Argh. That was tough. I'd not run since the beginning of January for various reasons that include these:

• I went on holiday for a week
• I don't get home until about 8pm and it's dark and I don't know the area
• I walk for 40 minutes every day. That has to count for something right?

 So I'm on a slowish train to London Victoria listening to The Dirtmitts second album.

It's one of those albums that worries me a little bit because I came across the band by accident when I bought a Frank Black album and it came with a free sampler CD which included a Dirtmitts track (Fix & Destroy). What worries me is that, much like with Bobgoblin, the Dirtmitts were a really great band that I'd never have heard of if it weren't for chance. And I hate to think of all the great music out there that I must be missing out on.

I've got a 15 mile fell race in a few weeks time and it has been praying on my mind that, although I have some good hill running fitness, I've not run more than about ten for a month or so.

This is partially because I'm babying my current good form by restricting my weekly miles to about 30 in total and so if I run four times a week (one of which is usually ten) it's unlikely that I'll run any of the others short enough to allow another long run.

Sunday morning, sun streaming through the window, time to go for a run along the river.

As it's October I had to cross the road a few times to stay in the sun but I soon warmed up and my usual initial fears that it's going to be a slog went. I am still mining this vein of good form that I seem to have found and I'm unsure if I should run harder and longer to take advantage of it or to be extra careful so that I don't 'break' it.

My body was pretty tired after last week. I'm not running anywhere near as much as some of my peers at the running club, but I've tried to cap my weekly mileage at 30 miles and last week I managed 40 plus the extra exercise of two three hour climbing sessions.

So the last hill on Saturday's 12 mile jaunt was a struggle and I just got to watch my running partner for the day gradually haul away from me even though I had only a mile to go to get back to the car and she had a further nine or ten miles to go (she's marathon training).

My ideal run this weekend would involve a long climb (not too steep) up to the top of a ridge and then running until I started to get pleasantly tired before a mile warm-down downhill to the finish. But I don't know of such terrain around here and starting and finishing in the same place (wherever we park the car) dictates the route a bit. And finding a ridge of the right length so that the run ends just at the point I want it too is impossible too.

There are a lot of plans for various races at various speeds but no real instructions on how to create those plans which means when you're at the stage that I am (can run for about 7 miles at a pretty high tempo, can run hard up hills, and can run for about two and half hours at a push (not all in the same run)) working out how to improve isn't easy without having a specific goal.

Right now I have plenty of motivation to run.

I am running well, I'm injury-free, and I have no pressure of any races in my future. I realise that at some point I'll need a focus, but for now things are just fine and I'm keeping them that way the best I can.

A fellow vegetarian runner on twitter (@NoMeatAthlete) tweeted:

"Feeling unmotivated about fitness recently. I need an inspiring goal or something new."

and

"Maybe signing up for a 100-miler is the answer.  But that's scary because I can't even get motivated to train for my next 50."

to which I replied

"@NoMeatAthlete Choose a sport that requires skill rather than pure fitness for six months. Climbing, sailing and so on or coach."

Just a short post to show I'm still alive. Running has been going well lately and my little running group has been exploring routes out of Stoughton that climb up into the hills along various trails.

When I travel I rarely have the funds (or possibly even the desire) to do something of note every day, most of my time will be spent wandering and exploring and my last set of travels was very much along those lines.