2013 in Brief

As the new year approaches and we start to think about what races we want to tackle in 2014. I thought I’d look back and see what i’d accomplished in 2013.

On the whole I had a pretty good year with a lot more highs than lows. Completing my first 100 miler on the roads, closely followed by my first 100 on the trails with the Cotswold and Lakeland 100′s were certainly 2 big land mark achievement. Making it to the start of the Hardmoors 55 was a challenge in its own right with heavy snow making some of the roads impassible. The Ultra Tyne Tour was another memorable race, completing the multi-day race from the source of the Tyne to the sea in one go.

In total I clocked up over 1750 miles, running on average 35-40 miles a week. The calf and achilles injuries that had caused problems throughout 2012 at last seeming to be behind me, I even did a bit of speed work toward the end of the year, taking part in a few of the new parkruns popping up all over the North East.

I also had a pretty good year off the trails, I was invited to join the British Trail Running Podcast team, producing a monthly running podcasts interviewing some inspirational runners, reviewing kit and generally talking all things trail running. I put my writing skills to the test, trying my hand at readers letters and managing to get 8 letters published in all 5 of the top running magazines.

Finally I joined the Strava Ambassador Programme 2014, signing up to help strengthen the Strava community in the UK, and develop the Strava App and website. Something that i’m really looking forward to in 2014.