If only...

I don't think there's a runner alive who hasn't thought "If only I'd trained a bit harder...". I know that I rather wish I had done more long runs, more weekly miles, more back to back long runs but that desire is tempered by my desire to get to the start line intact.

Barring illness or freak injury, it's looking like I'm going to make it this year and that's been my main goal this year. Yes, I want to run a good time (sub 24 hopefully), but first and foremost, I want to get to the start line! As someone with a 66% "no show" record over the last three years the last thing I want to do is up it to 75%. ;-)

Running wise, it's been a good week. I felt I recovered quickly from last weekend's "back to back" long runs and I've put in another 56 miles in the last week (including a very pleasant 4:30 run along the River Ayr Way). I've also been very pleased with some late gear choices I've made lately.

Firstly, shoes. I bought some Inov8 Roclite 295 shoes whilst at the Ben Lomond Hill race 2 weeks ago. The toebox of the Inov8 315s was completely the wrong shape for my foot so it was rather a surprise to find that the 295's were just right. I didn't run Ben Lomond in them but I did my weekend of back to back long runs in them and another long run on Saturday with no problems at all. They've been really comfortable straight out of the box.

The second bit of kit was some Skins compression half tights. After my problems with the full length ones I was a bit hesitant about going with Skins again for compression shorts but I needn't have worried. I've had no problems with slippage or chafing and I'll definitely be wearing them for the WHW race.

My last purchase was a pair of socks. I've been using a very old batch of socks I bought years ago that I've become very attached to but they really are wearing out and I thought it was time to treat myself. I'd admired Morgan's gaiters on my last run from Bridge of Orchy to Fort William and I saw something similar in Tiso's. What Tiso's were selling though was a sock and gaiter combined into one made by Inov8 and called the Debrisock. I was a bit hesitant about buying a combined product like this as I'd prefer to be able to choose and change my socks independently of my gaiters but I realised that when the sock wears out, there's nothing stopping you cutting the old one off and just using the remains as a gaiter. The socks themselves are made of smartwool so they're a decent product in their own right, even without the gaiters

Anyway, I wore them on Saturday for my long run and enjoyed a wonderful grit-free experience. I don't think you realise just how much and how often grit gets in your shoes until you do a long run with no grit whatsoever. The bits of elastic that pass under the sole look a bit vulnerable but they're easily replaced. Considering that it's easy to spend £10 on just a pair of technical socks these days I think £15 is cheap at the price.

Less than 4 weeks to go and no doubt I'll be going crazy with worry about either not doing enough or doing too much.