Running year review 2021

-
It has Bean a funny year

After the chaos that was 2020 this year passed off without incident....

Maybe not.

2021 was another pandemic affected year with various degrees of restrictions, lockdowns and cancellations. On a personal note it was also quite traumatic. Whether this was the reason for exceeding my running goals I am not sure, but exceed them I did.

My goals were to run 52 long runs, - half marathon distance or more - beat my parkrun PB and run 21 marathons in 2021. The usual aim of running the miles of the year (2021) still stood.

I hit the target of 52 runs on June 11th and set a new goal of 100. My final total was 108, more than two per week. I completed 32 marathons of which 17 were ultra distances. The total miles I ran in the year was 2353. I didn't get close to a 5K PB though.

There were many memorable runs. Here are a selection of them in no particular order.

There were also numerous trail runs and the regular 5k with YPOM (Your Pace Or Mine running club) on a Tuesday. I started a weekly interval session which was well attended and began to do some 1-2-1 coaching with a few people. It was also good to see parkrun back again.

In addition to the runs I managed to publish two running articles in Like the Wind magazine and publish the first edition of my running 'zine Shin Splintz. A book proposal is also with a publisher although no response as yet...and Matt and I have founded London Ultra Runners with over 100 Instagram followers and growing.

This year I have read the following running books:
Time to set some new goals for 2022:
  1. 100 lifetime marathons is definitely achievable. That would mean completing 20 in the year. 
  2. A trail running weekend in the Brecon Beacons.
  3. The Pilgrim Challenge 
  4. Peak 50 miler.
  5. Centurion Running One Slam event - 600 miles in 100 days
  6. Raising money for National Autistic Society.
  7. 2022 miles in the year.
  8. Three new Shin Splintz 
  9. More Like the Wind articles.
  10. Coaching.
That should do. Here are some photos showing some of the highlights from the year.

3am - supporting Matt to run 100 miles

Running to Ware?

Best running book of 2021!

Football fever

Street Art

Monkey visit - Big T

The average monkey

Interval training

The 'zine

nodnoL nohtaraM

Global Relay

BMRC in Catford

Running the Prime Meridian

Yen Vo running for Newborns Vietnam

Tail running on the Ridgeway

Sign of the times

Night running

In the footsteps of Kilian - Vertical KM

Popular posts from this blog

Human v Horse

-
Image
The trail is ankle deep in mud. There are large U shaped holes in the ground. My brain is working overtime to relay information from my eyes to my legs to avoid breaking an ankle. I'm descending at speed through pine forest with shouts of 'Horse!' echoing behind me.  Moments later I hear the heavy breathing of a quadruped moving at speed. The drumbeat of hooves on turf are replaced with the splashing and squelching of the sodden earth. I feel a warmth on the back of my neck, almost imperceptible, likely imagined. Turning my head I risk a fall, but I need to see my foe. I glimpse the auburn mount bearing down on me, helmeted rider perched atop. I dive to the side of the trail just in time. The speeding steed is past in a moment. I watch as horse and rider gallop on and vanish into the shadows.  This isn't a recurring nightmare - that's the one about leading parkrun and then getting lost - nor is it my experience of participating in an anti-hunting protest. This was h...
Read more

A bridge too far?

-
Image
A post on Facebook caught my attention. This is how many of my running adventures begin. Bex Band, founder of the women's adventure community Love Her Wild had walked across all the bridges in Greater London. Obviously this meant the Thames River. Less obviously there are 33 bridges in total starting at Hampton Court and ending at Tower Bridge. Of these, 26 have pedestrian access and she had crossed them all. 'Hmm, that would make a good run' was my first thought. Seed planted. A couple of months later on a mild, bright January day I travelled to Richmond. My first run was Richmond parkrun with my friend Vicki and her pal Nicola. 3.1 miles, no dear and a warming coffee later, I ran the nine miles to Hampton Court. Twelve miles done and I was ready to start my run! My goal was to cross each bridge when I came to it. That meant crossing Hampton Bridge and a sign denoting entrance to Surrey before turning and re-crossing it to begin. Yes, I am a pedant. Hampton Court Bridge I ...
Read more

Great Lakeland 3 Day

-
Image
We had been descending for close to a mile. It was a steady descent, more than runnable. A chance to stretch out the legs. At the bottom we stopped at the checkpoint to refill out water bottles from the fast flowing stream when cramp struck.  I watched as my friend Matt grimaced in agony and beads of sweat fell from his brow. The muscles of his inner thighs had completely spasmed. He was unable to move. We were nine miles into day two of our three day Lakeland adventure with fifteen miles and numerous summits still to go. It was a relief when after a few minutes he was able to take a few hesitant steps. Disaster seemed to have been averted. We continued along a flat road before beginning our next ascent. Suddenly, Matt let out a cry and fell to the floor writhing in pain. The cramps were back. The day seemed to be over and we began to discuss how to get back to the campsite. ----------------- Matt, his wife Kelly and I had booked onto the Scarpa Great Lakeland 3 Day that is held in...
Read more