2025 plans

 As the new year is once again upon us it's time to start making plans for 2025.  Last year was pretty much a go with the flow year, with slower times but still had a lot of fun.

This year I think will pretty much be the same but I am looking to do a few more trips this year.

Milestones

In terms of milestones, last year I said it was a stepping stone year as I hit 350 with a view to the big one in 3 years of hitting 500.  I realise now that maybe that is not the way to go.  I mean that is a long time to go without acknowledging a milestone.  Just think if and when I get to 500. Does that mean I have 10+ stepping stone years till I reach 1,000?  I don't think so. So I think I'll celebrate every 100. And guess what I am now on 362 runs so hopefully this year I'll pass the 400 milestone.  38 required to achieve this.  Now if I do the tactic I have done in previous years where I volunteer at 5ks every 1/2 months, it won't be till the end of the year till I hit 400 and may even spill on to 2026.  But if I forgo volunteering at 5ks I should easily hit 400.  That I haven't decided yet.  I have liked volunteering at Queen's but I also have to appreciate that I kind of need to do parkruns to get fitter.   Think I'll literally play it by year on that one.

Home parkrun

Now I have said one of my long term goals was to reach 100 Queen's parkruns. But their may very well be a curveball coming next year in the shape of Cunnigar loop parkrun starting. Of course I don't know whether it will or will not start next year but have read it's pretty far down the line in terms of getting things ready.  This park is only 2.6 miles from my flat and is very flat.  Of course nobody knows how popular it will be. Initially of course it will be as it's really easy to get to for folk in Glasgow and everyone will want to try it out.  I will wait till the initial rush is over and see what it settles down at in terms of numbers, then I'll give it a go.  Flat parkruns are generally a lot more popular than hilly ones so will be interesting to see how many this attracts.  Whether it becomes my new home parkrun remains to be seen.

Tourism

My cousin Rachel who lives just north of London is up for doing a Y for her alphabet chasing and I need a Y too so hopefully we'll get that done in 2025.  No plans for Z yet but you never know.

There are a few other challenges which I'm close to completing which I may go for next year.  For example, the stayin' alive challenge which is 3 parkruns beginning with B and 3 parkruns beginning with G.  I have 2 B's and 3 Gs so just need a B.  There are no more Bs in Scotland I can do so a trip down south would be required.  Also the Pirates challenge which is 7 parkruns beginning with a C and 1 with an R. I just need 2 C's to complete this one.  This one I should do as I haven't done Crinan Canal yet and if Cunnigar loop does start up, voila.  Others include Compass challenge and Full ponty but they would require a lot more trips and organising.

In terms of keeping up with Albateer, I still only have Crinan Canal to do.  But there are a lot of rumours of new ones starting in Glenrothes, Aboyne, Barra, Aberfeldy and as previously mentioned, Cunnigar loop.  I don't have any insider knowledge though of how far along these ones are though or even if they will actually happen.  I am tempted to go on a few trips to Newcastle just to get in some new ones and maybe even trips up north just to get away some more.  Time to start booking time off.

Times

In terms of times I would be delighted to go sub 30 again but getting to a lot start lines I'll settle for.

2024 - A year in review

This year was really a stepping stone year in terms of parkruns rather than achieving any big goals.  I reached 350 runs and by the end of the year, finished on 362.  I was aiming for 360 which would mean 40 parkruns done in the year so 42 gives a bit of a cushion for next years target which I think will be 40 again.  

But how did it all play out?

Distribution of parkruns - Here is where I went and how often:

14 - Queen's, Glasgow

6 - Linwood

4 - Pollok, Erskine Waterfront

3 - Palacerigg Country, Elder Park

1 - Strathclyde, Springburn, Victoria, Drumchapel, Auldcathie District, Lochore Meadows, Whitekirk Hill, Skinadin

So one of my longer term aims is to do 100 parkruns at Queen's and with 14 added this year I'm now on 62.  I'm actually a bit surprised that I did 14 different parkruns this year as I didn't aim to do lots of different ones, it's just how it panned out.  In terms of hilly versus flat courses it works out at about 24 hilly to 18 flat (ish).  

Average time for the year compared with other years

2017 - 31.04 (35 runs)

2018 - 31.52 (46 runs)

2019 - 30.33 (44 runs)

2020 - 31.40 (64 runs) - (8 actual parkruns, a lot of not parkruns)

2021 - 30.59 (16 runs) - (only included actual parkruns which started up half way through the year due to covid)

2022 - 33.21 (35 runs) - 2 tailwalks not included

2023 - 34:48 (36 runs) - 1 tailwalk and 1 park walk not included

2024 - 36.24 (41 runs) 1 tailwalk not included - Also Pollok Christmas day parkrun time adjusted as finished in 36.03 but parkrun time was 39 minutes as due to 900+ people running, it took 3 minutes to cross the line.

So my slowest year to date but I did expect it.  The usual not going out during the week, hampering any chance of improving my times.  But I still love getting out on Saturday morning regardless.  I'm also pleased to record my 3rd highest number of parkruns ever in a year and most since 2019.  I think that shows my health and maybe the weather has been better this year.  Fastest time this year was 32:00 minutes at Erskine, which was only 18 seconds slower than my fastest time last year. No sub 30 this year but I'll keep trying, it's nice to have that carrot dangling in front of me.

Challenges

One of the challenges I contributed to at all this year was the Albateer challenge (completing all the Scottish parkruns). 2 new parkruns started this year - Skinadin in Skye and Crinan Canel. Skinadin I did complete and it was a great trip. Crinan is still on the list to do for next year.  The other challenge I upped was the P index - Doing x number of events, x number of times.  This year I moved up to 8, thanks to a trip to Drumchapel. Other than that I've just been enjoying going on road trip to various parkruns with Douglas, Jo, Craig, Mhairi, Susan and the folks.   Along with hanging with folk when I get to parkruns including doing volunteering at Rouken glen on a Sunday.

So overall a decent year and looking forward to next year already.