Along with entering races I also joined a challenge being run by Under Armour called \u2018You Vs The Year\u2019. The challenge is to cover at least 1000km during 2016.<\/p>\n
For seasoned runners, although still a challenge, it\u2019s maybe not as much of a challenge as it is for a beginner. Some people in the Facebook group made up their own challenges and upped the amount they personally wanted to hit to 1000 miles, 2016km and so on. For me averaging just over 83km per month was enough of a challenge so I\u2019ve stuck with the 1000km goal.<\/p>\n
Now here\u2019s the problem and I think any runner or sports person will back me up on this, sometimes you just don\u2019t want to do it! Sometimes it\u2019s raining (hello! We live in Wales!), sometimes there\u2019s something good on TV and sometimes you just plain can\u2019t be bothered. So I\u2019ve had some good months and some bad months and at the end of November I was really really considering just accepting the fact that there was no way I was going to reach 1000km.<\/p>\n
The fact is giving up sometimes is easier than carrying on and sometimes it\u2019s not giving up, it\u2019s accepting that you\u2019ve done your best, however, at the beginning of November I knew I hadn\u2019t done my best and that I could push myself harder and reach that 1000km goal.<\/p>\n
By the beginning of December I\u2019d reached 900km and this year instead of having an advent calendar I\u2019m taking part in the \u2018Fat Girls Guide to Running\u2019s Countdown to Xmas Challenge, where everyday we have a healthy challenge (plus an on going squat challenge, don\u2019t even get me started on the squats!) and one of the challenges was to write a list of 5 things we wanted to do before 2017. So now I\u2019ve pledged that I will finish my 1000km and furthermore I really want to do it before Christmas (are you noticing a pattern with me and challenges yet?). I\u2019ve worked out from where I am now to complete it before the 25th I need to do 6km a day. So the dog\u2019s going to have lots of extra runs, I\u2019m going to be out in all weathers and I\u2019ll be at every Parkrun from now until Christmas, hopefully celebrating tipping over the 1000km mark at the Newport Christmas Day Parkrun.<\/p>\n
We set ourselves these challenges, big or small, because we want to change something, whether that be going for a run once a week or covering 1000km in a year. I know for a fact when I\u2019m running in the rain, not being able to see (people with glasses, you understand) I\u2019ll want to give up but I also know when I hit that 1000km I\u2019ll be so proud of myself. There\u2019s no medal for this challenge, no t-shirt or goody bag, just the fact that you yourself know what you\u2019ve managed to achieve.<\/p>\n
So, this is my new thing and it\u2019d be great if other people started doing it as well, why wait until January for a resolution? December, February, August or whatever month you choose if you want to start something new, start it! If you want to commit to something, commit! If you\u2019d told me this time last year I\u2019d now be closing in on 1000km I wouldn\u2019t have believed you, but guess what – I am! Plus do you want to know another secret? I\u2019ve already signed up for the 1000-mile challenge for next year! <\/p>\n
So lets all get our elf thinking caps on for what can you commit to or try before the end of 2017? Little steps make way for big adventures\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I only started running this year, by the time I\u2019d completed my first 5k race at the end of February I was hooked and set myself some pretty tough goals. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n