Well, well, well, it has been a long time since I last posted, and much less blogging was done last year than in the previous years. I suppose I've just got busier. I'm now working from home quite a bit doing lots of writing at the computer, and I suppose that the last thing I want to do when I take a break is more writing on the computer.
Anyway, it would be rude not to finally get round to looking at those goals I set way back at the beginning of 2014.
1. Run 1000 miles
I did it! Yay! My third year of attempting this goal and I got to 31st December with 1001.8 miles in the bank - whoop! It wasn't easy, and I often had to run rather than bike and keep my eye on each weekly total. At times it was a bit of a pain. I managed not to get injured all year - probably down to not doing a marathon and running consistently, not increasing mileage of long runs too much. I was really happy to meet this goal!
2. Cycle 500 miles
Not a hope (368.8). Tried this in 2013 too, and was way off. Last year the running took precedence. I can either go for one or the other, not both!
3. Strength training and stretching
I was pretty good with the stretching. As I get older it's a must, and I think doing at least a few stretches after running helped keep me injury free last year. As for strength training - not so much.
4. Do more swimming and master front crawl and breast stroke
Absolutely not. Again, running was the priority, and my swimming continued to flounder. Needs more work...
5. Keep injury at bay
Lucky me! (See goal 3 for how I managed this).
6. Complete loads of parkruns and get my 50 t-shirt
I ran my 50th parkrun on 29th March and have been wearing my 50 t-shirt ever since! (Well, at parkruns anyway). I've tried to count and it looks as though I did about 40 parkruns last year - not bad going. Certainly much more than any other year. I'm now at 79, so 21 away from my 100th. (Sadly our local parkrun was cancelled yesterday (for the first time) due to ice! so the 80th waits for another week...)
7. Run a parkrun somewhere else
Yes! Robbie and I ran in the Queen Elizabeth parkrun (local to Pete's parents); Pete, Robbie and I ran at Havant (also near Pete's parents); and all 4 of us ran in Edinburgh when we visited Scotland. I had done Edinburgh before, but it was new to the others. Then in November, I visited my sister and dragged her along to her local parkrun at Colchester; and during our Christmas visit to my parents, Pete and I ran Chippenham parkrun! So 4 new locations in 2014, 6 in total - whoop!
8. Run a parkrun with Emma!
Emma did 14 parkruns last year! However, she doesn't really enjoy it and has been getting slower and less happy about it, so we're going to let her have a break! Perhaps she'll enjoy it as she gets older, she's still only just 7 (6 in 2014).
9. Run 8+ races
Just about - I think I did 9 races in 2014 - phew!
10. Run 4 Half Marathons
Not quite, I only ran 2 Half marathons. But I did run a 10 miler and a 15 mile race as well, so I think they kind of count too. Kind of.
11. PB at 10K and Half marathon.
Big fat YES and my proudest achievement (along with 1000 miles)! Way back in February I killed Brighton Half in 1h56m31s, taking 2 mins off my PB, and in November maybe my greatest running EVER was in the Brighton Brook 10K which I totally nailed in 49m26s, also knocking 2 mins off my PB. This means my PBs for Marathon, Half, and 10K were all completed along the same stretch of seafront in Brighton - nice and flat and speedy!
So a good year of running, not so great for cross-training. I'm a bit uninspired at the moment, so I need to think carefully about goals for 2015, but I think they'll be less running based and aim to be a bit more well-rounded. Watch this space...
