My Race Plan – 2020

This is my rough plan for 2020 – assume it’s a wish list and not everything will be booked as events clash and I’m fickle.

Challenges for this year will be my first marathon and ultra, second half of the year want to focus on 10K as should be capable of faster times than I’ve logged. Would like to run some 5K & half marathons with an eye to consistent performance.

Events

Redway Runners Expo
22nd January (Wednesday), Milton Keynes

National Running Show
25th & 26th January, Birmingham

Four Seasons Challenge – Winter
26th January, Marston Moretain

Gade Valley Harriers 12M
26th January, Hemel Hempsted (Too short)

Magic of the London Marathon – Secret London Runs
📘 9th February, London

Mad Dog 10K
9th February, Southport (Sold out)

Stamford 30K
16th February (Saturday), Stamford (Sold out)

Nasby 1645
📘 16th February, Naseby

Welly Trail (10K & HM)
23rd February, Castle Ashby (Doesn’t fit with plan)

Gade Valley Harriers 17M
23rd February, Hemel Hempsted

Cattle Creep (A Little Further) (10M)
📘 1st March, Milton Keynes

Trails, Tales & Ales – Cider Edition

📘 7th March (Saturday), Napton Cidery

Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon
8th March, Cambridge (Doesn’t fit with plan)

Ashridge Boundary Run
14th March (Saturday), Ashridge Estate (Sold out)

Oundle 20
📘 15th March, Oundle

MK Festival of Running
15th March, Milton Keynes (Skipped for Oundle)

Notts 20
15th March, Nottingham (Not being run)

Four Seasons Challenge – Spring
22nd March, Marston Moretain

Gade Valley Harriers 20M
22nd March, Hemel Hempsted (Too close to Manchester)

Oakley 20
29th March, Bedford (Too close to Manchester)

London Landmarks
29th March, London (Skip)

Manchester Marathon
📘 5th April, Manchester

Brighton Marathon Weekend
18th April, Brighton (Maybe spectate)

The Longhorn (10K)
19th April, Nottinghamshire

Virgin Money London Marathon
26th April, London (Spectate)

MK Marathon Weekend (Rocket 5K & HM)
📘 2nd & 3rd May

Chiltern Ridge Ultra Trail (HM)
📘 9th May, Wendover

Stevington 12K
10th May, Stevington

Shires & Spires
📘 16th May, Naseby

Bedford Spring Half Marathon
16th May, Bedford (Skipped due to Shires & Spires)

Hackney Half
17th May, London (Skipped due to Shires & Spires)

MK5000
23rd May, Milton Keynes (Skipped due to Liverpool)

Rock’n’Roll Liverpool (5K, HM & Mile)
📘 23rd & 24th May, Liverpool

Marston Forest 5K
12th June (Friday), Marston Moretain

MK24RUN
📘 13th & 14th June, Milton Keynes

Grimsthorpe Gallop
14th June, Grimsthorpe (Clash with MK24)

Flitton Potato Race
??th June, Flitton

Run Bedford 10K
📘 21st June, Bedford

Colworth Marathon Challenge
26-29th June, Colworth

Newport Pagnell Carnival 5K
📘 4th July (Saturday), Newport Pagnell

Furzton Relay
11th July (Saturday), Milton Keynes

Four Seasons Challenge – Summer
12th July, Marston Moretain

Ultra 5K
12th July, Box End

Bedfordshire AAA 10K
17th July (Friday), Bedford

Doug Anderson 5K
29th? July (Wednesday), Bedford

Wellingborough 5
Late July, Wellingborough

Beat The Barge
1st August (Saturday), Milton Keynes

The Beerathon
📘 8th August, London

Bedford Running Festival
5th & 6th September, Bedford

Brian Graves Tour of MK
6th-11th September, Milton Keynes

Great North Run
13th September, Newcastle

Millbrook Mad 5K
15th September (Tuesday), Millbrook

Robin Hood Half Marathon
26th & 27th September, Nottingham

English Half Marathon
?th September, Warrington

Four Seasons Challenge – Winter
18th October, Marston Moretain

Cattle Creepy (10K)
📘 29th October, Milton Keynes

St Neots Half Marathon
15th November, St Neots

Bedford Harriers Half Marathon
?st December, Wooton

MK Winter Half Marathon
13th December, Milton Keynes

My Race Plan – 2019

This is my rough plan for 2019 – not everything on the list will get booked as events clash and life can get in the way.

Challenges for this year will be working on sub-20 5K and a sub 1:35 HM – wasn’t successful in the ballot for London so a run-the-whole-thing marathon has been kicked into 2020.

5K is being slowly chipped away at with 20:02 at Doug Anderson, HM has seen more consistency with 1:36 at Tallin, ran my first ultra as laps around a reservoir in April and have Manchester marathon booked for 2020.

Events

Redway Runners Expo
✅ 23rd January (Wednesday), Milton Keynes

London Winter Run 10K
3rd February, London (Injured)

MK Marathon Clinic
✅ 11th February (Monday), Milton Keynes

Coffee Revolution (Secret London Runs)
✅ 16th February (Saturday), London
8K

Stamford 30K (FB)
17th February, Stamford (Sold out)

Welly Trail (10K or HM)
17th February, Castle Ashby (Sold out)

Magic of the London Marathon (Secret London Runs)
17th February, London (Recovering)

Nasby 1645
✅ 24th February, Naseby
16.45m – 2:25:39 (Unexpectedly warm, first serious leg test)

Cambridge Half Marathon
3rd March, Cambridge (Transfer place fell through)

The Big Half
✅ 10th March, London
HM – 1:37:33 (High winds, early rain, scaled back signage)

Ashridge Boundary Run
16th March (Saturday), Ashridge Estate (Sold out)

MK Festival of Running
17th March, Milton Keynes (Skipped)

Oundle 20
17th March, Oundle (Sold out)

Notts 20
17th March, Nottingham (Skipped)

Oakley 20
✅ 24th March, Bedford
20M – 2:46:33 (Warm, hip flexors ached)

Berlin Half Marathon
7th April, Berlin (Sold Out)

Coffee Capers (Run the Wild)
✅ 13th April (Saturday), Tring
9K

Northampton Cakeathon
✅ 20th April (Saturday), Northampton
50K – 6:16 total / 5:38 moving, 6 x 5.13 mile laps (Very hot, didn’t fuel/hydrate enough)

Flitwick 10K
14th April, Flitwick (Skipped)

Virgin Money London Marathon
28th April (Unsuccessful in the ballot)

Longhorn (10K)
✅ 28th April, Nottingham
10K – 47:12 (Post ultra leg test, struggled on the hills)

MK Marathon Weekend (Rocket 5K & HM)
✅ 5th & 6th May, Milton Keynes
Rocket 5K – 20:11 (New PB, start was congested & launched too fast)
HM – 1:42:39 (Fast but not pushing, started to ache towards the end)

Stevington 12K
✅ 12th May, Stevington
12K – 55:06 (PB by seconds, warm, hilly, wasn’t fully rested and didn’t push the whole way)

Sycamore Spring 6 Hour Challenge
✅ 19th May, Marston Moretaine
43.2K / 26.4 miles – 5:22 total / 4:41 moving, 6 x 4.38 mile laps (Hot later, fuelled well, hydrated better but still needs work)

Rock’n’Roll Liverpool (5K, HM & Mile)
✅ 25th & 26th May, Liverpool
5K – 32:44 (Relaxed walk/run with friends)
HM – 1:50:11 (Planned 1:40, struggled from mile 5)
Mile – 7:44 (Slow start, lots of weaving, course ran long)

Shires & Spires
1st June, Naseby (Skipped in favour of 6h endurance)

Run Bedford 10K
2nd June, Bedford (Skipped, tired)

Marston Forest 5K
✅ 7th June (Friday), Marston Moretain
5K – 21:21 (Muggy, not fully recovered and various head games messing with me)

MK24RUN
✅ 15th-16th June, Milton Keynes
73.5K / 45.67 miles – 8:58 total / 7:42 moving, 7 x 6.55 mile laps – “officially” 45.85 miles in 7:48:17 (Saturday 14:00 to 17:30, went out too fast, unfocused, hurt after 3 laps. Sunday from 08:30 to 14:00, steady and sensible over 4 laps. Fuelling and hydration were better, but need to be more efficient with my turnarounds and not give in to mindless late-game walking.)

Flitton Potato Race
16th June, Flitton (Clash with MK24)

Colworth Marathon Challenge
21-23rd June, Colworth (Recovering)

Grimsthorpe Gallop
23rd June, Grimsthorpe (Recovering)

✅ Need for Speed – Morning of the PB’s
6th July (Saturday), Milton Keynes

Newport Pagnell Carnival 5K
✅ 6th July (Saturday), Newport Pagnell

Furzton Relay
✅ 13th July (Saturday), Milton Keynes
4K – 16:19 (3rd runner, team placed 14th of 65)

Ultra 5K
14th July, Box End (Skipped)

Bedfordshire AAA 10K
✅ 19th July (Friday), Bedford
10K – 44:02 (Wet, poor pace management & struggled with the hill)

Space Race 10K
✅ 20th July (Saturday), Marston Moretain
10K (MT) – 46:18 (Warm and still feeling the AAA)

MK5000
✅ 27th July, Milton Keynes
5K – 20:05 (New PB, didn’t take optimal line & ran long, GPS said 5K in 19:31)

Doug Anderson 5K
✅ 31st July (Wednesday), Bedford
5K – 20:02 (New PB, started too fast, forgot water, kept pace with one of the Harriers ladies for a while but had to slow slightly towards the end)

Wellingborough 5
Late July, Wellingborough (Skipped)

Beat The Barge
3rd August, Milton Keynes (Skipped this year)

Five Lakes Marathon Challenge
5th-9th August, Milton Keynes (Ran one day)
Day 4 (HM)

Brian Graves Tour of MK
25th-30th August, Milton Keynes (Skipped, lack of energy)

Bedford Running Festival
31st August-1st September, Bedford (Skipped)

Silverstone 10K / EMGP
4th September (Wednesday), Silverstone (Clash with travel for Tallinn)

Tallinn Marathon (HM)
✅ 6th-8th September, Estonia
HM – 1:36:40 (Almost PB, enjoyed the course better than Amsterdam but crowds still quiet)

Great North Run
8th September, Newcastle (Clash with Tallinn)

English Half Marathon
❌ 13th-15th September, Warrington (Cancelled 😓)

MK Autumn Run
✅ 28th September (Saturday), Milton Keynes
HM – 1:46:12 (Struggled with hills, heat and energy)

Ikano Bank Robin Hood Half Marathon
28th & 29th September, Nottingham (Skipped, MK Autumn)

Northampton Half Marathon
29th September, Nottingham (Skipped, MK Autumn)

Squeaky Bone Relay
29th September, Clifton Reynes (Skipped, I wasn’t organised enough)

Ridgeway Run
✅ 13th October, Tring
15K – 1:22:55 (Slower than last year thanks to a congested start, muddy, a week of rain and I struggled with hills)

Manchester Half Marathon
13th October, Manchester (Skipped, clash with Tring)

Mizuno Half Marathon / TCS 8K
20th October, Amsterdam (Skipped)

Bedford Beer Run
📘 27th October, Bedford

Ampthill Cross Country
20th October, Ampthill (Skipped)

Golden Dragon Challenge
📘 3rd November, Marston Moretain

Dirt Half
16th November (Saturday), Milton Keynes (Skipped, overlap with St. Neots)

St Neots Half Marathon
📘 17th November, St Neots

Bedford Harriers Half Marathon
1st December, Wooton

MK Winter Half Marathon
📘 8th December, Milton Keynes

My Race Plan – 2018

This is my rough plan for 2018 – not everything on the list will get booked as events clash and life can get in the way.

Big 2018 challenges are going to be Oakley 20 in March because the distance on a hilly road route scares me a little but I’m curious enough to try, then Grimsthorpe Gallop in June because I ran there in 2017, beautiful course, lovely atmosphere… it’s hilly, multi-terrain trail and one hill on the 10K broke my resolve last year – this time I’m doing the HM.

Other than that would like to chase some PBs

• 🏁 5K – Started the year at 22:04 (Bedford parkrun) and wanted to finish under 22 minutes. Ran 21:37 on 10th February at Bedford parkrun, then 20:19 in May at Rocket 5K, followed up with 20:34 at Great Denham and 20:38 at Bedford.
• 🏁 10K – Started the year at 48:35 (adidas Shoreditch City Run) and wanted to finish under 45 even if it was just once. Ran 45:55 in January at VRUK Live 10K, 45:21 in April at Flitwick 10K, 44:21 in May at Silverstone, then 42:48 in June at Run Bedford 10K, then 43:39 at The Milton Keynes 10K.
• 10M – still not run a time one
• 🏁 HM – Started the year at 1:47:17 (Bedford Harriers Half) and wanted to finish under 1:45:00. Ran 1:42:44 in February at the MK Winter Half for my sub 1:45, then 1:39:13 in March at the Vitality Big Half with a very similar time at Rock n Roll Liverpool, then 1:38:00 in Amsterdam Mizuno HM, then 1:36:38 in St Neots.

Events

Virtual Runner Live Race 2018 – 10K & 5K
🏁 14th January, Nottingham
10K – 45:55 (New PB!)
5K – 23:58

The Re-Run 2017 Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon
🏁 18th February, Milton Keynes
HM – 1:42:44 (New PB!)

Vitality Big Half
🏁 4th March, London
HM – 1:39:13 (New PB!)

MK Festival of Running – 10K
🏁 11th March, Milton Keynes
10K – 01:07:57 (Fun with friends)

Oakley 20 – 20M
❌ 18th March, Oakley
20M – Cancelled due to snow, not being re-scheduled.

Rutland Spring Half Marathon
🏁 8th April, Rutland Water
HM – 1:41:31

Supporting @ London Marathon
22nd April

Flitwick 10K
🏁 29th April, Flitwick
10K – 45:21 (Forgot my chip)

MK Marathon Weekend – 5K & HM
🏁 6th-7th May, Milton Keynes
5K – 20:19 (New PB!)
HM – 1:52:14 (Paced too fast on a very hot day)

Silverstone Grand Prix 10K (EGMP)
🏁 9th May, Silverstone
10K – 44:21 (New PB!)

Stevington 12K
🏁 13th May, Stevington
12K – 55:09

The Blisworth Friday 5 (EGMP)
❌ Fri 18th May (Overlaps with Liverpool travel)

Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool – 5K, HM & 1M
🏁 19-20th May, Liverpool
5K – 30:44 (Walk/run jeff with friends)
HM – 1:39:14
1M – 7:38 (Fun run, not chipped)

The Rugby 6 (EGMP)
🏁 Weds 23rd May, Rugby
6M – 42:06

Bootcamp weekend
❌ 2nd & 3rd June (Cancelled)

The Corby 5 (EGMP)
🏁 Weds 6th June, Corby
5M – 35:22 (Seriously hilly)

The Banbury 5 (EGMP)
🏁 Tues 12th June, Banbury
5M – 35:05 (Better, still not flat though)

Run Bedford 10K
🏁 17th June, Bedford
10K – 42:48 (New PB!)

Redway Time Trial – 1 mile
🏁 Friday 22nd June, Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes
1M – 5:49 (New PB!)

Grimsthorpe Gallop – HM
🏁 24th June, Bourne, Lincolnshire
HM – 1:48:47 (Hot & hilly multi-terrain)

The Weedon 10K (EGMP)
🏁 Tues 26th June, Weedon Bec
10K – 47:04 (Ridiculously hilly)

The Harborough 5 (EGMP)
🏁 Tues 3rd July, Market Harborough
5M – 35:17 (Hills, definitely seeing a theme)

The Milton Keynes 10K (EGMP)
🏁 Tues 10th July, Milton Keynes
10K – 43:39 (Still some hills!)

Foam Rolling Workshop
🏁 Thurs 12th July, Milton Keynes

Bedford AAA 10K
❌ Fri 20th July, Bedford (Passed, no chip & ran good 10Ks)

Doug Anderson 5K
🏁 Weds 25th July, Bedford
5K – 21:12 (Hot, unsure of my legs, being conservative)

Wellingborough 5
🏁 29th July, Wellingborough
5M – 34:47

Beat the Barge
🏁 Sat 4th August, Milton Keynes
5M+ – 37:12 (Hot, trail, did parkrun in the morning)

5 lakes, 5 runs, 5 evenings Marathon challenge
🏁 6th-10th August, Milton Keynes
Monday 6th – 7K Furzton Lake (11.3K)
Tuesday 7th – 8K Blue Lagoon (11K)
Wednesday 8th – 8K Teardrops Lake (14.5K)
Thursday 9th – 9K Caldecotte Lake (13K)
Friday 10th – 10K Willen Lake (15.1K)

Bedford Half Marathon
🏁 2nd September, Bedford
HM – 1:49:49 (Hot day, temperature, recovering from a fall; complete struggle)

Millbrook Mad 5K
🏁 Tuesday 18th September (Ridiculously hills and a water crossing, but fun)
5K – 28:13

Leighton 10
❌ 23rd September, Leighton Buzzard (Pass, hills so not a fast PB and too close to next HM)

NSPCC MK Half Marathon
🏁 Sat 29th September, Milton Keynes
HM – 1:42:37

Robin Hood Half Marathon
❌ 30th September, Nottingham (Pass, logistics & travel costs)

Tring Ridgeway Run
🏁 14th October, Tring
15K – 1:21:46 (Hills, in driving rain, wind and cold, almost froze post-race, turned my ankle at the start)

Mizuno Half Marathon
🏁 21st October, Amsterdam
HM – 1:38:00 (New PB!)

Bushy parkrun, Leese’s 100th
❌ Sat 27th October, London (Last minute pass, logistics and jarred my ankle the night before)

Cattle Creepy
🏁 Wednesday 31st October, Milton Keynes
10K – 45:05

Giddings’ Charity Pub Run
🏁 4th November, Bedford
2x2M – 32:33 (Running time, add a few mins extra for drinking time)

St. Neots Half Marathon
🏁 18th November, St. Neots
HM – 1:36:38 (New PB, sore inner thigh slowed me slightly)

Bedford Harriers Half Marathon
🏁 2nd December, Bedford
HM – 1:45:26 (Insufficient rest & recovery, maybe ill, recurring inner thigh pain)

MK Winter Half
🏁 9th December, Milton Keynes
HM – 1:50:01 (Thigh still not 100%, treated it as a fast club Sunday run)

Yule Jog
🏁 15th December, London
Tourist trot

Redway Santa Saunter
🏁 22nd December, Milton Keynes
1M – 7:57 (Fun run, not chipped)