And so 2012 rolled in, I started to try and run a little more regularly. I didn't try hard enough.
I'd trailed sessions with a couple of the local running clubs. I looked at the usual factors, regularity of sessions, location, accessibility of coaching,etc. and any of them would have worked but in the end chose Rugby and Northampton AC because they are the only local club with a track. I can't honestly say why that mattered much, bearing in mind I was running a couple of times per week and looking to train toward longer distances, but maybe it added something that wasn't available elsewhere. After joining in February, the regular Thursday club night has been the training session that I have been most likely to get in each week.
I'd set PBs in 2011 for all distances that I'd run. Not a big surprise being my first year of running, but going into 2012 I had some loose goals to better those. Seriously, only my second year of running so that was bound to happen you'd think. Somehow that half-marathon PB eluded me (that somehow almost certainly relates to poor training). I'd also been looking to run my first marathon and first ultra in 2012. I had goals in mind for the marathon, a sub 4-hour, and for the ultras I wanted to go a little beyond the marathon distance and see how my body reacted. No goal for the ultra other than crossing the finish line in one piece and smiling.
After missing out on the ballot for London, my first marathon ended being in Milan. The time of year being April worked for me and I wanted it to be something a little more special than simply covering the 26.2 miles. I wasn't planning on it being the last one and by the time I was booking it, my head had already moved to the idea of getting into ultras. The training didn't go too badly and I'd spent a lot of time running my planned marathon pace and put in a number of long runs that left me feeling reasonably comfortable with a month to go. Unfortunately a couple of things happened in the three weeks before the race and it resulted in just a couple of runs during that time but more importantly, really poor sleep to the point where I could barely keep my eyes open at the best times. During the race, it was already feeling like hard work after 10 kilometres and it went down hill from there. Despite running further than 23 miles in some of the training runs, within 20 miles I was already dropping to walk breaks which my disappointment allowed to grow in length. With very cold rain falling, it was downhill from there as the legs tightened and things spiraled. I'd like to say I was just pleased to finish in the end but anyone who saw my face as I jogged slowly over the line would know that was a lie.
Happily, and the only positive I took from it, my legs recovered from their tightness relatively quickly which was useful as I'd booked my first ultra, 35 miles around the villages of Northamptonshire, for five weeks later. The ultra went better, primarily I think due to my nervousness about the undulating course and the more severe distance which gave me permission to take it much easier from the start. Most unamusingly, it turned out to be a bit of a heatwave and the exposed sections became harder work as the day progressed but I didn't have any doubts that I'd finish comfortably. Probably my only regret is that neither I nor my running partner had the nerve to say hello to Ian Sharman at the start. A sure sign that I'd not worked particularly hard was being able to take a minute off my previous years time at the Corby 5M EMGP race three days later (also a sign I'd not run hard enough at Corby in 2011....).
And so by the middle of 2012 I'd run my first marathon (unenjoyable) and my first ultra (excellent). With a few other events in mind here and there, I'd decided to try a couple more ultras during the year and I really wanted to fix that missed target for my marathon time. I picked up my training a little more (baby steps here), improved my 10k PB, and during July ran the Love Life, Love Running 6 hour event. A great little trail event with a family-friendly feel and overnight camping. Another event where I was happy with my effort and general race management, stopping at my midway point to eat a jacket potato.
It was here that I booked Chester in October for my second marathon and booked a somewhat more interesting event for my next ultra, the Peacock 50k. Still short as ultras go, but this one would be up and down mountains. Oh, and it was in Hawaii. That Hawaii location was definitely a bit of a draw.
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