Redbush Runner

As the year draws to a close, runners everywhere are naturally turning their minds to next year's challenges and goals.  I've already decided that 2019 is going to be about rediscovering the fun side of running, without feeling the need to push and test myself too much.  Of course, there will still be challenges, but my new mantra  - "no fun no gain" - will continue to guide me. As the new year approaches, it's very easy to find yourself signing up for a year long accumulative mileage challenge.  I managed 1000 kilometres quite easily this year, so the next logical step for me would be to set myself the goal of running 1000 miles in 2019.  I'm not going to though.  I'm quite happy to see what happens, but I want to be guided by my love of running, not by a feeling that I simply must complete a challenge.  If I notch up 1000 miles next year, of course I'll be proud, but the last thing I want is to force myself to do a minimum number of miles per week ...

Yesterday Rory and I took part in the 5K Santa Dash at Elsecar, hosted by the wonderful 'It's Grim up North Running'.  (Actually it was closer to 6K, but as the organisers cheekily said on their Facebook page, think of that extra half mile as a Christmas present!) I've been out for nearly three weeks with a calf strain and it's made me miserable, anxious and rather 'Bah humbug' about the whole festive season.  Whenever I'm injured, no matter how much I tell myself that I will get better and run again, I can never quite believe it.  It takes away all my confidence.  Running is my rock and I feel adrift whenever I don't have it in my life.  It's scary when your body lets you down and particularly so when it happens suddenly, without warning.  When you're out running and you feel a sudden sharp pain in your calf and then a tightening, which reduces you to a hobble within seconds, you feel very vulnerable, particularly if you're off-road in...