End of November.... Reckoning Time.

At the beginning of this year, when I started running again, I had few simple goals in mind. I wanted to run in 5 official races; I hoped to reach and be able to maintain a regular 10k run up to the end of November; I wanted to get healthy and lose some weight, and I wanted to raise some money for Macmillan.

So, how have I done?

Well, lets have little look shall we?

Races - In order, I ran:

Pants in the Park, 5k, 12th June

The Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10k, 19th June

Temple Newsam Cancer Research Race for Life, 25th June

Then there was a lapse, during which I sort of switched off.... and slowly got back to training, and got myself together for the

McCain Scarborough Yorkshire Coast 10k, 30th October

And then the Abbey Dash last weekend, which was always going to be the last one of the season for me.

Weight - Here's a photograph which chilled me to the bone when it was taken. I don't usually like pictures of myself, but this was the most terrifying I've ever seen. The occasion was Jem's 28th Birthday Party, in the first week of April. I was about 15 stone.

There are more. They're more graphic, but this is the one I hated most.

As usual, I've spent more time behind than in front of the camera this year, although I've seen myself in some of my business partner's shots where she's caught me at weddings and events, and I posted a couple of me as I am now after last week's Abbey Dash.

But it wouldn't be fair not to post one of how I look today, what with this being where I intended to finish the challenge.

I'm somewhere between 12stone and 12'6, at the lower end more often than not. My scales are temperamental, but they agree most days that I've lost the best part of 3 stone.

Distance - When it became apparent that 10k was not quite enough, and that I was wanting to run further in my training sessions, I adjusted my target to be to reach 10miles by the end of the season, and today, I've run 10.2miles. My speed has increased in the last few weeks, after discovering what amazing effects a few small changes can make, and improving my running form. Despite running most of the route against strong winds and uphill, my average speed today was 5.7mph. Until 2 weeks ago, it was closer to 5.3.

Sponsorship - I've been very chilled about the whole thing, and allowed people to contribute as and when they feel like it without much bothering at all, and I'm on just under £250. I think that's pretty good, but next year's project will deserve much more!

I am delighted. I've loved the whole thing this year, and can't wait for the 2012 challenge to start.

This time next year I'll be writing a blog entry looking back on a whole year of serious races. That thought is almost as exciting as the thought of running them all.