So difficult to stick to training plans??

Not blogged for a while, life's been hectic with hubbys shifts and packing for the big move, kids and i have had a bad cough and I'm so far behind with my training!  But hey all our belongings are now enroute to the uk and my other half doesn't have too many shifts left before we move so hopefully I can keep on plan (ish- I'm fully aware I will stray!) from now on!

So anyway rather than type in what I've done I took a screenshot of my training plan with the notes.
Looks really quite dire with all the dropped runs, however I still feel that I'm where I wanted to be with regards to my fitness and pace, so just shows also how important rest is!
Does anyone else find it hard to stick to plans??  I suppose life is unpredictable so to stick to it you'd have to be a very determined Duracell bunny.... And that I'm not ha!

I'm on week 4 now, and I did the 8m of yasso 800s last night, felt really comfortable too and felt as though i could manage 10miles of it, so very happy with that!  Like I said hopefully will try to stick to it a bit more now but I'm not going to torture myself over it if I'm struggling, better not to burn out,  especially if I'm still getting the results I want!  I think keeping my fitness up with a few runs over Christmas after my half marathon has given me a massive boost to start the programme with!

Slacking first week!

One week in and I've already dropped a run!  On last weeks pan I was supposed to do a 4mile slow run, but being full of a chesty cough and just generally busy sorting for the shippers estimate (today- which went well they said we are well within our limit the RAF will pay for us to get back to the UK so phew) also pete has been working 12 hour shifts (days) sat-tues, well anyway I kept making excuses as I really didn't feel like getting out and well now it's week 2 so I decided rather than get behind with my schedule and try to squeeze in an extra run I'd just start this week!

So tonight even though I had the kids all day on my own (long day as I'm sure most mums will agree) once the kids were in bed i took myself out and did a fast 4m (about 28 mins-ish) glad I got out and kick started this week, long run still looming over me I plan on doing 12m this week, so I have decided to do hill runs weds evening after kids in bed and long run on Friday when Eloise is at school and I can run in day light!

I'm a little disappointed I slipped up already on my training plan on just week 1 but hey I still did about 19mile last week and new week this week.  I suppose I just have to accept that I will get ill, the kids might get ill and well sometimes it's not as easy to stick to it as you think, but as long as I'm doing the important ones and for the full 16 weeks make sure I try not to take more than 3 rest days in a row (that's how my bad habits start and the slippery slope begins) that's better than going off plan altogether.

First attempt at yasso 800s

I had planned on doing my 6m of yasso 800s (800m in 3min40sec, then 800m recovery-repeated) on Friday (today) but a window opened up yesterday aft lunch.  The little one went to bed and the big one, tired out from pre school was quite content to sit and watch a bit of Peppa Pig so I though it was a good time to leave the hubby in charge and not feel too guilty about it.  He tells me I shouldn't feel guilty as he goes to the gym too but I think it's a mum thing especially seeing as I don't work it feels more my role to look after the children so feel bad about doing anything other, silly I know!
Anyway i was very happy with myself, I managed 6miles fairly easily and actually felt I could have maybe pushed for 8.  Really pleased with that as by the end of my training I need to be able to run 10miles of yasso 800s and I've got about 10weeks until I attempt that!  My plan says 8m yasso 800s at the end of this month and now I'm quite confident I will manage this!  I read somewhere that providing you have done the all important long runs, then if you can do the 10mile of yasso 800s in the time set (you convert the hours into minutes and the minutes into hours ie, 3hour40min marathon would be 3min 40sec yasso 800s) then you are n your way to achieving your marathon time.  I know this is no guarantee and mental strength will have a lot to do with it too!
Something must be working because when I first attempted yasso 800s, 5m nearly killed me!

1st long run done

I did end up getting out this morning, my hubby got back and I left straight away.  I found the 10mile harder than I thought I would although on my training plan I had a pace of 8,40 p/m and I actually ran at an average pace of 8,15 .....I must learn to slow down!
The rest of the day was nothing special, Hubby on stand-down now for 4 days so he went out for his run after we'd picked up Eloise from pre-school and I gave the girls lunch, then tried to go shopping, I say tried shops were all shut, honestly this country some things I will not miss about Cyprus and the convenience we have in the UK is so appealing.  Sold our car now (well got a deposit so fingers crossed), booked removals and flights and sorted delivery date to our new address for all our stuff that's in storage so the ball is rolling for the move.
Going to take 2 rest days now and get some packing up done, and then on Friday whilst my husband is still off I plan on doing 6m of yasso 800s (which is basically shuttles of 1/2 mile ran in 3,40 then 1/2 mile recovery at slow pace repeated) the. Rest day and a slow 4miler on Sunday (hubby will be on 12hr day shift then so will be more challenging to force myself out for that one in the cold and dark) to complete my first week.
Will plan and think about next week when I get there, but hey 1/2 way through my first week, so just 15 and 1/2 to go to marathon day!

Joggers who hate bloggers - What a nasty bunch!

Thats me well and truly told!  After putting a link to my blog on the runners word forum I had a bit of a back lash of nasty comments I was completely shocked by this.  I genuinely didn't think I was doing any harm and that maybe this would draw the attention of few other running mums or even mums thinking about running to m blog to see if it was of any interest to them! If not then for I was not forcing anyone to read it so what harm was caused?  How wrong was I!!
Ok I so the first person said "the only people interested in your blog are you your family and your friends and they are probably just being nice to you!' - thanks nice of you that, such lovely people around!
I also got accused of coming across like a car salesman, well sorry but I'm not actually selling anything there is no money involved its just kind of like keeping a diary that I'm willing to share.
Clogging up "their" forums but the comment I found the most offensive was "if you have young kids and struggle fitting in your training then why waste your time blogging" I found it deeply offensive for someone to question the amount of quality time I spend with my children when they do not know the first thing about me so to which I think my reply was sharp but to the point. simple, my husband is in the forces I have no family near as we live overseas we only have BFBS tv so not so much choice and that particular evening my kids were fast asleep in bed and he was working a 12hour night shift, sometimes this life can be lonely and I just thought who the hell do you think you are.  What is it they say- walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you criticise them.  We all live very different lives and have very different interests and coping mechanisms And as such i would never be so nasty and criticise anybody else in the way these people did!
Anyway if any of you want to see the comments from the joggers who hate bloggers see here http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/general-running/running-mum/237329.html

Planned my first long run today when my oldest was at preschool, my husband has been on nights so thought when my little one goes back down for her morning nap I'd go, but when he got up out of bed he had different plans and has gone off to sort some admin out for our move!
So here i am sat in my running gear an hour after she has been dropped at pre school waiting for him to get back, she only does 3 hours and i need to allow an hour and half for a 10miler arrrrgh- think sometimes communication is an issue ha ha
Will let you know how I get on!

Week 1, run 1

So I went for my first run of my 16 week training programme tonight.  Decided to start with just a 5k, as I have to fit in my runs round my hubby's shifts.
He has been on nights so this morning I was up with kids then after lunch I'd promised my oldest girl I'd take her to the cinema to see Tinkerbell (which i might add was tiring in itself -with 3 toilet trips, lots of seat swapping, digging through the bag for sweets, 3d glasses on and off- note to self three is to young for the cinema!)
After I got back from the cinema my other half was fab (think he felt rested after a big lie in and the afternoon with just the easy little one) he started our tea (chilli) and made kids tea (I'd already made mash just to be warmed and i'd already planned they were just having easy sausage mash and veg cos we'd been at cinema).  He encouraged me to get out even though the weather was miserable and I really didn't feel like it.
Pleased I got out though, even though I got soaking wet I got myself 20minutes peace and quiet, when I got in kids had eaten tea and cleaning up after tea had been done (that's the worst part of the day for me!) and I achieved my 5k in the time I wanted to, 21,57.  Even had a glimpse at what it's going to be like running in Norfolk when we move back to the UK as I was freezing and soaking when I got in!
Rest day tomorrow before my long run on Weds morning while the biggest is at pre-school.  Got a 10mile planned in for the first of my long runs, the last 10mile I did was 22nd Dec so as long as I remember to eat well and go to bed at a decent time I should be fine and rested for it!
Check back on Weds to see how I got on with my planned 10miler or you can keep track on my nike plus page http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/running/home/Melaniereed I have the nike plus sports watch which I love!!  Helps me with my pace on tempo runs.

From mum to marathon.... 16weeks untill my first ever marathon

I am a mum of two young children, my oldest being 3 and my youngest 13 months.  Whilst I would say I have always been sporty I never really did running before I had my children.  In the 3 years since being a mum I have ran 3 x 10k races, 1 x 5k and 2 x half marathons and I really wanted to challenge myself so I entered my first ever marathon (something I always wanted to do but never thought I could achieve it!)
I entered the Manchester Marathon which takes place on the 28th April (16 weeks today) and I have decided to start this blog to show how I am coping with juggling family life with marathon training.  We've even got a house, actually correction country move (Cyprus to England - my hubby is RAF) 6 weeks before race date so wish me luck!!  I would love to think that maybe it could help to inspire other mums, after all we are all superwomen!  So get on those running shoes set yourself a target (doesn't have to be a marathon, something achievable for you) and join me on my journey!