Well, I forgot to do this yesterday, but here are my three positives from the first week of a training programme:

1. I am adapting to running in heat.  Slowly, and painfully, but adapting all the same.  Turns out you need to hydrate properly *all* week -not just on run days.
2. I have survived the first week.  I haven’t skimped or cut anything short.  There’s been a couple of walk breaks, but nonetheless I turned up for every session, and even did some strength training.
3. Judging by the DOMs, that strength training was long overdue.  So it’s a good job I’m back on it!

It has been a really tiring week – combination of not having put any proper miles in for a few months, and the heat.  But I’m pleased with now it went.  The Hal Higdon programme is *way* more intense than the marathon programme I followed.  But it feels good to be running so much.

In his book, “What I talk about when I talk about running”, Haruki Murakami says that he’s a serious runner, by which he means he runs an hour a day, five days a week.  So I think if I get through this programme, I’ll confidently be able to call myself a half-serious runner!