Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Happy Shiny New 2013!!!
We are on the threshold of a shiny brand new year!! Although it doesn't actually seem like five minutes since the start of 2012... now I had great plans for 2012. I was going to get back into running and walking in a big way and complete loads of really tough events...
...okay so it didn't exactly go to plan... just to recap, here is what I did actually manage to achieve in 2012.
February saw the fastest ever completion (by me...) of the Belvoir Challenge in a rather amazing 7 hours and 40 minutes- mainly due to the fact that there was no mud! I am under no illusions of this happening again, especially seeing how much rain we have had during 2012!
March saw the completion of three challenge events! The first- the Golden Fleece Circuit- was a brand new event, and also East Yorkshire ticked off my county challenge list (my plan to complete a marathon event in each English county). The second was the good old Charnwood Forest Marathon, an old favourite I hadn't visited for some time. The third and final was a new event for me- the Three Shires Challenge. I completed the 27 mile option and gorged myself on those lovely oatcakes filled with cheese! I am aiming to complete the full 29 miles this year- and maybe a few more oatcakes!
April brought the Caythorpe Canter, another old favourite and a good one for a PB due to the flatness of the terrain. I jogged as much as I could and managed to finish in 7 hours and 10 minutes, dodging the April showers.
I completed the Leaden Boot in May, a really tough event with over 5,000 feet of ascent, on what was probably one of the hottest days of the year. It felt a real achievement just to complete it!
My achievements were somewhat quiet from here on, as I concentrated on training for the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path in July (see Peddars Way Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3, and the Norfolk Coast Path Day 1). This was my first attempt at a solo long distance path, and although they were good routes and easy walking, conditions were somewhat challenging as it pi**ed it down most of the time! Falling over and twisting my ankle looking round the castle ruins at Castle Acre didn't exactly help and what with this and my blisters I ended up postponing the second half of the Norfolk Coast Path...
From here things running and walking wise went rather downhill, as family events kind of dominated- my Dad and step mum came to stay during July and August (was lovely to spend time with them) and I ended up dog sitting for a week too... this and a general apathy meant that the only other event to be completed this year was the Dave Lewis Challenge in October! Despite the fact that it was the first challenge event I'd done for ages, it didn't go too badly at all; the route had been changed from the previous year and is now much better.
So... room for improvement, and I am determined that 2013 is going to be much more productive!! My main challenges for this year are so far;
- Complete the 29 mile option of the Three Shires Challenge- including the Shutlingsloe Loop
- Complete the 40 mile Coventry Way challenge (edit- just found out this is the day after the 3 Shires so may need to rethink!)
- Complete the Bullock Smithy!
I started the New Year as I mean to go on, by hauling myself for a walk around the Big Track- 10 mile circular route along the River Trent and Beeston Canal. Walking to the start and back makes it around 12 1/2miles. I have found a lovely little cafe at Beeston Marina, which was filled to capacity today- people were queuing out the door!
I decided to let 2013 in with a generous slice of Carrot Cake and a mug of hot chocolate...
