With the end of the year quickly approaching, it’s time to take stock of what has been achieved in the past 12 months and think about what trail running goals we will set for ourselves for 2019.
For me, when I first sat down to write this and look back on my year of Trail running, I realized that 2018 has been distinctly average, non-remarkable and un-noteworthy. Firstly, I had to defer my London Marathon place due to illness, which whilst it wasn't a hard decision, it was a sucky decision. Then, whilst others have raced abroad, I have been saving all my pennies due to having a career change and going back to student life. Whilst others have achieved incredible feats of endurance, strength and speed, I have been behind the scenes with a staple gun and nothing but some rucksack chaffing scars to show for it. I am part of a team where all too regularly I feel like the underachieving spare. Being around such incredible athletes, who are talented beyond levels that even they recognise, it is easy to question what on earth am I doing here. However, then I realised I was being too hard on myself. That actually, 2018 has been an incredible year.
Whilst others have been racing abroad, I have been exploring the UK on my own free will. I ran 53km on a spontaneous day trip on the Isle of Wight, I went on a running dates in the Brecon Beacons, I ran a marathon with friends in the New Forest, I have run up Snowdon six times, and with no specific training I ran an 88 minute half marathon. They are a just a few of my many trail running adventures from this year. Whilst others were achieving incredible feats of endurance, strength and speed, so was I and I have some great rucksack chaffing scars to show for it. Those days on the trails of Snowdonia, The Peak District and The South Downs (to name a few) are days I’m really proud of. It’s not easy; in fact racing is distinctly easier. So with that in mind I can think about 2019.
2018 has shown me that I am a lot stronger than I thought I was, I am also a lot faster than I thought I was and I am capable of a hell of a lot more than I thought I was. I know that I can spend 8 hours on my feet; I know that I can carry a few kilos of necessary kit, I know that I have the legs to carry me and I sure as anything have a mind that can handle it. But what exactly is it? What will be entering? Where do I want to go? Well that’s where I need some help, it’s time to sit down and figure out those details. A 50km event, a multi stage event, a race abroad (I’ll have teacher holidays after all) I’m open to ideas so send them over to me.
If you are sitting down to look back on your own 2018 and start by looking through your yearly stats, then by all means have a quick peek at the numbers (km’s, metres ascent, time on feet). Have a brief glance through the nostalgic box of finisher’s medals. However don’t dwell on them, as what numbers and medals fail to quantify are the successes you ‘ve had when no one else is watching. Think about the training runs in the horizontal rain, in the darkness of dusk and the bitterness of winter. What numbers and medals can’t count are the friendships you’ve made and the experiences you’ve shared. Remember to think about the stories you’ve been told and the laughs you’ve had. What numbers and medals do not recognize are the moments of peace, beauty and complete clarity that you have found on the trails. Moments that only you know about and moments you have the right to keep secret.
So, going into 2019 I am so excited to once again be captaining a team that is very dear to me. As I’ve already said the other 5 in the Maverick Trail division Elite team – Spenny, AVT, Bajan, Jules and Becky –, and the 6 Maverick Local Heroes (Sarah, Jay, Lauryn, David, Paul, Mark) are quite honestly an inspiration. Their modesty is as humbling as their achievements are great. And believe me, they are great. So firstly here’s to another year of a fantastic team and being pulled up by the strength of such a unit. In 2019 I will train smart, I will race hard, and I would like a chance to show what I am capable of. However, I will never train at the expense of running with friends and I will never race if it is detrimental to my love for Trail running. Finding the right balance will be crucial, as racing can be magical, I just need to find the right events. I have a sneaky feeling that 2019 is going to be one hell of a year. And I can’t wait!
See you on the trails
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