The last time I updated this blog I was focused on long distance walking and a dream of a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, but then Covid-19 wrecked havoc on my plans and this idea was put on a back burner until the pandemic is over. It is still a goal to be fulfilled in the future, possibly in the spring of 2022.
Covid-19 changed my plans, but it opened unexpected doors in the world of work, leaving little free time for blogging and running. Now, things are slowly returning to normal and I am back in the running mode and thinking about travel. Many of the blogs I followed when I first started running have vanished into the hinterlands of the web. I often think about what happened to the bloggers I followed when I was an enthusiastic new runner and was tracking my training and progress via this blog. Did they give up running? Have they moved on to other adventures, left the blogging universe or simply kicked the bucket?
During my absence from blogging I continued to walk, hike, and go jogging. A little over two years ago I accepted that I was destined to be a slow runner. I do not mind being a slow runner. However, I am struggling to acknowledge that according to the running level calculator I am a “beginner”.
In spite of running for several years and following many training plans I know that there has been relatively little change in my running ability, but I have not abandoned running. I keep on hitting the trails and pavement and challenging my body to move beyond a walking pace. I have a Garmin runners watch, a treadmill, good running shoes, hi-tech training clothes and I am aware of the potential injuries, pitfalls, and challenges associated with running, so I am not really a “beginner”. I am simply a slow runner.
Rural Route Runner 