Due to a cocktail of sleet, snow, and sheer laziness I have found the wheels really have come off my running journey of late. A truck-load of ‘go on, have an extra hour in bed’ has really jolted my motivation and ambition to get up and lace-up. Even choking on green juice and going for a bleary-eyed jog doesn’t appeal to my ‘get my life together’ plan anymore. I am moving less than usual and my brain is not thanking me for it. I need a metaphorical kick up the ass to put my running New Years Resolution back on track. This is my accountability wake-up call. Time to pound those pavements. Let’s go 2021, let’s try running…again.
I exclusively live by the mantra why do it today when I could do it tomorrow? Naturally, this opposite of a call-to-action is detrimental to my dreams and productivity levels. As a serial putter-offerer, I find it really difficult to commit to anything rigidly and have discovered that in order to succeed with running you kinda have to put at least a bit of effort in? For someone who is pondering on the idea of running Tommy’s MCR half-marathon this year, I need a bucket load of more than a bit! So with a goal in sight, I thought it was best to actually structure some achievable and motivation-boosting goals based on last year’s Strava stats.
If you are not familiar with Strava, then now is the perfect time to get on-board. Strava is a free exercise-tracking/mapping app that is predominantly used by runners and cyclists. However, when the pools are open, I also love jotting down my swim times as well as tracking jaunts around Manchester with my boyfriend. The latter is mainly so I can exclaim “wow look how far we WALKED”. Strava is multi-functional and insanely easy to use and would recommend to everyone. You can follow me on the app here.
In my opinion, I thought last year’s Strava stats were pretty good for a girl who struggled running for the tram. In 2020, I covered a total of 423 KM (262 miles) over the course of 47 hours. I also completed 86 runs! That is 86 times I hauled myself out of bed. 86 times I completed the ultimate self-care session. 86 runs in 2020 and I am insanely proud of them all (even if I wanted to self-combust during a handful of them.). Last year was good, so this year we are doing better. Without further ado, here she is my 2021 Running Bucketlist.
2021 Running Bucketlist
- Run an official, medalled half-marathon. Manchester half, I am turning my beady-eyes to you.
- Achieve a sub-25 minute 5K.
- Achieve a 50 minute 10K.
- Run in a city that isn’t Manchester.
- Start a running club with my friends/ run with ~ friends I met on the internet ~
- Start and complete a proper training block. There may be no official races on my radar, but that doesn’t mean I cannot do one myself!
- Run 100 times in 2021.
- Run 850 Km in 2021 – double my distance in 2020.
So what do you think? Achievable goals or far-too adventurous? I think having a clear and concise bucket list of milestones I want to reach for is a really motivational way to get me back on the horse. 850 Km isn’t going to run itself, is it? Maybe if you are feeling a bit blue (like me) you could try your hand at penning a few running dreams and share them with me! High School Musical was not wrong when they said we were All In This Together.
With that, I reckon it is time to get out and start crushing that bucket list. Shall I meet you at the starting line?
ELLA LOUISE SCOTT 