Friday, November 22, 2013

2 years of #Runstreak completed - 5855 miles, but it's not about the numbers...

Two years not out! Phew! :) 

With the card and badge that my runch colleagues so kindly gave me today. 
I really need to get back into blogging more regularly - when I leave it as long as I have, I feel as though I have to recap on everything that's happened since my last post. And as my last post was over 6 months ago, there could be an awful lot to tell! 

I could spend a very long time eulogising about the many brilliant running experiences I've had over the last few months - at the Thunder Run, High Peak 40, Robin Hood Marathon, Chester Marathon, York Marathon, White Rose Ultra and dozens of great parkruns, but I'm not going to, as I fear I'd end up with a post that would take far too long for anyone to read, even if I could somehow find the time to write it!

I could also write for a long time about the stats of my streak so far (especially as I really love stats!) - earlier today I decided to check how I was doing and was pretty pleased to see that in the last 2 years I've racked up 5855 miles of running, with 3074 in the last 365 days. I've also been really chuffed to break all my PBs from 400 metres to 40 miles this year, but I'm not going to ramble on about those either. 

In reflecting on the last two years, on how my aim to try running every day for a week back in November 2011, somehow spiralled into a life-changing journey: whilst thinking about what's made me keep going for so long, and what inspires me to now run every day, for as long as I can, I've realised that for me at least, it's not about the PBs, or the mileage stats (though they do provide fun challenges and useful benchmarks along the way). 

It's not even about the amazing new places that I've discovered thanks to running - lovely footpaths and bridleways within yards of places I've lived and worked for years, but never knew existed: stunning hills, mountains and lakes in distant parts the country that I'd never have bothered to seek out in the days before I started running. 

The statistics are motivating and affirming, the new places and sights are wonderful, but I know now with more certainly than ever: what really inspires me to run, what makes running so enjoyable, every day, are the brilliant people I'm fortunate to run with. 

Those people are too numerous to mention by name, but they are what make running special for me - when I think about my plans for days, weeks and months ahead: the races I want to run, the routes I want try, it's always coupled with "who will I be able to run with there?"

Two years ago I knew almost nobody who was a runner, but now with an ever growing number of running friends, colleagues, neighbours and family members, I'm really lucky to be able to run with others almost every day. In fact, I think there have only been three days this year when I've not run with someone else, and I've still run every race and training run longer than a half marathon with someone else, or often several other people. 


Today's runstreak anniversary runs summed up why I enjoy running so much - I was fortunate to be accompanied for some celebratory fun by Mark, Chris, Paul and Adrian: 4 of my brilliant band of runch colleagues, who incredibly kindly presented me with a card to mark the occasion - very touching!

The guys were happy to do whatever runs I fancied - so we ran 2.0 miles round the block to the park, then we drew a GPS "2" at the park, then we tried to write "TWO" (which came out surprisingly well) and we finished the lunchtime fun off with a "jog" back to work, which ended up with Adrian, Mark and I, all sprinting pretty hard to try to get our best times on the final Strava segment back to the office (though Adrian slowed down when he realised he'd forgotten to press "start" on his watch!). 

Runch crew - l to r: Chris, me, Paul, Mark (Adrian took the pic).



Today was a microcosm of what running is about for me - friends and shared experiences - I don't have any specific goals for the next year of runstreak in terms of mileages or times (well not yet at least), but I do have one overriding hope - that when I look back in 12 months time, 2 years time, or whenever my runstreak finishes, I can say that it's been as fun and rewarding as the past 2 years have been. 

So that's it for now, I hope I'll make more time to blog again soon, so that there's less that I feel I'm missing out and fewer people I'm not mentioning who I feel I should. Before I go though, just a quick mention for my fantastic other half Sarah, my amazing mum and dad, and my brilliant boys James and Kieran - without their support and indulgence of my running obsession, I wouldn't be able to run anywhere near as far, with anywhere near as many great people as I've been able to over the past couple of years.

Thanks also to everyone I've been fortunate to run with over the past 2 years, I'm looking forward to many more shared miles with friends old and new in the months and years to come.