The New Year often brings change. For some, it may be a fresh start or the opportunity to set a new goal for the forthcoming 365 days. For me, it really is a fresh start. After spending 2015 injured, 2016 seems like a new chapter. My goal always remains the same – to improve.
Due to the nature of my injury I'm still struggling to get a full week of training under my belt. The good news is that I'm now running around 30 miles a week. The bad news is that it's not pain free. Running isn't easy, even when your muscles feel good, so you can imagine how difficult it becomes when things hurt. According to my latest scan the bone in my ankle has now fully healed but for some reason I have recurring pain in the same area. However, the pain is manageable and that's exactly what I'm doing – managing it. My daily routine includes a lot of stretching, self-massage and icing in order to try and keep the pain at a minimum and to reduce any inflammation that flares up from exercising on it.
I spent December in Qatar with my mum and four siblings which was really special. It's the only time of year that I actually get some quality time with them all which means a lot to me. My younger brother has decided he quite likes running and so has become my jogging buddy for the last two weeks. It's been brilliant having his company. He's extremely talented and so I hope he keeps it up when he gets home. Although, there it may not have the same draw as it will mean running in the cold, rain and wind of Dundee!
After saying goodbye to such a disappointing 2015, I was extremely fortunate to spend the first day of the new year surrounded by some beautiful scenery in the Qatar desert. It truly was spectacular and like nothing I've ever seen. Endless miles of sand dunes and expansive land as far as the eye could see. During an exciting land rover trip we took with some locals, we were thrown around like rag-dolls as we sped over huge sand dunes! We stopped at the top of a huge sand dune, looking out towards the inland sea and then at the Saudi Arabian border to watch the sunset. It's a day I'll always remember.
Next I will head to Kenya to start altitude training. I honestly can't wait to return after missing out on the camp for the last two years. It's such an inspiring environment to be in and with the likes of Steve Cram and Paula Radcliffe as our team managers, it'll be difficult to not feel encouraged.
My aim is to continue increasing my training load in Kenya, hopefully to around 45 miles per week but to be honest, I'm taking each day as it comes and making the decisions depending on what my foot allows. I'm going to give it another month of some hot weather and TLC, before commencing an attack on it. I've always been able to cope with pain but I'm also smart enough to realise when it's too much and may be causing another compensatory injury. It's a thin line and one I won't be crossing! If it is still giving me bother when I return to the UK mid-February, then I'll consult a doctor to try and find the root cause.
2016 is not only about training hard but training smart.
I'm moving in the right direction. The steps may be small but even so they are heading forward, and that's key. I wish 2016 to be a year full of happiness, health and fitness. I certainly have the first two covered. You can rest assured I'm working harder than ever on the last one.
