Happy New Year everyone !
On 1st January 2019 – the most hungover day of the year, John, my sister Fidelia and I turned up at Hyde Park to run the annual Hyde Park New Year’s Day 10K. I have been taking part since 2007 every year with the exception of 2008 due to a severe chest infection. John started this event back in 2001 until 2012. Then he took a break from 2013 to 2016 and spent the New Year’s Day morning to visit his mum at the nursing home instead. He was back since 2017 as he now visits his mum in the afternoon or evening on the New Year’s day. Fidelia who lives in Toronto has been joining us in the last few years during her visit here. For those who have not done this event, it is a very PB friendly route. It is very flat and the support is marvellous. The route took us around the edge of Hyde Park for the first 4k to Kensington Garden where we ran 2 loops with 4k to 6k on the first loop and 6k to 8k on the 2nd loop before heading back to Hyde Park for the final 2k to finish right next to the beautiful Serpentine Lake. When running on the first loop inside the Kensington Garden, I was overtaken by many faster runners who were already on their 2nd loop. This had definitely given me the motivation to keep pushing. The weather was dry and sunny with 10oC. We couldn’t ask for a better weather than this at this time of the year. I finished in 57’04”. I just couldn’t push another 5 seconds to achieve sub 57’. My sister Fidelia finished in 59’42” and John finished in 1:06’33”. For full results, please visit: https://www.serpentine.org.uk/rdb/showrace.php?race=12928
Although we didn’t do the time we wanted, we thoroughly enjoyed the great atmosphere in Hyde Park. The Winter Wonderland and Christmas Market were still in full swing. The organisation was superb with plenty of water stations, lovely marshals, finish medals and memorabilia. I think everyone had a good time in kicking the new year off with a bang. Our “Official” photographer is my brother Kenneth. He did himself proud by capturing me crossing the finish line with both feet off the ground….. this is technically running 😊
With the new year already started, it is time to reflect the past year and to plan for the next 12 months. After a crazy year of 2018 with work, work related exams, running and hiking, my highlights and lowlights of 2018 are:
Highlights:
(1) I have so far passed all the 3 written exams and have one more written exam in February and the final oral exam in March this year to do;
(2) I completed 2 marathons: London and Milton in 2 weeks apart
(3) I did more races in 2018 than 2017 particular taking part in a new event: Hertfordshire Half Marathon
(4) I didn’t have any chest infection during the entire 2018 which was pretty much a miracle as I used to suffer from flu, cold, chest infection at least once a year for decades. I’d give credit to the YoungLiving Essential Oil (Clove, R.C., Breath Again, Frankincense)
(5) Apart from some post run muscle aches, I didn’t sustain any injury which had prevented me from training
Lowlights:
(1) My fitness level was declining
(2) I ran my PW in both London and Milton Marathons due to the heat and lack of fitness
(3) My overall time in all the races I did was slower than 2017
(4) I trained less than 2017 due to work and exams and laziness For 2019, I am actually going to be more committed to running and will reduce my participation in hiking events. Due to limited annual leave, I will stop going to Holland to take part in the annual 4-Day Marches in July and will not do the Barcelona Walk in October either. There is no way I can reduce my workload or increase the number of days of my annual leave so the only way is to use my annual leaves wisely and more selectively.
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