Having reflected on 2013 and taken a couple of weeks off, 2014 has started in earnest with a good pool session yesterday, followed by a good 7 odd mile circuit out in very strong wind this morning.

The plans for 2014 are twofold, firstly to run well throughout my race program, and secondly to continue preparations for racing long distance triathlons the following year.

I am hoping that this coming winter will be better from a training perspective having received an asthma diagnosis in the last year or so, and being in better control of my chest and breathing as a result.  This winter needs to be better as 2014 starts a good month or so earlier than last year with the Barcelona Marathon in mid March, and building steadily towards the Highland Fling at the end of April.  Having resisted the urge to add anything major into May, June and July next up is Devil o the Highlands at start of August and the year concludes with a crack at the Ultima Frontera 166km in Andalucia in mid-October.

All of these races are achievable, and looking at the run this morning I am in a much better position than I was at this point last year, and running within 30 sec/mi of my best pace last year whilst feeling very under fuelled, under hydrated, and bizarrely warm given the strong cold wind blowing across.  All this of course bodes well for 2014 but challenges still remain, particularly in relating to improving prerace and race nutrition and hydration.  Post race nourishment has never been a problem!