Mo’s Month in Running – October ’23

It has been an absolute breeze this month. With nothing to train for and no races to look forward to just yet, I’ve really enjoyed not being in a ‘training block’. Running when I feel like it and stopping when I don’t.

I’ve only recently found out there are things known as maintenance plans, which I wasn’t remotely aware of before, but which I still chose not to follow. I think we all need a break sometimes, especially if we’re not professional runners, and after finishing my races for the year it felt like a breath of fresh air to just go out and run with no distance or time in mind. To just meet some friends and have a chat, or to just go out to see how the body feels and soak in some much-needed movement and sun during my days.

I will, of course, be heading back into a training block very soon as we approach winter marathon season. But up until that point, I plan to continue as I am. Taking me back to the very essence of why I started running before times and races were even a thing, it was so I can move my body freely and enjoy the outdoors.

My biggest learnings from October:

• There is such thing as a maintenance plan.
• There is no need to constantly be training towards something.
• Going back to your first why when you started running can be one of the most liberating things to do.