Come out to the Coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…

John McClane

I signed off the 2020 Xmas Special with this gem:

“Just think, for all the people you love that you can’t see this year, there are twice as many bell ends that you can now avoid. Every cloud and all that. Predictions for next year? 2021 can’t be shitter than 2020. JINX.”

Well, I was half right. Although, to be fair, I thought 2021 was a definite improvement. It didn’t start very well though did it. Back in to bastard Lockdown. Happy friggin New Year indeed. I went back to working from home (which I personally hate) and a sense that we were stuck in some never ending cycle of pandemic purgatory.

As the year went on we did manage to see more normality creeping back in. I got back to the match, the ice hockey, and the pub. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and all that.

Back in the last Christmas Special I set some running related goals for 2021. So, how did that pan out..

2021 Goals (and how they went)

• Renew the notbuilttorun.com domain – Of course I did, or you wouldn’t be here. This has been my best year for traffic as well for some reason, and the site is now worth a magnificent £700 quid. They cant get enough of me in China and Turkey.
• Run Every Day (RED) in January – I did predict this would be a piece of piss due to Lockdown, and I was right. 122.3 miles completed, it turned out to be my highest monthly total of the year. My Achilles hated me though.
• Run 1,000 miles – Going well this. I’m currently at 1,248 and will probably finish just shy of 1,270. That despite niggles, injuries, and battling through periods of motivation issues. Always a huge personal achievement, especially when you’re as old and broken as me.
• Get a PB – Nah, not a chance.
• Run a Half Marathon – Yes. Yes I did. The GNR was back and I managed to get through it in sub 2 hours, despite the running Gods conspiring against me. Read about it here. I was also supposed to complete the rearranged Sunderland Half Marathon in May. However, no Baggage area and no one allowed to come with you made it a logistical mare, so I pulled out. One instance where I think an Event was desperate to go ahead but didn’t really think it through. I don’t blame them though, it was early doors and it was very much suck it and see.
• Run longer than 13.1 miles – I was determined to do this in 2021, but for whatever reasons it just never happened. Technically, I ran 13.4 at the GNR, but that doesn’t count. Maybe 2022. Manana manana.
• Run a Parkrun – Nope. Move them to Sunday mornings and I’ll think about it.
• Buy a Zwift Pod – Yes! And it changed my life. I finally got one in Feb, after Brexshit delayed the shipment of the Pod. I wrote a piece on this magnificent bastard, which you can read here.
• Remain in Employment – Busier than ever, glad I don’t have to work from Home anymore (it’s shit, you’ll never persuade me otherwise)
• Avoid catching/passing on COVID – Looks like I did. Although, I’ve had two of the worst colds of my life this year. Anyway, keep masking up and get Vaccinated you rat lickers.

So, I don’t think that went too badly did it? Predictions for 2022? Well, you’ll have you wait for the New Year Special (ooo, the cliff hanger).

I did finish my predictions for 2021 by saying that running had kept me sane in a world that has gone slightly mad. It really had, and it continues to do so. Keep running people. Physically and mentally you’re doing yourself the world of good.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and as this doesn’t include anywhere near the swear tally my usual posts do, I’ll end with fuckety fuck fuck. You fuckers.