Why??

I know there will be a lot of end of year running blogs and there should be... it's a great achievement that people have accomplished and they should be proud of it. So I'm going to do something similar I'm afraid because I'm actually really proud of what I've achieved over the last twelve months (and I think the picture below just proves that). 

Final race of the year (Victory 5)

It's been my first full year of running and I never thought that I would have run one, let alone two half marathons at the beginning of 2018.

At Chichester 10k (and my first ever 10k race) in February I thought that was far enough. It does go to show that with determination and a LOT of support you can do things you never thought would be possible (in life in general).

For me, like a lot of people, running is not a natural thing. I would do anything I could to get out of any type of sport at school. Now, I pay to enter races and get up early on a Sunday morning to run.  Most people I talk to (bore) about running just say 'Why?'. Well it's a good question but I know they are not really asking a question they just don't understand.

So I suppose the theme of this blog has now turned into why I run rather than the last 12 months of running but actually as a newbie I suppose it goes hand in hand. If there isn't a 'Why?' then why do you run, there's always a reason even if just because I can. Why does anyone start to run? I'm actually interested in why the brain does these things. What makes the brain (inner voice?) say 'I know, why don't you start running?' just quite randomly one day and then you just go and join a club? 

Sub-consciously, I wanted to be fit and lose weight I never imagined the other benefits I gained in a whole new group of friends, increased self confidence and then there's the mental health benefits. I'm definitely fitter, my weight well that's not shifting although I think inches may have been lost. So yes, that's one goal for next year especially as my Vitality Life Insurance tells me I need to lose a stone....

So what's the 'Why?' now then 12 months on? What keeps me wanting to run? 

Well I have goals now (I didn't really have any this year) in that:

1. I want to run a half marathon only stopping at water stations

2. Whilst I'm not hung up on timings I would like to eventually complete a Park Run in under 30 minutes (currently at 34)

3. Be fitter and slimmer

4. More medals and T-Shirts

I'm excited for next year, there's a lot in the pipeline already and it means I can keep on blogging about my tartan running adventures!