Happy New Year!

In a moment of end of the year self-indulgence, I looked at the medals/ mementos from 2018’s races,

It’s nice to look at them all together and think back over each run. Some felt like a breeze, other ones weren’t, for sure. Kind of like life though, I guess! 2018 was a bit up and down, but as the saying goes, you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf. Well, realistically, it’s unlikely I will ever master surfing, but in running terms, I suppose you can’t stop the hills, but you can learn to climb them, or something like that. Which I was reminded of as some medals caught my eye….

I did my slowest time for a 50 (Afoot in Two Dales), and then not long after I did my 50 mile PB (at The Leviathon)….

I’ve had a few races where I’ve felt astonishingly awful and ran my slowest non-navigated marathon (Groovy Baby), and then also managed my fastest marathon time in over 2 years (Thames Meander)…..

I set a personal record for getting my most lost on an LDWA run, running 29 miles instead of 26 (New Forest Marathon), and then did one where I didn’t get lost at all (Essex Walker Marathon)...

I’ve run races where there was so much bog that I lost a shoe (Winter Tanners), and then decided to get waterproof socks, so ran through the mud-fest of the Remembrance Day Marathon without so much as a wet foot….

Etc, etc …. which goes to show, even tough times don't last forever, and smoother times come along, and I suppose it makes you a little bit stronger each time.

Altogether I did 31 marathons and ultras this year, not a lot compared to many, but my most ever in a year for me. Plus lots of unofficial adventures that don't count towards the numbers, but are all a big part of the journey.

Plus, numbers are all very well, but the best thing about running is the people I’ve met along the way, and the fact that no matter how rubbish you might be feeling on a particular day, there's always someone around who will help you out and cheer you up. Even the tough runs, there has never been one single one where I haven't felt better in myself after it, compared to before....

...which was easily demonstrated by my last two runs of 2018 last weekend - the Frozen Phoenix 1 and 2, with Rik and Phoenix Running, at my favourite place down by the Thames. Saturday I was feeling rubbish, I’ve been fighting with migraines over the last few weeks and feeling low, I don’t know if they are related to each other or what, but they can both do one now. Ran with Craig on Saturday, so 8 laps up and down the Thames and lots of chats and laughs, and seeing lots of other familiar faces running up and down, meant I felt much better by the end of the marathon compared to the start. Plus was brilliant to see Ben run his 50^th marathon, and do a PB to boot, which is just incredible. Sunday I still didn't feel on form, but felt no more rubbish for running compared to standing still, so I kept going for the full 6 hours. I was being a bit reflective at the end of the year, and feeling fed up with feeling low, so was working through some stuff, but 11 laps (36.1 miles), made a good dent in it all. Plus, got to run a good few laps with Terry, a fellow Northerner, who also did an ultra, and helped me keep going past the marathon point. Loads of the regular faces out there this weekend - you all cheered me up massively, and I felt loads better by the end of the weekend, so thank you all 😊 

So, thank you all so much your support this year 💖 And, congratulations to all of my friends and family in all you've achieved in 2018 (running and otherwise), you are really incredible, and inspire me to reach my goals!

Wishing you a Happy New Year, may it be filled with your favourite things, and new adventures too.....