So those who read my last post will know that training hasn’t bein going that well and I am quite significantly off my running plan. I could list the runs that I have done (it wouldn’t be long) but I think it is easier to give a visual comparison of where I was at last year and where I am at now.

I have generated a report from Good Run Guide showing the June and July 2012 (NDW50 was August) and February and March this year (NDW50 is in May), so the same comparative timeframe in relation to the race.

It’s quite stark seeing the difference in distance and number of runs and the reality has hit home, mentally I am not in the same place that I was last time. Prior to the previous run, although the weather was a hell of a lot better, I was also more mentally focused that I am right now.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, although the runs have been shorter and less frequent, I haven’t just been sitting around doing nothing. Looking at my cycling from the same time frame as Period 2 this is the mileage so my legs are getting some work, although I appreciate it’s not quite the same.

I am not going to dwell on the lack of runs though, I need to get my head back in the game. I ran today following the disaster yesterday and it felt really, really good. I was running at a good pace, felt exhilarated as I travelled over the trails and felt some of the magic again.

While I was running I was thinking (as most people probably do) and have decided that the NDW50 will be an experiment to answer a question, “can you run an ultra with extensive cross training?”. I don’t expect to beat my 11:19 of last year, but I want to finish and finish within the cut off.

An attitude shift, that’s what I need, half the battle is in the head so get that in the right place and I am in with a fighting chance.