New Year's resolutions (or Chekhov's run)

[Yesletsgo]

Idly chatting to husband and son about New Year's resolutions yesterday I mentioned I was considering seeing if I could get to half marathon distance by June (not to do an event, just for my own satisfaction). Well, they both decided that this was the equivalent of Chekhov's idea that “If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.”

So apparently this is my New Year's resolution.

I will add as well:

- not to injure myself

- to reach 10k by the anniversary of starting C25K (4th March)

Well, now I've written it here I'd better get on with it Anyone else got running resolutions?

Happy New Year everyone!

[nowster Graduate10]

Getting to reach 10km by March is a good one. It's definitely doable. A HM by June is more challenging, but also achievable. Best of luck!

My own resolution starts with not putting myself in a situation where I will be risking injury.

I'm planning on doing RED (Run Every Day) January by interspersing my longer runs with very much shorter ones (about 10 minutes not counting warm up/cool down walks).

I intend to take part in as many weekly parkruns as I can, not only as a runner but also to do a few more volunteering stints.

I hope to extend my range beyond the Half Marathon distance, but there's no timetable for that.

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Happy New Year nowster. RED sounds like a challenge, I hope the weather is kind to you. Well done for thinking about volunteering at Parkrun, I'm most definitely not an early bird and wouldn't want to have to get up early if people were relying on me but people like you are what makes it possible.

Good luck with going beyond HM, I can but dream

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

This day last year I was scouting out a possible 10km route by walking it. The furthest I'd run by that date was 8km. It's now my regular 10km route.

It took me a month to get to running 10km from there, and it wasn't until September that I cracked the HM, though I'd reached 18km by April.

I've only volunteered at parkrun once so far (as timekeeper). The temptation is always to go and do a run.

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

My longest run was 7K so I think I'm nearly there, and I've got my eye on a bit of the path I haven't run to take it to 10k. I know what you mean about wanting to run rather than volunteer, that's exactly how I feel. I was thinking today that if I have to take a break from running for any reason (i.e. I do something stupid and hurt myself) I'd volunteer while my husband runs, just so I can take part.

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Don’t forget nowster, there are some volunteering tasks that still allow you to run. 2 ticks on one day. 😉

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

I know. These tend to be taken by the regulars, though.

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

I’m sure an email to your team will get you in at some point, they should never turn down a volunteer

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Of course! When I volunteered last time I said that I'd do any role the RD asked me to do.

[Hidden]

Great strategy Yesletsgo I'd look at consolidating at 10k get used to that distance, remember you'll want to add nutrition and taking on fluids at longer distances. It's a great Idea to see what works for you, jelly babies are a great source or energy release and carbs, also maybe look at energy gels and protein bars, you'll also want to carry fluid, dehydration is a definite risk at a HM distance... That said good luck 👍

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, great advice