For my final blog post of the year, I thought it would be good to put together my own little review of my last 12 months of running. Whilst 2015 was pretty much defined by one run, this year has been more about steady and gradual plugging away and working hard to try and get my times down across all the main distances (marathon apart!)
I will take a look at some of my best and worst performances, what I have progressed with, what I need to improve, what I achieved and what I didn't manage to do over the course of 2016.
So let's get going...
January
My first race of the year, and first of the crosscountry season was the Lancashire Championships at Witton Park. Having recovered from a bad back over Christmas and new year, I was pleased to be back running, at the end of the month, I returned to the same venue for the Northern Championships and one of the toughest courses I have ever encountered!
February
The Winter Warmer 10k at Blackburn (again!) provided me with a welcome return to the roads after a ten week absence from racing - the longest spell without a road race I'd had since taking up the sport. I was unsure what to expect and was just glad to get the race over with. I was delighted to take the win too on a very tough course.
I ended the month racing at the National crosscountry championships and had my best ever run in the mud, finishing in 80th position.
Wearing the Lancashire red rose vest was one of my proudest moments of 2015, but I hadn't managed to put together a good run, so to be able to get a second stab at he Intercounties this year and finishing in 36th position and second Lancs male was special for me.
My first run out at Cheshire 10k saw me record a pb of 32:06, just missing out on my target of sub 32, but was a big boost to my confidence after a shocker at Cardiff Half marathon. On a day when I probably shouldn't have run at all, I struggled round in just under 75 minutes, having gone into the race aiming to break the 70 minute barrier...
May
Christleton 5k was one of my favourite events of the year, and is without doubt the fastest 5k course I have raced on so far. I just missed out on my pb here in 15:08 after a slight misjudgement in the middle stages of the race.
It is no secret that Freckleton Half marathon is one of my main races in the calendar year, and one that I am desperate to one day win. I moved a step closer this year, finishing in second place and just missing out on my best time with 70:48.
Returning from a fortnight in Turkey feeling about a stone heavier than I had set off, I actually had a decent run on my return to racing just 4 days later, clocking around 15:15 at Podium 5k. It left me feeling positive and ready for an assault on my times in the second half of the year after a good break.
A month on from Podium and I felt in prime shape for a go at setting a new pb and hopefully breaking the 15 minute barrier at mid Cheshire 5k. The previous race there had been stacked and plenty had gone under that. This time out surprisingly nobody did, and I actually found myself leading the race throughout to take the win in 15:19.
The most bizarre event of the year came at Run Preston 10k, where chasing my first ever sub 32 (and well on course for it at half way), I got decked by an off lead dog. Luckily I bounced back up to win the race, but my ambition of getting the time went out of the window for another day...32:25.
Returning to Palma looking to defend my crown in the half marathon from 2015, I managed to do so on another fantastic trip away with team Wesham, full of great laughs and memories. Win in 70:52.
Being a bit more careful and selective of my races in October bore fruit in November, as I finally cracked the 10k distance with a fine run at Cheshire 10k to finish in 31:12. Without doubt my best run across any distance to date, I managed a good few scalps on a day where it all came together. A week later I won the Preston 10 mile in 52:34 (new pb), before rounding off an excellent month by winning Wesham 10k in 32:00.
My final run out of the year came at Ribble Valley, a slightly below par performance still goes down as my second best run to date over 10k, in 31:59 for 23rd place.
So there we go that was my year, with a total of 3,366 miles recorded, so hopefully some good groundworks and compound fitness in the bank ahead of a return to the marathon in Autumn 2017.
Thanks for reading, all the best to everyone and I hope you all have a successful, happy and prosperous 2017. Much love x
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