In 2016 it has been a year where I've had some highs and some lows where I've experienced some motivational issues at times. Maybe I have pushed myself a bit too hard the last few years and I almost think I was at one point kind of addicted to the feeling of pushing myself to my limits and seeing those results. However, it can get tiring mentally training like that consistently, feeling like you need to be in tip top shape all year round.
I don't think it is the lows of my sporting performances this year that has been the biggest issue, I think the long periods of inactivity, which my body is not used to is the lowest part of my sporting year. It's hard to gain any consistency and I know in myself I have not trained hard this year like I have over the last 4 - 5 years, but I have had a good rest now and I'm ready and excited to get back into my training and fitness and build my body back up to how I want it in 2017 - then I'm going to go after the London Marathon in 2018 and try and get another sub 3-hour finish. That is my long term goal - the London Marathon 2018.
So, here is my 2016 sporting year review...
I think my marathon season, which was my fifth season in a row in the full marathon, ultimately had its ups and downs and when I look back at it, apart from my disappointment at the London Marathon, it went pretty well considering I was questioning whether I was coming to the end of my physical athletic years. Here are all the races I ran in my marathon preperation...
Temple Newsam Ten (10 Miles):
Temple Newsam Ten 2016
10 Mile Trail Race
24th Position of 800 - 1:10:04
I had ran my first race in quite a while during November 2015, the Harewood House 10 Mile race, which was very similar to this one, hilly, wet, muddy, cold and just generally a tough course - these were not courses you come close to a PB (personal best) time on.
At Harewood 10 I finished in race a time of 1:07:01, so a good 3 minutes quicker than this race, but considering it was just after the festive period and it was VERY muddy, I was pleased with my performance here. There were a lot of decent club runners who turned out and I ran with a lot of heart, pushing through the pain barrier at times, especially during the back end of the race where I had a bit of a sprint finish on the final 300 metre stretch (see video below). I was pleased with my finishing position of 24th too, although I feel I could have finished a bit higher up.
It was a decent time for a course like this and in these cold and muddy conditions, my biggest hindrance in this race being my lack of trail footwear, it slowed me down a lot and I wasted so much energy because of it. All in all, a good start to the season and was great to blow off the cobwebs after the Christmas and New Year break.
HERE IS THE BLOG RACE REPORT FROM TEMPLE NEWSAM TEN
Liversedge Half-Marathon 2016
13.1 Mile Road Race
28th Position of 592 - 1:26:03
This race was the be my fifth Liversedge Half Marathon in five years, something that I am proud of actually. It is a very tough hilly road race, in the heart of the winter season, the conditions are usually awful and it is notoriously tough - but I've conquered it five times now.
It is also a race I usually perform very well in, my first Liversedge Half Marathon in 2012 was when I really felt I started realising some of my potential in road running. Going into that race my PB for half marathon was 1:31:00 at the Leeds Half Marathon in 2011 and completely unexpectedly (wearing no stopwatch) I smashed my PB record with a time of 1:24:15. It is something I have always been proud of, that performance that day and although it is no longer my half marathon PB, it still stands to this day as my PB on the Liversedge course.
It is a time that I find hard to beat, I have come close a few times but in 2016 I finished in a time of 1:26:03, which was actually my worst time on this course, and my worst positioning in 28th position. Despite this, I felt I actually ran pretty well, especially considering I ended up going out drinking the night before for my friend's 30th birthday party - not the wisest decision. I really feel that I was running well and if I did not have that hangover I feel I could have shaved a miniute or so off and maybe earned a course PB.
It turned out to be a great day as it was Valentines Day and later that day I went on a date with my now fiancee - Katie.
In terms of my running and performance, I felt I was building up well towards my fifth London Marathon just two months away.
HERE IS THE BLOG RACE REPORT FROM LIVERSEDGE HALF MARATHON
East Hull 20 2016
20 Mile Road Race
41st Position of 494 - 2:14:13
(PB record for 20 miles)
For me, this race was probably my high point of my sporting year, in a year which didn't have a great deal if I am honest, which was probably mainly due to a lot of inactivity. In a way I guess naturally earning a PB over 20 miles was inevitable. I have been running over the 20 mile distance for four years now and each year, I have earned myself a new PB.
I usually alternate each year between running the notoriously hilly Spen 20 and the notoriously flat Hull 20. I hoped I would get a PB this year on this course, especially with it being a flat course, however my tactics going into it was to stick to my gameplan (which was run specifically to 3:00:00 marathon pace) and not to push myself too hard like I have done in previous years. My main target was to use this race to get the 20 miles in the bag and get that muscle memory back in my legs.
I was running on great form, sticking to my game plan for most of it, but I did feel confident as the race wore on and I gradually upped the pace and I thought - 'here we go a PB is in sight'. That was my usualy self competitive mind taking over and I did start pushing a bit too hard and began to fade in the last 4 miles. Thankfully I found some energy from somewhere during miles 19 and 20 which lead me to my first PB of 2016 and my first PB as a 31 year old, which turned out to be my one and only PB of the year.
From this race - I was gaining in confidence going into the London Marathon and hopeful that with a blend of experience and my ever improving endurance that I could earn a new marathon PB.
HERE IS THE BLOG RACE REPORT FROM EAST HULL 20
World Marathon Major London Marathon 2016
26.2 Mile Road Race
2,563rd Position of 38,000 - 3:04:44
(World Major London Marathon 2017 & 2018 ‘Fast Good For Age’ Place Qualification)
This was the big one, the one race that all the other races built up towards - all that training, all the heart and dedication - for me, this was the race it all came down to.
I wouldn't say I was over confident or anything like that going into this marathon, but I was confident that if I stuck to my pacing plan of 2:58:00 then I could earn myself a shiny new marathon PB and yet another sub 3-hour marathon.
For the first 6 miles I was cruising, being experienced, being patient, sticking to my plan, but me being me, felt I was holding myself back and I upped my pace to 2:55:00 (which I was hoping I could get) and tried to keep it up, which until about 16 miles I was managing comfortably, despite a few old niggles coming back to haunt me.
Cardiovascular wise I felt on top of the world, I could have kept running for hours at that pace, but my legs just fell apart, particularly in the last 6 or 7 miles - my legs just couldn't physically go any faster. I felt jaded, my legs, dare I say it felt energyless, something I have not experienced over my physical peak years. I think the last 4 years of pushing my legs to their limits, without many rests finally took its toll on them.
My emotions over the last 6 miles was like a rollercoaster journey, I really did question whether I wanted to put my body through this anymore. Then, a month or two later I was there entering for 2017 - despite this, I ended up deferring my entry until 2018 so I can have a year off and concentrate on other areas of my life for a year, whilst during this time I will hopefully get my marathon running mojo back.
Thank-fully, I do come under the category of the 'good club runners' and my marathon times usually earn me automatic London Marathon Qualification, which last for two years in total.
In terms of my marathon finishing time of 3:04:44, where does it rank compared to my other marathon results? I have ran 7 marathon's in total, here is where 2016 ranks:
1 - London Marathon 2014: 2:57:29
(aged 29)
2 - London Marathon 2015: 2:58:38
(aged 30)
3 - London Marathon 2013: 3:00:41
(aged 28)
4 - London Marathon 2016: 3:04:44
(aged 31)
5 - Edinburgh Marathon 2012: 3:04:56
(aged 27)
6 - Edinburgh Marathon 2013: 3:18:06
(aged 28)
7 - London Marathon 2012: 1:26:27
(aged 27)
HERE IS THE RACE BLOG FOR LONDON MARATHON
Leeds Half-Marathon 2016
13.1 Mile Road Race
132nd Position of 9,000 - 1:27:45
Although my performance in this race was I would say an 'average' performance for me, in a time of 1:27:45, it was a big race for me and a big year. This is my local road race, I see it as my race. It was the first road race I ran as an adult, way back in 2007. In 2016 it was my 'testimonial year' in the Leeds Half Marathon.
I have now ran this race 10 years in a row, which for my is a great achievement and one I am proud of. My ambition is to run it 20 years in a row, I have even ran this race with injuries, some quite painful, so I don't miss out. My PB on this course is 1:22:45, which I earned with a painful I.T. Band injury - I absolutely love this race and I now know the route off the back of my hand. I'm looking forward to many more years to come. It was also my cousin Matty's second Leeds Half Marathon and my mate James Hunt's first, along with Ryan who also ran with us.
I am certainly looking forward to running many more - I want to be one of them old guys who is in the paper at like 60-70 years old who is a proper veteran who has ran ridiculous amounts of them.
To be fair, I am very experienced in this race now and I don't think I am too far off being a Leeds Half Marathon veteran already, at the age of 32.
HERE IS THE BLOG RACE REPORT FOR LEEDS HALF MARATHON
I did not expect the Leeds Half Marathon to be my last race in 2016, that was not part of the plan, I was due to run my running club's annual race Kirkstall Abbey 7, dressed as a 'Mad Monk' as I have done for the past 4 years - but illness stopped me this year - I caught the noro virus - I was gutted.
In 2017 I am going to gradually get my fitness and strength and conditioning back to where I am want it and I am going to run the Leeds Half Marathon again and hopefully enter a few more races willy nilly, but with no real structure.
When I enter races and I like to know I am fit and will get a good time, I take a lot of pride in my race times so I would rather a year of getting myself back to where I feel I want to be with my fitness and then tackle the London Marathon in 2018.
Below is my 2016 Marathon Season Highlights video on RJ SPORTS TV:
After quitting the gym in the latter part of 2015 I made plans that I would really concentrate on my core strength with some really good, intense but achievable 'home workouts'.
For most of the year I kept up with this, especially early on, but it was no match to what I was achieving over the 3 years before in the gym. Don't get me wrong, they kept my abs looking good and my core was strong, but overall, I wasn't in the same condition.
As the year wore on, I found I was only doing my 'home workouts' once a week and by the end of summer early autumn time my sessions were becoming very sporadic. Don't get me wrong, changing jobs and concentrating on other areas of my life impacted this but right now, over winter, I am literally doing nothing and I now weight almost 11 stone, a far cry from the ripped 9 stone body I had a year and a half ago.
I cannot wait to join the gym at my apartment later this month and I have that motivation back to build my fitness back to where it belongs.
Here are some clips from some of the exercises I perform on my 'Home Workouts'...
+ AT 31, I HAVE PEAKED AS A FOOTBALLER BLOG
+ I'M RETIRING FROM COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL AFTER ONE MORE SEASON BLOG
+ U-TURN - I'VE CHANGED MY MIND - I'M NO LONGER RETIRING FROM COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL BLOG
--joining the gym (work on my fitness and my body - build muscle again)
--Leeds Half Marathon
--A year off the marathon - may enter the odd race here and there but I want my body to be in good shape and fresh ready for winter marathon training in early 2018 ready to tackle London Marathon again.
--I think the main thing for me is to enjoy myself again in sports and fitness. I think I am also going into this year with an attempt to build my body back up in the gym and work on upper body strength as well as my core as I want to see myself get back to my best form in 5 a side football and to be best prepared for tackling the London Marathon again in 2018 - to become a six-time 'Good For Age' marathon runner and a three-time sub 3-hour marathoner.
RJ SPORTS TV - on You Tube:
Away from my sports and fitness, last year was an amazing year for me with some amazing life events. I met Katie, fell in love, we are no engaged and have just secured our first home together. On top of that finally got myself a brand new job after 13 years at the same company.
What more could I ask for from 2016?
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Thank-you for reading...
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