2017 is hopefully going to be a pretty chilled year in terms of running.  A few races a month and a focus on training to improve speed.  I really want the sub 25 5k and then maybe work on my 10k and half times too.  For people who know me it probably sounds really out of character.  I’m the person who stuck a marathong on to the front of the Tour of Merseyside, did a 5k on the days off, a parkrun before the final race and then a 10k straight after just because.  My motto is why do one race when you can do two (or three, or seven or eight).  Last year was pretty tough though, I managed pretty much injury free to the end of the year but I’m pretty sure if I’d continued doing that amount of races then I’d need to find a divorce lawyer or a shrink for the husband James.

I’m sure there are some who think that this streamlined race mentality and training plan focus won’t last, the multiple races will be back, and you’re right.  I know the exact date, 4th January 2018.  I’ve managed to get an early entry for Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World in 2018, so a 5k, 10k, half and then full marathon in four days.  That is not enough though, been there done that.  This time I’m adding on a few races, another state and a whole other country in the middle.  The day after the marathon we’ll be going to Port Canaveral for a four day cruise on Disney Dream to complete the Castaway Cay Challenge 5k.  The challenge is for any cruiser on the 8th January sailing of Disney Dream who also did one of the four races at the Walt Disney World marathon weekend.  It’s complete different and separate from the usual free 5k that Disney organises every time their ships stop at Castaway Cay (which I will also be doing).  Once our cruise is complete we then have to jump on a plane to LA to complete the Star Wars Rebel Challenge, a 10k and half over two days, at Disneyland California.  It’s very much a whirlwind trip.

All together it will be 8 races, 74.1 miles and 13 medals (8 race medals, 3 challenge medals and a Coast to Coast medal for completing a race at both US Disney parks in one year).  The thought of all those medals will keep me focused this year, mostly because I won’t be able to enter races I shouldn’t be running in 2017 in order to pay for the crazy Disney adventure.   Plus I’m even getting the husband on a Disney cruise which I thought would never happen in a billion years.  Now I just have to be disciplined enough to stick to the plan in order to be able to run them all.  So back to the focus on small goals after maybe just a little bit more of jumping up and down with excitement. A slow easy run tonight and then another Saturday volunteering jog at parkrun.  It’s the little steps each month that will get me where I need to be.