Sunday 9 December 2012

My 2012 Christmas Challenge

Why not run every day?

This year my Christmas holiday starts on Friday 21st December, which is also the Winter Solstice (longest night, shortest daylight) and I'm setting myself a challenge.

I'm going to have a run EVERY day until I return to work on Tuesday 2nd January 2013.  I can't wait!  It's one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to Christmas.  This is why.....


  • It is a brilliant way to forget all about work.  Work is bugging me quite a lot at present and I need to get it all sorted out in my mind, plus blowing away a few worries and bits of stress
  • I am sure my calorie intake will go up a bit over Christmas - those mince pies, Christmas puddings and so on.  Can't afford to let my weight increase and running uses up about 700 or 800 calories an hour and that gives a little more room for treats
  • A chance to do some training, other than simply going for a run.  I will do some shorter runs involving some intervals (running as fast as I can for a minute or two and then jogging for a minute and repeating a few times).  
  • A chance to do my favourite kind of run - the long run.  Knowing that my weekend runs over the last few months have only been 7 or 8 miles, I will do a couple of 10 mile runs.  This will be at a slow pace, maybe around a 9 minute/mile pace.(Just corrected - see comment below)  I know we should only increase our long run mileage by a mile a week and I hope I can manage this again.
  • Christmas time is also a nice family time.  I love my family "to the moon and back and more besides" but sometimes it seems to work best to have a little solitude mixed in with all the excitement
  • It is a great way of rounding off the year, reflecting on the things that have happened, all the things I have to be grateful for.  Also a chance to get the new year off to a good start.
  • Although I like the summer best of all, I think there is a certain beauty in our quiet, sometimes dull, English countryside when everything is resting and sitting it out until Spring time
  • I have signed up once again for the MK Marathon which is on 6th May 2013 - the training starts
  • Finally, it is a great thing to do because, well because, because it is there to be done

Having said all that, I do hope there is nothing untoward that will foil my plan (trips, falls, blizzards etc).

So what about you?  Will you accept a challenge to do something like running every day?  Perhaps the challenge could be to start running in the first place - if you do, take it easy, don't over do it - build up slowly.

4 comments:

  1. Crickey Doug, if you plan to run everyday and manage a "slow" 6min/mile pace on a ten miler, you have my respect. Today I ran a 18miler with an average pace of 8:37. I WONT be running tomorrow, although my 9year old lad wants to go and run a couple of miles after school and I can hardly say no, when he needs little encouragement.
    Regards, Mark

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    1. Ooooops sorry Mark, that's a typo but I wish I could claim the 6min/mile were true. I think a slowish run of 9min/mile is about right for me at present.
      Your 9 year old wanting to go for a run with you sounds a lovely thing to do and as you say, you can hardly turn him down.

      Regards,

      Doug

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  2. Sounds great, Doug. I always have a run on Christmas morning. It really sets you up for the day.
    I have been on mainly short runs this Winter, just enough to maintain a level of fitness. I also find that I am a lot slower because of the cold and slip-sliding around in the mud.
    It good to reflect on the past year. I feel like I'm in a phase of transition at the moment. My 40's have been somewhat traumatic. I'm now 52 and I suppose most people around here think I'm a bit eccentric running around in my shorts. Well, they don't know the half of it!
    Anyway, you and your family have a lovely Christmas.
    'H', Liz and Kirsty.

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    1. Many thanks H, glad to know you're still clocking up a few miles and not being fazed by people in your 'neck of the woods'.

      Best wishes to you and yours over Christmas.

      Doug.

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