2013 - What's the next challenge?

Well, last year I completed my challenge of 200 miles of races with fantastic support from my family.  What a slog!  I thoroughly enjoyed every race/event I attended even though I didn't improve my pace much throughout the year. 

So what's next?  What could possibly beat 200 miles of events? 

Could I run more events?  It was difficult enough finding local events so I didnt have to travel far each weekend. 

I want to run a greater distance this year but how do I do it? 

Do I run a marathon?  Or do I run an Ultra? 

In October 2012 that decision had already been made.  I entered the Lakeland 50 Ultra.  A 50 mile trail race across the Lake District.  Earlier in the year I’d also entered the London Marathon.  Then I got carried away. 

My challenge this year feels slightly insane. 

Monday 6^th May 2013 – Milton Keynes Marathon.  My first marathon
Sunday 9^th May 2013 – Cardiff Ultra – 50 miles point to point.  My first Ultra
Saturday 22 June 2013 – Wales Trail Marathon
Saturday 6^th July 2013 – Enigma Summer Marathon
Saturday 27^th July 2013 – Lakeland 50
Saturday 21^st September 2013 – Beauty & the Beast Marathon
Saturday 26^th October 2013 – Snowdonia Marathon

I’ve tied these events to a fundraising page too.  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Hels205

I’m raising money for Cancer Research, RSPCA, RNLI and Make a Wish.  I wish I could tick every single charity fundraising box.  So next year will be four different charities. 

I’ve not run a marathon before.  I had entered two marathons last year but I was not well enough to run them. 

I have a couple other marathon entries that I’d like to enter this year but I’m thinking this bunch for my first attempt at stupid distance running is enough. 

The first question I suppose is.  How’s the training coming along then? 

Amazingly well.  I’m not fast.  But for some reason I’ve found my inner distance runner.  She’s been there all this time waiting for me to just relax and enjoy the pace. 

My weekend mileage over Friday to Sunday started out at just 20 miles.  10 miles on Friday with a break halfway.  5 miles Saturday and 5 miles Sunday.  The rest of the week was left to running a mile to my sons school on a daily basis if the weather was okay.  Working on my core stability and working out the kinks my body has developed with all this running lark.  You know the ones.  Knees, shins, calf, ankles, back, hips and lastly FEET!!

I’m now up to nearly 36 miles in the weekend.  I’ve increased the mileage little by little and had a very stressful weekend off at week 6.  Oh that was tough.  I’d been enjoying the weekend adventures so much that I felt so lost on my rest week. 

I can’t recommend enough to anyone training up to a long distance gets regularly checked out by a local physio therapist.  The long distance can bring out some strange niggles that only a trained professional would know how to resolve.  Books and blogs can only advise you so far. 

So roll to new adventures in 2013.   

Plus I need to try and keep up my training logs and adventures on here. 

My next adventure for this weekend is and 18 mile marathon training run in Milton Keynes.  Bring it on!