Well, it's not been the greatest year's running that I've ever had. There has been too much mud, too much wind and that problem, but the sun did shine sometimes and it ain't all bad.
I had a few targets for the year; the first of which was to run 1,000 miles. In truth, as long as I don't get injured, I generally hit the thousand miles target sometime around October. This year, I had a dodgy few weeks, so it took me into November to hit the milestone, but by the end of the year, I'll be somewhere around 1,200 miles which isn't bad for an old'un.
At the start of the year, I was planning to run in five races (I added a sixth part way through).
I didn't finish the Lakeland Trails, Hawkshead race due to falling flat on my face and I didn't even start the Ultimate Trails 100 (scared), the Wensleydale Wedge (ill) or the Cheviot Goat (problems with the cold after my fall). I did, however, complete the Derwentwater Dawdle, the Tyne Trail Ultra and the Yorkshire Three Peaks Ultra, all of which were great days out.
Mostly though, I just ran on the trails and footpaths around our home, more often than not, accompanied by Zaro who rarely deigns to get beyond a trot as I gasp for breath. I'm very fortunate that the scenery around here is so remarkable, and most of the time running is a pleasure.
A few observations at the end of the year.
I am very grateful to the Run 1000 miles Facebook group, who are a lovely bunch of people, never short of encouragement, sympathy or silly jokes. I'm also more than grateful to Iain Harris Physio solutions in Crosshills for the work they've done to keep me running and to make my finger bend and straighten again. Whoever thought that you could get ten acupuncture needles into one finger? Above, everything, I'm grateful to Sue for letting me spend so much time out running despite the fact that I invariably return home either horribly sweaty or horribly muddy (sometimes both).
Falling in April has dented my confidence and eight months later, I'm still more than a little nervous going downhill. I'm not sure that I'll ever be entirely happy running on technical terrain in the Lake District again, but time will tell.
It's clear that fitness and weight are a constant (losing?) battle for me. Over the last couple of months, I've rather let things slide and at the end of December, I'm heavier and less fit than I was at the start of November. I need to get things back on track over the winter.
Related to this, I am aware that time is ticking on and who knows how many years I've got where I'll still be able to tackle really long distances? Because of this, I want to focus on a few events that I really want to do and make sure that I enjoy them. The Tyne Trail Ultra is on the menu for next year as it will be tackling the South Tyne and covering some of my favourite places in the world. Alston to Hexham, what could be better? I've got a couple of other things which may (or may not) be on my bucket list, but let's wait and see how fit I can get over January and Feb before I sign up for anything silly.
Mainly, though, I just want to have fun. Pushing myself fairly hard and enjoying the scenery. I'll never be fast, but I do enjoy myself. This paragraph that I wrote for the Trail Running Magazine blog captures the feeling.
I think back to a Saturday morning in September; my lungs were burning and my legs were aching when the trig point on the top of Wolf Stones just off the Pennine Way came into sight. I jogged across the top, with my dog at my heels and flopped down on the grass on the summit. I couldn’t see another person, but the Dales and Pendle felt close enough to touch. It was a moment of pure joy. Not only that, but I had eight more miles to go and it was all easy downhill.
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