look forward to which hit me - I guess it would just be nice to have something in the future to feel happy and confident about!

MONDAY: home exercise classes 

TUESDAY: I am enjoying creating new running routes at the moment; all too often when I know I am waking up to fit my run into a precise schedule before getting ready for work, I revert to similar pathways to save time and out of ease. This morning's 10k was therefore a joy; a new route and my legs just happily ticked along at 8 min/mile pace which felt so natural - if only it was London Marathon week after all!

WEDNESDAY: easier miles today, again winding through Lincoln on different roads to cover nearly 7 miles. 

THURSDAY: with the motivation of a planned Run Club session I seem to be using Thursday's as my chance to do more of a 'session', usually taking the form of intervals. This week I ran 5.5 miles with 12 x 200m reps and 200m recoveries. My paces were good again and maybe that sense of being outside and freedom right now makes pushing myself to go quicker feel more natural, rather than a chore or something which has to be done. 

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: I am not sure what came over my legs this week but I ran my fastest 5k time for over a year at my 'not Lincoln parkrun' attempt. I have been off pace across the past however many weeks of lockdown when I have tried to go 'all out' for a 5k, but this time something just clicked. My first mile was quick, as was my second, and I then fought really hard to hold on for the final mile, sensing a good time could be had. I finished in 20:40 which I was very pleased about!

SUNDAY: obviously today should have been the London Marathon, but instead of feeling sad about it, I took on the 2.6 challenge the organisers of the marathon and other race companies have promoted to offer support to charities during this time. I work for a charity and I know the struggles we are facing, so it was logical for me to do something on the day I should have been testing myself over 26.2 miles. After a lot of brain storming I came up with the idea of running the 'Lincoln 26' which would be 13 miles with 13 of Lincoln's toughest, steepest hills included. I was worried when I planned the run that it may not be enough of a challenge and not fitting of asking for donations from people, however I was very wrong! I planned a 6.5 mile loop which I repeated to incorporate my chosen 6.5 hills twice. The centre of Lincoln features a number of steep and quad killing climbs, notably the famous 'Steep Hill' but also some hidden gems like 'Motherby Hill' and 'Carline Road.' After the first loop my legs were already tired and running back to tackle some of these hills again I knew would be a test. The challenge really motivated me to keep plugging away though and ticking off the inclines. Weirdly it did not feel like I had ran that much distance, but I felt those hills for sure, and arriving home my legs felt spent, pretty much like stopping at the end of a marathon! 
If you would like to put a few pounds in my fundraising pot then please visit here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/my-2-6-challenge-e6889c19-5ba9-4c2b-a7a0-27922ed57d7d
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What does next week hold - who really knows! I just keep trying to take it all one day at a time. 

It is hard to describe how life is at the moment; some days I almost surprise myself by getting through the day like this has always been my life, and it is quite normal to only speak to people via a 'Zoom' video call. Other days I wake up and lie in bed and really struggle to want to get up and try tick off another day in this countdown with no fixed end point. This is where my running really helps me, and I have perhaps realised this more than ever across the past week. 

When I have been lying in bed thinking 'do I really want to get up?' it is the desire to feel that rush from running which makes me throw back the covers and get my act together. When I arrive home after a run I feel far more equipped to face another day; mentally stronger, I have more energy and I feel more like myself. Running itself I therefore do not miss - I still have it and it is still something I love very much. I have also reflected this week that it must be the first time in perhaps 5 years that I have not been training for an event or having a few weeks of recovery before another training block starts. I am enjoying this freedom and perhaps it is what I actually needed (shame it took a worldwide pandemic to make me realise it!) What I do miss from my running though is being able to share it physically with others, there is something so powerful about that and I know as soon as we get back to being able to go to parkrun, run with friends, and take part in Run Club sessions my passion for running with be heightened even more. Races may be further away on this unknown timeline - but I can wait for these. 

MONDAY: home based exercise classes with a big focus on working the glute muscles (it hurt!)

TUESDAY: when I woke I was already sore from last night's online classes, so I laced up my trainers with no pressure other than logging some easy miles. I started steadily, my sore muscles taking a couple of miles to warm up, but then I hit a real rhythm and found myself picking up the pace naturally. A few glances at my watch told me I was heading towards logging a near perfect progression run, and that then became my focus. I logged six miles starting at 8:33 min/min and ending at 7:32 min/mile. It felt effortless, whereas if I had gone out with that intention in my mind I think it may have been a different story!

WEDNESDAY: after yesterday's run turned into a bit more of a harder effort than I had planned, I really tried to keep my pace comfortable on this morning's loop - I do not want to knacker myself out, especially when running is so important to me at the moment. I enjoyed a nice 7 mile meander around the historic quarter of Lincoln; it is so quite and peaceful it really is the time to appreciate the beauty of my city. 

THURSDAY: my Run Cub continues to support our members by posting weekly run sessions which we can complete and share our results/how it felt with each other. This week was a tough little interval session of 10 x 400m reps. The cycle path along the river near me is perfect for this type of run, and I can run a mile exactly to the start of the long straight section as a warm up and cool down - it is almost as good as the track (almost!) Speedwork felt a bit more challenging this week, but looking at my splits afterwards they probably told me why; I logged some really quick times on the efforts and with very little variation throughout the 10 reps. I was pleased, and the feeling after a hard run is still very rewarding. 

A month has now passed since Friday 13th March, when the impact of the Coronavirus really started to make itself known on my everyday life. On this day my workplace closed down its normal functioning and my Spring marathon was postponed; I can still remember walking home that day feeling like a massive part of my life had been taken away from me. Little did I know what else was to come. Now the impact of said virus is being felt with such impact in everyone’s lives, and in particular the postponement of a running race feels a lot less significant.

Lockdown does not get easier for me, but I am continuing to find better ways to cope with it. This week I have been helping a number of vulnerable and isolated people with shopping; I am volunteering my time through Run Your Marks Community Champs, a scheme my friend is coordinating to mobilise local runners, and we have also created a Community Response Team within the charity where I work. Shopping often takes up to two hours for one trip with the queues both outside and inside supermarkets; it is surreal really, but already I am coming to expect that ‘nipping’ to Tesco for someone will take up my whole morning. Not that it really matters, it helps me to get out of my own space for a while and being able to reach out to someone who is struggling makes my day feel a lot more worthwhile.

Although I am adapting to the ‘new normal’ there is a part of me that also does not want this all to become too normal – I miss my ‘old life!’ Technology is great, and I continue to keep in touch with people via messages and have ‘Zoom’ calls through work and with friends and family, but it is not the same as being able to spend time with people you care about and doing things you love together. It really brightened up my day this week when a couple of friends dropped some Easter treats at my door and I was able to talk (from a distance!) to friendly faces for what felt like the first time in weeks, I do miss that the most whilst being on my own. 

Being able to get out and run this week has felt even better in the improved weather we have been experiencing; warmth is still a bit of a shock to the system, but again I adapt – changes in life is something we all have to get used to, especially at the moment!

MONDAY: home exercise classes – even jumping around my living room is feeling a little less random now!

TUESDAY: my body felt sore and weary from yesterday’s classes, which were quite leg heavy. Perhaps the joyful thing about not being in training for anything is that there was no plan telling me I needed to try and run some intervals etc., and instead I headed out for a steady loop, which ended up being 6.6 miles. The first two miles were ploddy, but then it suddenly seemed like my body woke up and I found myself running more like 8 min/mile pace toward the end.  

WEDNESDAY: this week we were able to announce some hopefully brighter news in the running world – the next stage of the Lincoln City Half Marathon route. I have been working on this event with colleagues at my work for over a year now, and it is due to be held in September. We are hoping we still stand a good chance of bringing it to Lincoln and feel that both runners and the city itself will actually embrace something celebratory like this even more by this point – more information about the event and the route can be found here. However, in order to release this news, we needed some accompanying photos – which we did not have. ‘No worries’ I said, and laced up my trainers and headed out to run some of the route and take selfies with key landmarks. This run therefore was not about anything other than photos, and I enjoyed an interesting new challenge! I still logged 10k in distance – although it was very stop start!

THURSDAY: after a couple of days of easier running I felt ready for some speed today and headed down to the river path near me for some intervals. I like shorter reps, so chose to do a 5 mile session featuring 8 x 400m reps. I just loved it; a warm morning meant for running in vest and shorts, and whizzing along a completely empty cycle path in the sunshine I felt free. My enjoyment probably reflects the paces I hit during the efforts, which were all well under 7 min/mile.

FRIDAY: Rest Day – still one of the hardest parts of Lockdown is resisting the urge to run all the time, especially with the prospect of a four-day weekend looming.

SATURDAY: on another gorgeous day I headed out for another attempt at ‘not Lincoln parkrun’. I really went for it this week and pushed myself hard but was a little disappointed to run a time well off my usual parkrun range. I think I find it tough to almost race on my own and on random streets, I need the buzz of being around others, the support they give me etc.

SUNDAY: I loved today’s long run and it was my best for a while. It was very warm again, but I prepared well and took water with me, which is such a mental boost. I planned a half marathon route and set off nice and steadily, knowing I needed not to overdo things in the relative heat. My legs just slotted into a natural rhythm the whole way round, and my pacing was spot on without me even thinking about it, keeping in the 8.20 min/mile region. I was thinking about other things though as I ran. One was the sheer number of other runners I saw out (all adhering to guidelines, running solo, and giving other walkers lots of space). There must have been over 20, when it is quite common for me to only see a couple of others on a Sunday morning. It made me think that I hope these people are finding some comfort from running in this time and realising its therapeutic power. I also ran past the hospital and I could not help but feel a little emotional as I thought about what it must be like inside. Slightly more light hearted, I could feel the sun burning my shoulders and thought I definitely should have put sun cream on! Whilst I also dreamt amount the Easter chocolate I was going to enjoy later at home.

I seem to be running between 30-35 miles a week at the moment; this feels ok and like what I need. Will things change in the weeks ahead in terms of how/if we are allowed to run… maybe, so for now I embrace it and face the prospect of adapting to more change if and when it comes. ​

Another lockdown week passes - although it feels far longer than a week to me! This is however my third week of 'abnormality' with my work having closed normal operation a week ahead of the UK, so maybe that's partly why. Although I am adapting in many senses, there are still days or moments within days when I literally just lose that forward thinking/positivity for a moment. It feels tougher and especially the inability to be able to count down the exact amount of time we will be in this situation - the unknown. I think what I miss most at the moment is waking up and truly looking forward to my day; I was in a lucky position before where I was actually able to say this was the case, but now its more a case of getting through the day, sometimes wishing hours away. It still also remains challenging being alone and the lack of 'real life' human interaction - but through my virtual networks we continue to check in with one another, and this is support which will never not help. 

Running has been helping me keep that consistent routine and I feel much more ready to face a day after some morning miles. That moment when I get home from a run and soak in the post run endorphins is probably when I feel most like my usual self at the moment. I am not really following any plan with my running, although I am trying not to over do things, as it could be very easy too, especially with the amount of home workouts being thrown in my face every time I log onto my phone! It almost makes you feel like you need to be doing tricep dips on the bottom of your stairs every spare minute of the day! I guess I am simply just doing what I want and at whatever pace I feel like on the day. I am doing some home based stuff to try and keep my strength up, although realistically nothing I can achieve at home will replicate my usual weights class at the gym (that first class back is going to hurt!)

MONDAY: home exercise classes from 'Run Your Marks' - I am still enjoying the fact these are streamed live and therefore gives a structure in my day and a feeling of being in a class with others. It helps get the week off to a good start. 

TUESDAY: a lovely 10k run where I went out with no pace in mind, but found myself getting progressively quicker and enjoying that sense of pushing my body a little.

WEDNESDAY: I planned a 7 mile loop today and as soon as I started I could feel my legs were a little weary, so I kept it comfortable, enjoying being outside and the fresh air and freedom!

THURSDAY: this week we should have been on the track at Run Club, but we shared the planned session anyway and I tried to replicate it on the streets. I got out early when I knew the river path near me would be virtually empty and logged 10 x 200m reps up and down. After my first 200m sprint along the path I did think to myself that this was going to be quite an easy session - by the 7th I had other thoughts! My splits were really consistent though which I was pleased with despite the dramatic change in perceived effort, and it was certainly not a run I would have attempted without the virtual Run Club motivation. 

FRIDAY: Rest Day