Before I get onto my 2013 plans that I guess I should mention 2012.
The first 4 months of 2012 was a bit pants – we are not talking M&S pants here but `5 for £3.00 bottled grey coloured` pants. Having to jog around my favourite Aerodrome for 1 lap rather than racing 2 laps, nearly getting beaten by Percy Pig at Fleet, ditching my London plans & pulling out from my target No. 1 race. The total mileage for those four months was 133 Miles, and that inc 82M for March.
The next 5 months were better – averaging about 80M per month, which included good 10M runs at Alton & Hook, a nice jog at the South Downs Half, totally enjoying Thunder Run (even thou poor fitness levels were showing), a really interesting 18.6Km race in Greece, a comeback 20M in Milton Keynes & my first (& only) Marathon this year in Farnham – so generally getting there.
The last 3 months have seen the mileage nearly getting there – the yearly highlight was Caesars Camp 50 in mid October in difficult conditions, having a good run out at Gosport Half & a good parkrun blast just a couple of weeks ago. So ending the year nearly on form again & defiantly happier.
(For the `stats` fans among us – 2009 = 1,395 Miles, 2010 = 1,576 Miles, 2011 = 1,434 Miles & so far in 2012 = 811 Miles)
What`s the 2013 plans.....
Well as the picture says "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - is actually fairly close to the truth. As on June 8th I plan to be on the start line of the Run 24 ( http://www.endure24.co.uk/ ) an off-road 24 hour race, held in Wasing Park, Reading - this would be a solo attempt (yes basically a repeat of last year`s target race).
Many of you know since I`ve started running in 2008, I have done few odd races before - 12 hrs race, 50 Mile race, completed 3 Ultra-marathons before actually running a marathon but this is something different. I am under no illusion that I will be pushing myself, both physically & mentally, on race day & during training.
Training wise - I am looking at following the training plan in the `Relentless Forward Progress` book - I have worked it out that the mileage if I follow this plan is 970 miles (not inc 50 Km B`day Race or Race day itself). With a bit of poetically licence most of my races fits within this plan - except my Birthday Run in the New Forest in March but it`s my birthday & I can do what I want.
I will be looking to raise money for a local charity to Farnborough - Parity for Disability (http://parityfordisability.org.uk/), they are a great charity that do important work locally in supporting children & adults with severe & multiple disabilities and like many smaller charities they are often over-looked. I will be setting up a `mycharitypage.com` in the forthcoming weeks - I do have a few ideas to rattle the sponsorship tin for this one (the last time I raised money with back in 2008 for my 1st Half Marathon when I ran the Great North) so please give as much as you can. Every single penny helps these guys to a better life.
I will be looking for a support team on the day so it you want to help please give me a shout.
I am looking forward to this challenge, it`s both exciting & hard work..
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