Candice: Each year I like to set myself a sporting goal. It’s something to aspire to rather than just go to the gym week in week out with any other purpose (other than being able to eat more chocolate). It started with running the 5k race for life a few years ago. Then 10k race for life. Last year it was a triathlon and this year, mainly because we will be away for the tri, I’ve decided to do a half marathon instead.
I’ve always wanted to do one but the Birmingham half, normally in October, often clashes with holidays or generally having crap weather. I don’t do running in the cold. As someone on twitter said to me when I mentioned this “you’d better start training”. So, for the last six weeks I’ve been running, getting up to around seven miles. But then the weather has changed and its gone cold again, and suddenly I’ve lost my mojo. It doesn’t help that last time I did a long run I hurt my knee (or rather aggravated an old injury) and I am now frightened if I push it it will make it worse. So, I’ve done the sensible thing and being to see my lovely sports massage guy, Wayne, and he’s told me off and given me a good rub down (oh er). But twice since then I’ve decided to go for a long run and chickened out. Tonight being a perfect example, where it went from doing 6 miles to 2.5 miles to the gym and then 2 on the running machine when I got there.
I need to get over this mental hurdle as the race is in 2 1/2 weeks!
Anyway, this reminds me of all the writing plans Phil and I have made this year. Back in Jan we promised to get on with book two. Then we’ve had some feedback on book one and I want to tackle that, mainly because it feels unfinished (and by that I mean unpublished!). But with no deadline in sight, only one of our own making, and two busy jobs everything is just spinning our wheels. I’m not really sure what the answer is, but setting our selves deadlines only makes me feel upset when I promise to do something and don’t deliver.
I am going to blame a lot of this on the lack of home computer. Comet have it back again after a third failure… I’ve now said to the other half at what point do we give up? I might be buying myself an early birthday present soon. But seriously, I can’t get to the book so it’s enough of a barrier to make me not write. Its like this evening’s hail, it didn’t go on for long but I went “Oh I can’t run in that”. But I have to, else I’ll be finishing the half in four hours,not two. Can someone set me a deadline for publishing, I can work to that.
@seemecomms
nolanparker 
Looks like time is running away with you! But seriously, you could get one of those pen gizmos that records wot you write – http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/ or at http://www.designbuzz.com/entry/digital-pen-records-what-you-write/
As for the running, promise yourself a hot buttered crumpet and a cup of chocolate when you get home or get a running buddy. Do you have a dog? Despite having several acres for our two dogs to roam about on their own all day, I always take them out on a lead in the morning and evening whatever the weather!
Neil, I had a running buddy awhile ago but she went and had twins which means she’s not as available as she was.:(. Cat not dog so that’s no good either. However, I think my mojos on its way back so fingers crossed!
Maybe you just need to get a silly haircut. Jedward managed to run a marathon without any training: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17456672
Give it a go. If it works, we could BOTH have silly haircuts for the good of the book !
That’s the trouble with a mojo, one minute it’s there, the next it’s gone and no idea when it will return.
Will refrain from commenting on the hair.
Our new dog, Mitch, has bitten off more than he can chew from my new shoes. That’s the thanks we get for rescuing him wandering around in the road, in the rain, outside our local restaurant a couple of months ago.
Mojo back …. Did 11miles tonight. Completely knackered now though !
Returning to writing for a mo, this post relates rather nicely to it: http://robincoyle.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/the-determination-to-write/