Each New Year I like to set myself a list of challenges for the year ahead – more on my 2019 goals shortly – but before that it’s time to check back on the goals I set myself this time last year, and see how far I’ve come towards meeting them.
Here’s a breakdown of my top 3 running goals for 2018
Complete a total of 50 parkruns
I went into 2018 with 35 completed parkruns under my belt, so I knew if I stayed committed throughout the year, I would be earning my 50th parkrun T shirt without too much trouble. Seeing my numbers stack up week on week really helped me keep turning up every Saturday, and I passed my 50th run milestone one lovely sunny summer weekend.
Run a sub-30 minute parkrun at Walthamstow
By the beginning of 2018, I had managed to run a sub-30 minute 5km a couple of times, but never at my home run of Walthamstow. The muddy, grassy running surface and the hill that you have to climb three times meant I was always a minute or two slower here than at easier courses. I would often start out strong, before running out of steam on the final lap and miss out on a decent time. However, one morning in April, I had just finished the first lap when another parkrunner caught up to me and asked if I was trying to get under 30 minutes. He offered to pace me the rest of the way round, and I gave everything I had to stick with him the rest of the way, even throwing in a little sprint finish to finish in 29:28, a full minute off my PB! Since then I have managed to get under 30 minutes a few more times, usually during pacer week, as I find it really motivating having someone else to follow.
Run a sub-60 minute 10km
I always thought this one was going to be a bit of a tricky challenge. At the beginning of the year I was barely managing to get under 30 minutes for 5km, and the thought of doing another 5km straight after at the same speed seemed nearly impossible! I slowly plugged away throughout the year, working on consistently running three times a week, extending my long runs up to 13km, and losing a few more pounds in weight. By the time October rolled around, I was ready to give it my best shot on race day at the Abington 10k, and was delighted to sneak in just under the hour, with a chip time of 59:57!
I’m really delighted with everything I have acheived in 2018, and know that there is so much more to come! Stay tuned in the next few days for my 2019 goals!
Read all of my London Marathon 2019 training progress here: London Marathon 2019
Monday Running 