My new virtual running challenge - from Land's End to John O'Groat's

On Monday 23rd November, I will be starting a new running challenge - by running from Land's End to John O'Groats virtually. I'm really excited about this as I've been sadly lacking in motivation since the announcement of Lockdown 2.0.

Although the organisers End to End have given us competitors a whole year to complete this challenge, I am aiming to do this in 9 months with a view to completing the virtual slog to John O'Groats on my 38th birthday. Which is in 34 weeks and 4 days which is plenty of time to run from one end of the UK to the other right? Of course it is!!!!

I've not been enticed by virtual runs during lockdown/tiered systems/whatever restrictions we are currently living with. I'm pretty lucky that I can get up and run whenever I want, but as time has passed this year and, with more and more races for next year already being cancelled, I've been feeling disheartened and demotivated. In my head, the excuses have been poor; from lack of sleep, zero energy, a muscle niggle to just wanting to stay indoors as its gloomy. They've all been different ways of saying I don't want to run. And for the first time ever in my long and  illustrious running career(!) I need something to focus on to lift my spirits. I'm itching for it to be Monday as I want to start recording my runs, finding out where I am in the UK. They even email you a digital postcard of where you've reached during certain points, reminding me of places where I have visited previously and more importantly, reminding me of the places where I want to go once this madness has subsided.

With my maths head on, I've worked out that I need to be running just under 27 miles a week, a bit of a leap up from what I have been doing previously, some weeks, I get to 20 miles, other weeks, I'm lucky to have done 5 miles. Having that focus in my head along with the motivation of the running community who have already signed up for it, I'm raring to go. Yes I may have had ideas of completing a marathon next year, but I think my mind needs to adjust to the possibility that races may be few and far between over the coming months.

I live in a village just off the A5; the only paved running routes are going up and down the A5 which can be tedious at times. So when I can (weekends mainly), I will take advantage of still being able to travel to different places (whilst I can) to go running to look at the different scenery and take a fresh look at the surrounding areas nearby to where I live. The main landmarks that I measure a place on are a decent boozer and a decent park/playground area. I love a good pint so I will have to judge the pubs that I run past on the outside only until they are allowed to re-open. Also, with having a young daughter and a dog, finding a decent park/playground is always high on my list, so if there's a park to be found in England's green and pleasant land, then I'm determined to find some new ones out there for our daughter to enjoy and for Dan and I to find an alternative place to walk our dog.

So I will be making more of an effort with my blog (I know I have said this before) but I'm determined to really get this virtual challenge completed in 9 months. And I know writing about it will really help me push towards my goals.