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2013 - how was it for you? - (our very own SPOTY)
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tim o'sullivan Offline
#1 Posted : 23 December 2013 21:22:22(UTC)
tim o'sullivan

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Here is the thread kicked off by James the Bruce just over a year ago, in which bold (in my case foolish) types listed their aims for 2013

Mine were to

1. Sort my ankle (and get a 3rd/4th/5th opinion if need be). Nothing worse than an injured runner (as Mick once said)
Smile Took the best part of two years to get here (by resting, avoiding tarmac, going off-road and doing minimal bipedal training) but the dodgy ankle just about sorted and for the first time, in a very long time, I can go for a plod and walk down the stairs the next day.

2. Keep a training diary (and health & wellbeing log). Initial stats re my wt/% fat alarming reading
Mellow Fail. I set-up an epic spreadsheet but soon got bored of, and depressed by the stats gathered. In 2014 will revert to paper..

3. Use my bike at least 500 times a year, continue to live without central heating (18 months now!), avoid meat (note the caveat - curse you bacon…), avoid long distance air travel, save the world (etc)
Smile Mostly green, but all that reading about paleo diets took its toll and I'll still be eating turkey on the 25th.

4. Compete in at least two Mountain Marathons (finishing at least one) and two long distance walker events (without recourse to a trekking pole...)
ThumpUp 4 beautiful MMs completed (the alpinesque and very snowy Highlander in April, sunny Lakeland Saunders in July, climate change assisted (another hot..) Lakeland RAB September, and the soggy OMM in the Beacons, October). Thanks Graeme, Wouter and Paul D for 4 great weekends

5. Enjoy/relish every (any?) mile walked, jogged - maybe even ran
Smile Goes without saying..

Edited by user 24 December 2013 00:51:28(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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jamesthebruce Offline
#2 Posted : 23 December 2013 21:41:46(UTC)
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Tim,
Thanks for reminding me - I think..

1. Enjoy running with what i hear is the greatest club on the planet..
Pass

2. Get a PB at any distance..and any of these.
Sub 18 for 5k - fail (only two goes left.. but I've not been under 19 yet so no chance ! )
sub 38 10k - fail
near 60 for 10 miles - fail
near 80 for 1/2 marathon - fail
near or under 3 hours for a marathon - fail
> get close or beat richard at cross country - fail did'nt run one
> run more off road than last year - fail
> get in a castles team - pass
> complete the merlin., bike thingy - fail
one PB just in the half marathon 1:23... something.. so from a running perspective I've had better ones

Not sure I'm going to post in for next year as i dont want to tempt fate again..

(on a plus side i'm now engaged. at least the year has ended well)

James the Bruce

Edited by user 23 December 2013 21:43:17(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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Claire Bruce on 28/12/2013(UTC)
Richard Self Offline
#3 Posted : 23 December 2013 22:52:09(UTC)
Richard Self

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James's year sounds like a rom- com. A bit of a disaster but he gets the girl in the closing scene.

I ran my 100th Parkrun ( thanks Phil), Drover's, and learnt to be grateful for what I can do and not yearn for what I can’t. I can live happily without PBs, but the camaraderie would be missed. Thank you to all the wonderful Croups.
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 5 users liked this post.
jamesthebruce on 23/12/2013(UTC), Michael H Davies on 24/12/2013(UTC), Libby Crees on 28/12/2013(UTC), Karen Chadwell on 28/12/2013(UTC), Stuart Crees on 31/12/2013(UTC)
Davey Proud Offline
#4 Posted : 24 December 2013 00:20:09(UTC)
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I didn't post my targets at the start as I've come to realise over the years that ... 'life is what happens when you're planning it'.

But haven gotten to the end of the year a bit of reflection never hurts;

Main aim was to get a medal at the BMAF marathon champs held in Newcastle this year, so planned the year around that, and amazingly it worked out pretty damn well.

I ran PB's at:
1m (5.37)
2m (11.48)
3m (17.58)
4m (24.20)
5m (31.38) would've been quicker but it clashed with the England v NZ cricket and I ended up walking a stretch through the crowds
5km (18.24)
10km (38.24)
1/2 mar (1.24.14)(and an unofficial 10m pb of 1.04.05 during this race
Marathon (3.13.04) achieved despite injuries and crappy high winds on the day. Bagged 1st v45 BMAF mar champs

And to round the year off I managed an obligatory long lay-off due to injury (bust a quad straight after Newcastle mar.

Bring on 2014

D
BigGrin

Edited by user 24 December 2013 00:21:45(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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Oli Williams Offline
#5 Posted : 24 December 2013 07:48:17(UTC)
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Sub 3 marathon - pass
Sub 16.30 5k - pass
Make castles team. - pass
Do Snowdon race - pass
Do over 40 miles in a week - pass
Beat stu in at least one race - pass! (Sorry stu!)

PBs
Mile 4.44 to 4.38
5k 16.39 to 15.58
10k 34.54 to 33.52
10 miles 58.40 to 56.50
Half 1.19 to 1.14
Marathon 3.08 to 2.54

Good year!
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Oli Williams Offline
#6 Posted : 24 December 2013 07:52:42(UTC)
Oli Williams

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Oops I mean 2.55 marathon, can't be cheating !
Highlights of the year: sub 16 5k, sub 3 marathon, Forest of Dean half marathon, reverse 10, magor marsh 10k, CPR challenge, winning castles!
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PhilG
#7 Posted : 24 December 2013 08:24:40(UTC)
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The goals that I posted on the forum in January were :


1. Cut down alcohol consumption -mostly fail - but last 3 months has been good
2. Go to a circuit class at least once a week. - for first 5 months of the year I achieved this goal
3. Sub 18min 5k .17:40 in the park run
4. Last year I said to make the 12 stage team. But there’s now so many good runners in the club that I think this is extremely hard.
But I guess this is still on my pie in the sky wish list. couldn't run that weekend in the end
5. Make it to the start line of London. sub 3hr London marathon !
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Short Circuit (Howard Kent) Offline
#8 Posted : 27 December 2013 19:52:37(UTC)
Short Circuit (Howard Kent)

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Well I did post a target of the ‘Grand Slam’ without being too specific about it. Though with my interest in club champs races it was pretty obvious I was going for the lowest age category wins in all four champs simultaneously. (Despite MD’s denial attempts!)

Succeeded in winning the XC champs 50yr age group.
Succeeded in winning Long, Short, & Off Road champs in 60yr age group (tbc), & pretty close in lower age groups, too.
Is this the first time this has been achieved in the club?

Completed 40+ races in the process.
Won age group categories in the Gwent league, Forest of Dean Trails Half Marathon, Atlantic College 10k, Rose Inn series, Swansea Bay 10k Welsh Champs, St. Arvans MT10.
Raced in the Castles Relay.

Next year, who knows? RollEyes
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!
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Jerome Edwards Offline
#9 Posted : 27 December 2013 20:13:17(UTC)
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Highlight for me was 5:18 (15:16 by my watch) in the short leg of the ERRA 12 stage relays
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Claire Bruce Offline
#10 Posted : 28 December 2013 09:58:58(UTC)
Claire Bruce

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2013 was a good year for me.
Running wise I am V35 Welsh indoor and outdoor 1500m champion, road mile champion and cross country champion. I was second in the British Masters half marathon championship. I had pb's at 1 mile, 1500m, 5k, 5miles and 10k.
In November I ran for Wales in the Masters international cross country and we got a team medal which was an amazing achievement in such a high class field.
I beat two former world marathon record holders (Paula Radcliffe and Ingrid Kristensen) and got to run around the Olympic track in London.
Then to top it all I had the best end to the year as I got engaged to James at the beginning of December so looks like 2014 could be an even better year!

Edited by user 28 December 2013 10:07:14(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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jamesthebruce on 28/12/2013(UTC)
RobSage
#11 Posted : 28 December 2013 16:08:31(UTC)
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Good 6 months at start of year, then tailed off from August onwards, which is pretty normal for me.
PB's at 1 mile, 5k, 5mile, & 10k
Enjoyed being part of 12 stage, 8 stage, Castles and London 10k teams. Highlight is tough choice between Castles mens team win and 8 stage Bronze. Personal highlights also included Monarch of mountains win and first Welsh vest in XC international.

All done on back of average of 25 miles per week, so target for 2014 is to up the training and try and beat 16.00 for 5k and 34.00 for 10k. Also hope to make it to Thursday nights more often!
Rob
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Libby Crees Offline
#12 Posted : 28 December 2013 21:27:44(UTC)
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Not sure I should be looking back on this year's running, but it was interesting to be reminded that my expectations for 2013 were pretty low. Instead of completing a marathon, I got to enjoy my first ever London marathon as a spectator, made all the more enjoyable by witnessing a windfall of Croups pbs. I did finish a 1/2Marathon (two in fact), but I would never had predicted the pre-race build-up. Davey P's comment 'life is what happens when you're planning it' says it all.

On a more positive note, I flooked a win at the Dale 1/2 marathon (thank you to all you ladies who stayed home that day :-)) and scraped into the team for the cross country international in November. After struggling with an ongoing back problem, I'm learning to embrace cross training and am very happy to end the year able to do a limited amount of running, which sure as hell beats no running at all!


Who knows what 2014 will bring. I'm not making any predictions. Like Richard S, I'd be very happy to find whatever means necessary to maintain some of the camaraderie from the club (socials/tescos on a Saturday morning), run a bit, keep fit and stay pain-free.

For those of you with bigger and better targets - I wish you a very speedy and successful 2014!!

Libby xx
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Stuart Crees on 31/12/2013(UTC)
Lyndon Tudor Maisey Offline
#13 Posted : 31 December 2013 14:31:46(UTC)
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A disappointing year, failed to make it onto the castles team and suffered illness that knocked me back a good bit.

Fought my way back to full health and brought my fitness right back up in readiness for 2014.

Highlights for me are almost hitting my targets on the Cardiff 10km and Half.

I have mixed feelings about the Rhayader 20, I just managed to complete it without suffering severe Hypothermia!

Oh and I won the Santa Jog dressed as a Moose and raised £600 for charity so its not all bad.
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Stuart Crees Offline
#14 Posted : 31 December 2013 16:04:00(UTC)
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2013? My first thoughts were this has been a shocker in terms of running. Regarding running any decent times that has been the case. (Many reasons for this) However, looking back at my goals from last year, most were achieved in one way or an another. One was to be part of a winning castles relay team, another was to win the Gwent league team title, both ticked. The highlight for me was to get Bronze team medal in the British Masters road relays. I'm not usually one for bigging up medals in masters events, as often the competition is poor, and it's about times for me. But, this was a great achievement as the competition was intense, and we all ran our socks off. Couldn't have picked a better bunch of lads to be part of. Great day!

Aims for 2014? - Get back to my 2010 form, and maybe sneak a few PBs (Oh Yeah, and beat Oliver in ANY race at some point!!)

Stu
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Michael H Davies Offline
#15 Posted : 01 January 2014 12:47:40(UTC)
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2013 Fantasy Goals
1. Sub 15 second 100m/3:15 marathon -
15.9 achieved for 100m, 6.5 hr for marathon...
2. Deny Howard (or Tim or Graeme or Jeff) his Grand Slam -
trailing in Howard's wake …. I'll have to rethink my strategy … Tim/Graeme/Jeff still some work to do ….

2013 Reality Goals
1. Run two new races-
Hale 5, 1 mile - Summer Series ( + Pontypridd/Southwark/Rother Country Park park run, 1 mile TT)
2. Compete in as many Run Wales events as possible - maybe a British Masters' event (thanks Mick) -
failed to register any points
3. Challenge for a place in the Castles' Team (Vets)-
like many others…. took my trainers with me
4. PB in shot/javelin -
not quite
5. Join Tim in 'perfecting the simian stroll' -
booked tickets for theElbow concert in Cardiff - April 2014
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tim o'sullivan on 01/01/2014(UTC)
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