Aspirations for 2012

I'm not really one for making new years resolutions, but my thought process on how my training is progressing, how my running is going and my overall fitness has been on my mind for a few months. With the gains I've seen from my training at Strength & Performance I feel much more confident about how much I can push myself (or how much I should be pushing myself), and to gain clarity for the coming year I've decided to make some written notes about my aspirations for the year.

In 2012 I plan to run more. To achieve this very vague aim I shall be joining the Glossopdale Harriers (the local running club) and intend to join the club training runs at least twice a month. I'm not sure this is a realistic aim...just because life doesn't tend to include fixed things at regular times, so, we'll see how it goes. I was a little apprehensive of going running with the club after I'd been out with them once back in May this year. Coming from a very sporadic (at best) running background around the streets of London it was a fairly challenging 10.4km run that took me nearly 2 hours. Now I've done more running, and particularly more running off road, I think it's time I started to get on with it more seriously.

My backyard. Just waiting to be explored.

I also intend to run a few (some, no specific number or target) fell races. I received the FRA fixtures calendar yesterday and have highlighted all the local races - noting there are very few short ones!! I fully intend to have some fun, share conversations with other plodders at the back of the pack and generally immerse myself in the fell running community properly (rather than from behind the camera lens). Actually, I should set myself a number, just so I don't slack off too much.

In addition to just running more, I'd like to build up my distance. This is partly because my reasons for running in the hills years ago was so I could travel further in the same time. Walking in the hills just felt too slow, so it was good to stick in some jog-shuffle sections and travel a few kilometres more than on just a walk. Since moving to Glossop I've possibly lost a little of that exploration factor, but I intend to get it back. So far I seem to manage about an hour or 10km run. I need to get away from the figures and stats and get back to just plain exploration and enjoyment. I think some of that is accepting that fell runners do walk, even when they say they've been for a x-distance run! By the end of 2012 I would like to be able to 'run' 25km in a respectable time.

With regards to strength I'd just like to be fit, strong and healthy. Being strong is difficult to quantify. I'm not thinking I want to be a bulging muscular 100kg lifter. I'd just like to be lean and strong. To have the type of physique that is noticed for being healthy, and to feel proud of my body. Building strength is one thing that I do to help with running and being in the hills when walking. I'd like to be able to do 10 body weight chin ups. I can do one right now, and with 10 seconds rest I can do another. I think 10 is achievable and something not many women can do (perhaps not many men?). I'd be happy with that.

#1 - 24 GDH runs
#2 - run 3 fell races
#3 - cover 25km in one go
#4 - 10 body weight chin ups

It's amusing, I wanted five aims but can so far only come up with 4, and there they are. I'll review them monthly, and report back on progress as and when.