It’s tempting to play this game in the last few days of the year; a look back on what’s just gone and to have a few thoughts about what lies in store in the New Year, but you can be excused from playing it this year if you’re feeling frazzled or fragile! I’ll keep this focused only on running. Looking back, there’s been no part of life that hasn’t been affected by the virus and that includes organised athletics and running, so a quick round up of 2020 for me is that I had just 4 races for the year, should have run my 5th this morning, but the Staplehurst 10 miles was cancelled last week! Managed to keep training throughout the year and should just tip over 1200 miles for the year by Thursday. Going through the 50,000 diarised miles in August was a small milestone. But whichever way you cut it, it hasn’t been a great year. With all that’s happened, and is still happening, it might be unwise to make predictions for 2021, but you have to keep moving forward. I always have a modest minimum mileage target for each new year of 1000 miles which is (give or take) 20 miles per week, and really just hope to stay fit and motivated enough to keep racing as often as I can with the aim of trying to match, or better last year’s PBs. This year though I have a specific target to prepare for in the first quarter of the year. In 1986 I ran The Wealdway long distance footpath end to end in one day, and have decided to revisit the challenge in a “watered down” way. My plan is to do the run again as a solo, unsupported 3 day event on successive days 29th, 30th, and 31st March. In order to be as self contained as possible I will have to add a couple of miles to the total distance, so I think the days will be approximately 33 miles on day one, 27 miles on day two and 22 miles on the final day – 82 miles in total. All subject to being able to get some reasonable training in through January, February and March and staying healthy and uninjured. I’ve also got an idea that I’d like to have a go at the Welsh Three Thousands, maybe as a run? Beyond that, just keep on keeping on at all the usual training and racing I guess – there’s always a chance that my brother Andrew and older son Jack might throw down some challenge to get involved in – who knows? Whatever your hopes and ambitions for 2021 are, I wish you good health and good luck. Next up…..a tale of two running gear shops!
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