Hi guys, time for my second blog.  Can't belive that it is already 11th Jan.  Still just another two days and I'll be off with James to Bermuda and then onto New York!  As I said in my last blog, I had considered calling it a day, but then this sport keeps throwing up opportunities that you just can't get anywhere else!  You will see from my training that I have cooled it down a bit, only really just started doing twice a day.  Usually I would have been up towards 100mile a week by now, but I have a more relaxed approach this year.  This is a conscious decision.  I have always trained hard, sometimes too much and I think I have got to races tired and probably needing a good rest.  I appreciate that some of the old guys will say there is no substitute to hard work, which I fully agree with, but as I get older, I'm certainly finding it harder to recover between sessions, especially if I am hitting the mileage hard also.  So for the time being I'm just taking everyday as it comes and trying to enjoy running as much as possible.  I have also had chronic achilles problems over the last 10 years, which I have micro managed as best as possible.  Obviously the more running I do the worse it gets, so its refreshing to be running with not too much pain due to the decreased workload.  The proof though will be in the racing, and it will be interesting to see how I get on over the next two races and then onto the indoor season.  Indoors has always been pretty good to me, despite being a big guy, just seem to relish the challenge.  I haven't run indoors since the World Indoors in Moscow 2006, as I was trying to get things right for a good outdoor season.  That hasn't really happened due to a few issues, so its back indoors, off a reduced training load and more relaxed attitude that will hopefully stand me in good sted, we will see!

I really can't wait to get to Bermuda and out of this cold weather.  The mile race over there is superb and such a great atmosphere.  That and the friendly people is what draws me back every year.  James has mentioned on his blog that this year we are able to give a little back by putting on a mile clinic for the children of Bermuda.  I'm sure it will be a success, and we are both really looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones!  Thats about it for now, I shall write more when I get there, hopefully from the beach! 

Go easy,

Sp8y