At last, about bloody time I have found my running mojo. Since ironman UK my running mojo, love of running, enthusiasm to get out and run, ability to find and get my running shoes on with a smile has deserted me. My mojo seems to have been on a sabbatical or flown the coop.

I have been running, riding and rowing since IMUK but it has all been a bit erratic and not the consistency and quality that I relished during ten months of ironman training when I had a purpose and goals to get out and run ride or swim.

I’ve had a few justifiable set backs like two cracked ribs and later discovered damaged muscle, probably tore or split at the impact. Then a wisdom tooth decided to try to break out and cracked the adjacent tooth causing me to have an emergency  extraction. But the tooth fairy wasn’t on my side that day the tooth devil took over and left a root in my gum which now has to be removed surgically later this year. So thats my excuses, reasons and facts that have kept me from getting stuck back into training again.

However I underestimated recovery time from an ironman, some people bounce back and are racing again in a few weeks, I seem to be in the longer recovery phase. After my first marathon I didn’t do anything for 6 weeks, after my second I was back running easy after 2 weeks. Seems I had about 8 weeks of inactivity before I got going again then stop start for the last few weeks.

Well not quite kicking and screaming this time but I did tackle it in a constructive way. I thought planing and booking up my 2015 season would get me going again plus the fact I have a police fitness test and officer safety training now in less than week. This did get me to also look at the end of this year and I entered some small local grass routes trail running events. Marshfield, Avebury8, Bromham.

I was in need of something to kickstart me and get my mojo, consistency and enthusiasm back. It came back this weekend in muddy fields, across the hills and while running with friends.

This weekend I did the Marshfield Mudlark which is an 11km hilly muddy trail race. I did it last year and enjoyed the route so went back this year with Pat & Helen.

A misty, cold damp morning greeted us and our shoes were sodden with dew by the time we crossed the cricket pitch for our race numbers. Numbers pinned to long-sleeved tops and tights I was not particularly looking forward to the race element, last year we were at the back just ahead of the sweeper and this would be the longest run I had done by far since IMUK. I wasn’t really prepared, rushing out the house I forgot my Garmin or Timex watch, scuffed the side of the car and didn’t have any gels or sports drink on me just NUUN. But there were some club championship points to be had as only Pat & I had entered !

Setting off at a steady pace the course was the same as the previous year but blanketed in fog it was hard to tell for the first few miles. Helen soon eased away from us and Pat & I got into our rhythm which meant we talked the whole way round which attracted attention from a few other runners who were amazed and jealous of of talk/run ability !
We enjoyed the scenery of the valleys with changing autumnal colours brightening up the landscape. Whilst there were no cattle on the course this year they had left their mark and the newish trail shoes were soon caked in cow shit !

But somewhere along those early miles I was smiling and really enjoying the run, I was expecting a sting in the tail and my legs to wobble or my lungs to burst,  but no we kept a steady pace and came over the finish a few minutes quicker than the last year. The run felt easy and yes if we had didn’t talked could have got a faster finish time, but would we have enjoyed it as much ? I doubt it very much. We were nowhere near the sweeper this year, plus the race organisers has added gels and sports drinks plus two water stations this year which were greatly appreciated by this disorganised runner. I didn’t miss my watch or Garmin and just enjoyed the race not even asking for distance or time until we crossed the line. Sometimes its about being there, enjoying and doing it rather than timing and pacing.

My mojo was found in those cow shit covered trails, fresh air and countryside. 🙂 Who’d have thought it.

So excited and loving running on the trails again I came home and booked another 13km trail run and a Santa Scamper fancy dress for December in addition to Avebury & Bromham. Runners high ?
So plenty to look forward to for the remainder of this year and getting the winter fitness covered ahead of middle distance ironman training for next year.

The Go Sober in October challenge is still on track too.