Overcommitted

Training is such a massive time commitment. I can't quite believe how much organisation and planning it requires to fit it in around a job and a personal life.

Obviously I am not a serious runner, otherwise I would run to work, and every lunch hour, and home every evening as well as put my entire social life on hold . Halfheartedness suits me just fine. I need to work (and at the moment, also need to spend time looking for new jobs too) and I also need to spend time with family and friends.

I don't really have the facilities at work to run to the office or run at lunchtime - not unless I was prepared to sit redfaced and sweaty for the rest of the day. Somehow I don't think this will add to my credibility at meetings. But I do like to run on the way home, at least part of the way, depending on the distance I want to run.

Unfortunately I'm experiencing serious motivational problems at the moment. Is it possible to become scared of the dark? It took me about 10 minutes to get my tights on this morning - first, I was going out for a run, then I changed my mind, then I decided to run anyway, then I changed my mind again. By the time I had finally dragged my lycra-ed self to the front door, the light was beginning to show and the problem had therefore solved itself. Is it only me that is put off by running in the dark?

In winter, running in the dark is unavoidable, but it doesn't make it any more motivating. Every run is a chore, and when that run is interval training, then it becomes a herculean task (cf previous posts for hatred of interval training). When you're overloaded at work while spending your evenings filling in job applications, it's very easy to make excuses for why you shouldn't go for that run and doing something equally constructive instead.

I know it's definitely related to the dark, because I do not have any similar issues at the weekend and will happily hit the streets for a run of any length on Saturday or Sunday during the day. Is there such a thing as a runner's nightlight?

I'm happy to take advice or motivational strategies on how to get out there in the dark. Perhaps I need to find that running buddy sooner than later?

But before I find the running buddy, I've got to take the new trainers back to the shop. Two blisters and an ankle welt later, I don't think Adidas have kept the Salvation to quite the same spec after all. Thankfully Sweatshop have a 30 day guarantee policy, so I'm heading off to try out some alternatives instead.

App-wise though, Endomondo and I are developing a beautiful friendship. I am really enjoying the audio coach facility, particularly when she tells me I've run a particularly fast mile. I even did a little fistpump this morning after my second mile. How pathetic am I?

LON