Reflections

As the year draws to a close it's time to look back on some of the highs & the lows & look at what 2017 holds ? From a running perspective the year started in customary fashion with 200 plus training miles mainly through the streets of Newport Pagnell where I was temporarily residing whilst waiting to move into my own flat - damn banks & estate agents !! Whilst my training went well in January & February my racing didn't & I ran 2 sub standard marathons in Kent both over my usual 4 hours. I started sensing things weren't right with me physically in Feb - had I strained a muscle ? was it my appendix ? as with all runners I took the usual step of ignoring it & just turning up the ipod volume !! Don't try this at home kids ;-) March saw me homeless as my flat hadn't completed so I spent a month split between my then girlfriend & ex wife living out of a suitcase, it was a tough time of uncertainty but I was very grateful to both individuals for helping me out in my time of need. April saw things pick up & I headed out to the Freiburg marathon where I got back on track a little although had to battle for my sub 3.45 but with hard work comes the rewards, Two days before the London marathon & I finally got the keys to the all new Foxy Towers & set about creating a minimalist living environment, I don't really need much stuff so like to keep things simple & tidy. London was to be my fastest marathon of the year bringing home the bacon in 3.30.48 amazed after 16 miles to get that close to a sub 3.30 & that was down to bumping into Sarah King at about 20 miles - I worked with her mother for 15 years it's a small world, we crossed the line together. I now realised that something was wrong so took a trip to the hospital walk in centre (unable to get a doctor due to no proof of address whilst I waited for bills to drop through the door) - I found out I had a hernia problem & was advised to rest for a work & go to my doctors, yes I rested but without a doctor to go I had no choice but to get back out there running & 3 days after resuming training I managed to surprise myself with a 19.46 at the MK Rocket 5km which gave me a new found optimism as i headed to New England to tackle 7 marathons in 7 states in 7 days which started well with only my second ever marathon win as came over the line ahead of the field in Maine (my local state !) however the next 6 days weren't to be as straightforward, I managed to go sub 5 in Vermont but the other times started with 5's & 6's including a 6.57 in Connecticut - 7mins slower than i had run a tough off road 50km in 2012 in the same state !! later that month I struggled along the Thames for a couple of 5 ish hour marathons, the highlight of those events was seeing my middlest son Andrew complete his first half marathon gaining a shiny Top Gun medal - a film released 12 years before he was born !! In June at my 250th marathon I was able to dig out a 3.38 but mentally I was struggling, I had split with my girlfriend at the time & my fall back of running wasn't there for me either. Life though was about to change direction as I met a some new people & enjoyed a few drink & a few laughs, most were quite loud, i know i'm not exactly quiet but one girl that was, was a lovely girl with long brown hair & an amazing smile, as time moved on we got together & have enjoyed a wonderful few months since & long may that continue as we head into 2017. July saw me lose a very special person with the passing of Martin Campbell, Martin was our 10 in 10 cameraman, Camera dud was there for my greatest sporting moments & captured me at my very happiest whilst running, he also captured me blubbing sat on a roadside 6 days in one year with a ruptured MCL - more than a bloke with a camera he was such a warm & caring man with a sparkling sense of humour & a smile to light up a room - a very sad loss but with his outdoor spirit he's probably showing Bowie, Ali & Prince how the kite surf ?! RIP. Running ? oh yeah forgot about that - it kind of sucked but I battled away & saw some great places, I ran my first mile race in Anchorage & after entering the sub 6 minute cut off event I got home in 5.48 the following day I tackled the marathon there too for my 34th State surrounded by some fantastic people - My friends Chuck & Susan took me in to their home & showed me some of the most scenic landscapes I could ever imagine for which I was very grateful. September took me to Oslo with a slight improvement time wise 4.15. At the end of October I had a couple of cycle crashes twice in 6 days & the left side of my body still feels numb & scarred, battered I headed to North Wales where Snowdon seemed to get Hillier in October & I added an hour & one minute to my 3.38 the previous year, but I still had fun with so many great friends up in the Welsh mountains.October did however include a minor running landmark as I completed my 100th parkrun with my youngest Owen who is now on 37 with number 50 planned for 2017 & he even became a tourist taking in Buckingham when MK cancelled & also Linford Wood. My marathon year finished a month earlier than expected in Istanbul in November after Malaga was cancelled the following month. Istanbul manages to take a beautiful city & pack almost none of that into it's marathon course except for the first 3 miles & final half a mile - The race starts in Asia as you run across the bridge in to Europe & snake through the city centre before a 7 mile out & back along a 3 lane highway (was like running up & down the M1) before eventually finishing in front of the Blue Mosque, I spent my trip with 3 special friends Rich, Kaz & Efes ;-) Malaga was my chosen destination to finish off the running year & I had managed to drag my young lady over with the promise of beach side bars & sunshine,but with water flowing through flooded streets the event unsurprisingly was cancelled & a fantastic marathon drinking session replaced the on foot miles as 40 of us ended up taking over a bar & having an amazing day capped off by singing happy birthday to Team GB running legend Brian Mills. On the mileage front my training plans tells me I need 361 miles per week for the rest of the year to hit 2016 miles so think that might be beyond me & will now settle for 1300 however I am just short of 500 cycling miles. I should feel disappointed after 8 straight years of 100 miles per month but that streak ended & with it 7 straight years of 2000 plus miles, For now running is a fun part of my life & I I have lots to look forward to in 2017, I have a lovely girlfriend,a roof over my head, 3 wonderful boys & will kick off my running year in Hawaii. One final race tomorrow sees me & all 3 boys head out for the Willen Santa Dash 1.2 miles of lakeside fun. Many thanks to all the wonderful people who have played such an amazing part in my year, wouldn't have got there without you. Merry Christmas to one & all Foxy x 'm happy with that, it no longer is my life just a part of it.