2016 - a year in review

2016 – a year in review

So as we enter 2017 I have paused to reflect on what, running wise, I achieved in 2016.  What were the highs and lows and what are my new targets for 2016?

2016 started hopefully.  I was entered in the Thames Trot 50 in early Feb, I had bagged a charity place in the London Marathon (running for MPN Voice) and I was looking to hopefully improve on my 2015 PBs.  Although thought December of 2015 I had had a few injuries the Round The Lakes 10km on Boxing day was a turning point and I entered 2016 feeling fresh and ready to tackle the 50 mile Thames Trot. 

I prepared as well as I could with a shortened training period and arrived on the day knowing that I was no where near as fit as I should be to take on such and long distance.  The weather was also literally against us with a gale force wind blowing into our faces for the majority of the route and heavy rain meaning boggy conditions underfoot.  Despite my best efforts I missed the cut-off just after 30 miles and was withdrawn from the race.  It was tough and I knew that the lack of preparation due to injury and the weather were the main contributors to my failure, I vowed to try again at the distance but only once I was ready both mentally and physically.

Following the Thames Trot I reverted back to focussing on preparing for the London Marathon.  However shortly into my training my calf problems of 2015 flared again and I was unable to train.  I dropped out of the Brentwood half and a number of other planned preparation races and was soon struggling to do more than parkrun on a weekly basis.  It become abundantly clear that I was never going to be in shape to do London justice so I regrettably had to withdraw. 

This was a real blow and for a long time all I did was the occasional lunchtime club run and parkrun on a Saturday.  As my 5km tomes slowed my weight increased and it wasn’t until the summer that any kind of consistency came back.

I had entered the East Farm Frolic 12 hour relay with my brother, sister and nephew in late August and wanted to ensure that I could get through a few laps without blowing up again.  I focussed on shorter distances, run more frequently and turned up to East Farm really excited about running and looking forward to a day of fun. 

East Farm Frolic Team

Me at East Farm

The day started steadily with me leading the team out on the first lap and then resting for a couple of hours whilst my teammates ran.  I then did a second lap and had another long rest. Soon my teammates started not wanting to run and needing longer rests so I just kept running.  I eventually managed to clock 8 laps and very nearly 50km, much to my surprise.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and really ignited my passion for running  once again, but also made me realise just how out of shape I was and how much work I needed to get myself back into racing condition.

The tail end of the year seemed to pass in a blur.  A few niggles meant I had a stop start training in autumn but was running 4-5 times a week and was even throwing weekly hill sessions in.  December, as always, revolved around eating and drinking so very little training was done.  Illness meant I dropped out of the Round The Lakes on Boxing Day, but the rest probably did me good. 

I look forward to 2017 now, injury free but overweight by nearly 2 stone and with a long road to fitness ahead, but happy and more understanding of my body’s ability.

I have once again managed to get a London marathon place and so will focus entirely on that.  After I have completed it I will look to train up for a solo attempt at the East Farm frolic, where I would like to go further than 50km and maybe edge towards that elusive 50-mile mark.

parkrun 2016

I make no bones about the fact that I love parkrun.  Most of the time it is the highlight of my running week.  I also enjoy being a parkrun tourist and visiting as many locations as possible.  This year has seen me running increasingly with Olivia and, towards the end of the year, running with Elsie in the buggy.  This has seen my times reduce but my enjoyment has, if anything increased. 

I have run 46 times this year and managed to visit 26 different locations, 21 of those for the first time.  I have been as far East as Canterbury, as far west (and south) as Tamar Trails and as far north as Stoke.

My fastest time this year was at Upton Court where I ran 24:35 (3 ½ minutes down on my PB set in 2015).  My slowest time was 44:31 at Yeovil where Olivia and I walked most if the way and played eye-spy and took selfies with some cows. 

I have also volunteerd 24 times (15 as run report writer, 1 token sort, 1 tail run, 3 new runners briefs and 4 set-up and I was lucky enough to meet Paul Sinton-Hewitt, parkrun founder, and chat to him briefly about parkrun. 

I have a few proudest moments this year; reaching 50 different events (my half Cowell).  Reaching 100 parkruns and celebrating it with family and my running club friends. Reaching 25 volunteer stints and earning my aubergine shirt.  My proudest moment though is encouraging my daughter Olivia to really enjoy her running and to embrace parkrun, and also encouraging my nephew to start going weekly.  Both have come on leaps and bounds and I can’t wait to see how they develop as runners over the coming years.

In 2017 I would like to run 40+ times again and also try and visit another 15-20 new venues.  Olivia is aiming to get her volunteers shirt and her Cow Cowl (for reaching 20 different parkruns), as well as dipping beneath 30 mins, so I’ll be helping her achieve that.  I would also like to visit my first international parkrun…but we’ll see about that!

This blog

In 2016 the blog became very sporadic.  With a lack of running I got lazy with my writing and basically couldn’t be arsed.  I have found that the blog helps me focus my training and document what has worked and what hasn’t, so I will be aiming to write weekly, or at worst fortnightly.  Even if it is just a basic review of the week and a parkrun write-up. 

Going back to the aims of the blog, I’m not sure I’m ever going to get fit enough to “beat Mike Pennock” but I will give it a bloody good shot!