2019 Review Part 1

2019 has been somewhat a good year in terms of Running goes. My aim at the start of the year was to sign up for and complete my first half marathon as well as attending a few different races (Huddersfield 10k, Eccup 10 and VoY Half). Last year I had managed to hit my 500 miles target with the final amount of running miles accounted over 12 months at 540, this year I aimed for around 600 mark. Here is my look back on the first 6 months 2019.

January-March 2019

January was a bit of a slow start but with the cold weather affecting my asthma I was restricted to indoor training in the gym getting miles on the treadmill in. No races in January but I entered the virtual 100 Miles of winter virtual race. A return to club training in mid february before my first Huddersfield 10k, hilly course but also scenic, I even stopped at one point to take a quick photo, a tough race completed in 1:11:46.

I didn’t take part in the yearly Resolution Run for Stroke Association at the end of march due to injury but managed 54 miles in march.

Miles: Jan 38. Feb. 42. Mar 54. Q1: 134 Miles.

April-June

April saw me return to do 2 parkruns at roundhay in a row before I got to compete in the parkrun league from May to september at 5 different venues. For may i had once again signed up for Miles for Mind and aimed for as many miles as I could during the month. I headed over to Rothwell for the first venue in the 2019 STAC parkrun league at Springhead park, Russ kindly joined me and paced me to a time of 30:26. At the end of the month my 13 weeks training plan for my first half marathon had started. Then at the start of June I had a double run weekend of Nostell Priory parkrun which i ran in 31:25 and my 2nd race of the year at the race for life for cancer research uk at Temple Newsam, first time men have been able to take part, my friend kyle joined me for this one, I managed a time of 1:09:51 (Race report here: https://notafastrunner.home.blog/2019/06/02/race-for-life-at-temple-newsam/ )

I returned to Pudsey in mid june for another got at Pudsey 10k but after a few days of heavy rain, was warned it was a little muddy. ( https://notafastrunner.home.blog/2019/06/18/the-muddy-trials-of-pudsey-10k/ ) I completed it in 1:15:04 a little slower than last years attempt but with the mud fest in the valley I will allow it to myself.

By the end of the month I had one more race to get through, my first attempt at Eccup 10 Mile. Now this one was very tough, not just for the legs but for the mind too, hilly and challenging, eventually got myself over the line in 2:10. April: 55. May: 63 June: 54. Q2: 172.

Total for first 6 months. 306.

Part 2 I will publish in December.

Thank you for reading.