Some Reflections on the End of Janathon 2014

So janathon 2014 ends with a whimper. I could have done something energetic but I went to London and decided walking the streets, in the drizzle and then the rain, was good enough. 4 miles in about 70 minutes should be enough count. For sure it was an easy day, but that doesn’t matter as the structure of the month has been to limit harder exercise to every other day, on average.

Overall this year’s Janathon has nearly been a success (if such a thing is logically possible).  It could not be counted a full success as I missed a day, but other than that I achieved my limited objectives. I was not going for any big numbers,trying to push myself to the limit, or trying to prove, inspite of all the evidence, that I was fit. Instead I tried to ease myself back and, more importantly, get back to enjoying my running.

Last year was such a struggle and I mostly came home feeling grey and drawn. I stopped and started, getting discouraged then thinking I ought to try again but then not feeling any better. The only explanation is that I either had some sort of tiredness virus or post viral exhaustion that hung on. The will was there but the body would not cooperate. A good example was Junathon, where I thought I would try to get going but it only lasted a few days - a disaster. Towards the end of the year though things improved and I began to go to the gym.  So New Year, new resolution: get back on track. Janathon was an excuse to gradually extend the time on my feet. 

It worked.

In the last couple of weeks I have been coming home refreshed and a run has set me up for the day, rather than being the cause of despair. Huzzah! so now we can also get back to the subject of this blog (the mystery of running and why it is mentally and physically satisfying - if you hadn’t guessed). Last year I could not approach it without feeling like a hypocrite or it was just hypothetical - hence I stopped. But now I feel interested again.

It might, of course prove to be a false dawn but that is something only time will tell. In the meantime all you can do is take it one run at a time. The future will then take care of itself