2013 A Year of Possibilities

An Exciting Year Ahead.

After the slightly under whelming running efforts of 2012 the plans are set for 2013 and it promises to be an exciting year. I have carefully thought through the races that I plan to do and some are for nostalgic purposes whilst others are to lay demons to rest. Overall they are to be run because they will be fun. My planned races for 2013 are as follows:

Eastbourne Half Marathon
South Downs Way 100
North Downs Way 100
Norfolk Ultra
Beachy Head Marathon
Beacons Ultra

Eastbourne Half is the first race I ever did and when looking back now the perspective has shifted substantially. What I thought then was a hill now seems like it was on the flat. I am aiming to make this my first sub 2 hour half marathon. This race is in a beautiful part of the world and will be a lovely morning by the sea and an excellent training run.
There will be a couple of recce runs before the South Downs Way and North Downs Way 100 milers. I don't intend to make the mistakes that I made at the 2012 North Downs Way 100. I will be ensuring that I know where I am going and at the right physical condition to ensure that I give myself the best possible chance of finishing these races. James Elson runs some excellent events and I am already excited about seeing what I can do in these races.

My running seems to be getting busier in the second half of the year. I nearly entered the Norfolk Ultra in October 2012, however, was unable to do this and am excited to give this one a crack in 2013. My friend Sam Robson ran this one in 2012 and spoke highly of the event.

The Beachy Head Marathon I was due to run in 2012, but after one thing or another I missed out on entering the race as it was fully booked by the time I came to enter the race. No such mistakes this year as I entered this one yesterday. It's not an ultra, but it is a pretty tough marathon. It is a truly beautiful route and spends much of the time along the terrain that I have run many training runs. I ran this in 2011 and finished in about 5hrs 49mins. This year i will be aiming to take at least an hour off of this time.

My racing year finally concludes with a the Ultra Party of the Beacons Ultra. I was genuinely gutted to not have been able to attend the race in 2012 and am more determined than ever to finish this race with a good time. 11hrs 29min is the time I have for the course and this year I will be aiming for a sub 10hour run. I may even treat myself to a visit to the Likeys store on the sunday.

Finally of course I am still undertaking the 365 challenge and am hoping to get to the 1st September 2013 which will be 365 days of continuous running.

It is going to be an exciting year ahead and certainly one that should have me well and truly with both feet planted in the Ultra Running world. It is a year that I can wait to undertake and one that should lead in to a very exciting 2014 where I may consider an attempt at entering Lakeland 100 and perhaps the UTMB ballot. There are also a couple of other things in the pipe line, but for now you will all have to wait and see what these may be.

Happy Running Everyone!!!