Well you know, we all want to change the world…….*

January, and a New Year. A new start and resolutions and good intentions galore. But you know what they say…. “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. I used to make resolutions but (largely) gave up when I realised that by late January or early February all that was left of them was a smouldering pyre of dashed hopes and failures to follow up on the evangelical positivity that contributed to those resolutions being made in the first place. I used to have a training diary that went the same way when it became a litany of moans and complaints and a list, extensive at that, of newly acquired injuries. Fact is, my resolutions probably were too large scale to succeed in the first place.

But, as they say, old habits die hard so I think I might be persuaded to set a few cautious goals for 2017. No hair shirt or self-flagellation if it all crashes and burns, but a realistic idea of where I’d like to go during the year. A friend once told me I needed to be doing some sort of exercise every day and while I think that might prove to be a leap too far, if I scale back on the grandiose I can set some smaller, achievable goals.

So I thought ‘something in every month’, in particular in Harrier colours. I could virtually achieve this by being involved in the remaining PECO cross country races and the upcoming Yorkshire Vet’s series but I’m also a realist and avoiding a diary clash somewhere along the line is unlikely, so it will mean at some point, entering an open race (gulp). I think these days my aim is to complete a 10K and nothing more, so you could also see that as the overarching ambition for the year. Not huge, but with work probably achievable and anything more can be seen as a bonus.

The spectre of injury and my arthritic condition deteriorating (it’s a great unknown what will happen with that, so I can only bash on while it’s not a major concern while running) loom over any plans and could scupper them at any moment. But they are not reasons to not make plans for the coming year.

I’m sure many Harriers will have much bigger ambitions and indeed, those working towards, say the London Marathon, will already be well into the work required to bring their plans to fruition. Others will have big ideas about what they want to achieve during the coming year, perhaps later on, and will be poring over training schedules and planning the workload to take them there. Those looking to shave a second or two from a PB will have specific races targeted and planned as will those looking, for instance, to tackle either longer distance or a triathlon or some major event abroad. If you are one of those people and you haven’t outlined your plans already, why not? It’s always later than you think!

It is a good idea though for the rest of us, who might not have similar large scale ambitions, to have some plans, however sketchy, about what we want to achieve in our running in the next twelve months. Of course, life can have the temerity to get in the way of running, but it isn’t a bad idea to have a basic road map of what you want for yourself during the year. For some it may be just to return to running/training on a regular basis after an injury or illness, and I can sympathise hugely with that, and I hope that those of you in that particular boat make it back in short order.

Others, new to racing, might want to consider which races are good to start off with as they dip their toe into a new and often scary experience. It isn’t really scary doing your first race but I remember exactly how I felt as a novice racer and it’s fair to say anxiety rather than excitement was the overriding emotion. But once you’ve done one, then you’ll find that your worries were ill founded and they are something to be looked forward to, get excited about, even. I don’t propose to go into which races I’d suggest to kick off with here, as there are many experienced runners at the club – yes, including me – who are no doubt bursting to enthuse about their favourite races and events, so ask around. You’ll no doubt get as many different recommendations as people you ask.

And for those who have done a couple of races and are wondering ‘what next in 2017?’ the above also applies.

So, set some targets. Make them achievable with a little hard work on your part. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t all go exactly to plan. A little flexibility and serendipity might see you make another, alternative, choice in the face of a plan that doesn’t pan out which turns out to be better than the original. But have the ‘road map’ sketched out beforehand.

You’ll also possibly be surprised – although it’s a part of what makes Horsforth Harriers such a great club – by how many people in the club will be only too willing to help you achieve your goals and contribute to your success, either by running with you or overseeing your training plans, or offering whatever help and advice you require. It will mean verbalising your plans of course, but this will help make them real!

Good Luck to us all in 2017 in whatever we hope to achieve.

The Fat Bloke

*With apologies to The Beatles.