"Year's End"

I was rather looking forward to finishing the year off with a race  on New Year's Eve around Lyme Park and the Bowstones, but a rather heavy head cold (the first and last of the year) put a stop to that idea! It did give me the chance however to reflect on this year's running targets listed below and only a few of which I have achieved.

 Return to regular track sessions (no)

Cross train (no)

V50 3,000m record currently 11.55.8 (no)

Set V55 track records (yes...hurrah!)
Finish a 3000m steeplechase (no)

Learn to map read! (yes)

Target  - 50 races (45)
Target - 1350 miles (1175)

 Having said that I have been really happy to have a fairly injury (and illness!) free year, which is actually far more important than having and achieving targets. i ran some new races, particularly over the fells and even managed to run faster in a couple of races than in previous years. So for next year the aim is to just keep running, racing and enjoying it!

"CAFOD Fun Run"

On a gloriously sunny but icy morning it was great to get out for this annual fun run along the canal and Middlewood Way in Bollington. As a charity event enthusiasm is always much in evidence and being low key is so much more fun than the commercial large scale ones.

With heavy legs after yesterday's handicap and running the longer 4.5 mile course I was more than happy with a time of 33.50, and to have not have slipped and injured myself on the ice!

"Boxing Day Handicap Race"

We were very lucky today as the rain, snow and ice all held off to give perfect conditions for the annual Macclesfield Harriers Boxing Day Handicap run over the hilly four mile route around Macclesfield forest. The format this year was once again to predict your own finish time, to run without a watch and the winner was the person who was closest. I was delighted to be miles out of my predicted time of 29.59 to run the best time in years at 28.13 over a minute and half quicker than last year!

"Club Fell Handicap 2014"

Very cold, icy and misty weather made life on the annual Harriers Club Fell Handicap lots of fun! Fourteen miles and over 4,000 feet of climbing makes for plenty of chances to fall over which I did spectacularly on the track to the Cat & Fiddle. This took the edge of my day and despite finishing quite strongly ended up over five minutes down on last year's time at 3.07.

Week 50. Weekly mileage 29. Annual mileage 1130. Sessions 219. Races 43.

"Boggart Hole Clough"

Despite very heavy ground conditions I had a really good run out at boggart hole Clough finishing the 5.6 mile course in 47.36.

Week 49. Weekly mileage 20. Annual mileage 1101. Sessions 215. Races 42.