LOOKING AHEAD, BUT NOT TOO FAR 
I expressed my thoughts - ranted perhaps - about the righteousness of the meteorological seasons last back end. But even I would have to admit that twenty odd days in to what I classify as Spring, there has been hardly any sign of it whatsoever. If anything, since the turn of meteorological March we've had a more wintry snap than the whole of Winter itself had to offer. But under closer inspection, the snowdrops are out, the daffodils are trying, the bluebells are sprouting and wild garlic is showing shoots. As fabulous as it is to closely observe the marvels of the different seasons in transition, this also means we can only be a couple of weeks away from midweek evening races returning to the calendar!
So this year I'm going in to the new season with a little bit of clout already behind me. A few races and some good training since the beginning of February particularly, I have managed to get in regular speed and hill sessions each week and finally those pain in the arse niggly Winter aches and pains are also showing signs of fading away. Whether or not deemed an anti-social at the club for evading their sessions and doing my own thing instead lately, essentially it's what I need to do to stay on the right side of injury wrongs. I sincerely hope to be in a good place the next time I rack up on a starting line.
Another DNF would be unthinkable. Even if racing fitness itself will take a few tries to kick in, the feeling is that I'm not far off and should be able to pile in to the night races with more confidence than trepidation and get some reasonable results under my belt right from the off.
The off will be Liver Hill at Rawtenstall - if I can physically get there on time for a 6:45 start. Annually bookmarked as first midweek evening fell race of the year, it's one I've yet to actually get over to and race. So it's time I did. After this, probably next up will be my one and only tarmac assault of the season at Podium 5K. I'm after a sub-17 minuter which would not be a bad effort for this old goat. Approaching this one with training going even better than the last Podium in November - and more geared towards the distance and the speed required - I ought to get it smashed and done with so long as I keep ticking over like I am at the moment without interruption. There's no point pretending to myself and playing it down - I really want the time at Podium - then I can put this final target on the tarmac to bed once and for all.
In the longer term, it's just about trying to enjoy the Spring and Summer races without a massive plan as such, other than to try and compete at least once a week and build up something reminiscent of consistency for once in my running life.
In the longer term maybe a time will come to actually have a plan, to pick big races, to get stuck in to some of the Cumbrian stuff again with regularity. Obviously things outside of running also come in to play and right now running plans can't get too carried away. But within the cranium of this running nobody in particular there is a vision of sorts - if a little hazy on the distant horizon, focused in the foreground at least.