Running goals, motivation and chat 2025 - Part 2!

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Hi all, just setting up a second thread - I hope you don’t mind @Jumbojem but the other one was getting a bit close to ending…

Sorry to keep harping on about the weather but it’s still raining up here so instead of running this morning I’m going to get back on my lovely water rowing machine which I’ve neglected totally since starting running back in Jan/Feb. I miss it (and I miss the muscle toning it gave me) so I’m going to get back on this morning for a change.

Might do parkrun tomorrow or a longer run, haven’t yet decided.

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree running in central London sounds fun! I like a city run but don’t often get one!

@BogRollBOGOF thats rubbish. I hope you can get back to running at the weekend and the injury isn’t too long lasting.

my injured side feels good after last nights run but my “good” side feels all knotted up along my hip flexors. Probably from compensating. Hopefully that’ll sort itself out today as want to get back to running 3 times a week now until Christmas, then hopefully after I can start to up the mileage for marathon training.

Hello, hope are well and managing to get some running in

i did a Christmas run with run club on Tuesday but have since been laid low with this horrific cold that is going round. Currently on day 5 and not much improvement

No parkrun for me today. I took DS and decided that I wasn't ready to walk it on the way to the start, so just walked internally within the course to cheer him on a few times. The injury was improving through the week, but annoyingly I've had two stupid little trips that have jarred it again. One was because the lighting was off in a carpark and I caught some uneven paving, and the other tripping up some stairs.

But in good news, it's the holidays and I get a couple of weeks rest from standing and plodding on concrete floors all day!

Oh no @tinks3110 and @BogRollBOGOF i hope that your cold and injury improve soon. It’s all just so frustrating isn’t it!!

I can still feel my injury and I’m not as fast as usual (well, i think I could be but can just feel that’s it’s not a good idea to try). However I can run quite comfortably at my usual easy pace now and so have managed to do 3 runs this week totalling 17 miles. I did a Strava art reindeer on Thursday, which was fun.

dd1 and I also did go to our local park run this morning dressed up in Christmas stuff. Was a little warm running in my wool mrs Christmas dress but it was all good fun. Managed 2nd in my age category despite being injured and just jogging round.

pleased I’m managing to get back to it but it’s hard not to push myself too much! But I have to be sensible and listen to my body and not push things to far as I’d be gutted to be set back and not be able to run again.

Thanks @Whataninterestinglookingpotato
its so frustrating, all my running buddies have been out at parkrun today getting PB’s and I’ve got massive fomo 😂 I hope your injury is better soon

Ive made the decision to not run tomorrow, I had a 10k santa dash booked, but ive come down with a cold which has settled on my chest. I did a easy 5k shakeout run today and felt awful when I came in.

Its really messed our plans up as Dh and kids are running the kiddie version and then we've got a santa experience booked after (not cheap!!)
So ive sent him off with our eldest overnight. (Event is 3hrs away so we were staying overnight) No point everyone missing out due to me being ill.

Plus side is ill get a good rest and undisturbed sleep so im happy!

Ill still go out and do a 10k walk tomorrow though, i signed up for a solo challange of 250km in the 25 days before christmas, and im determined to see it through!

Hope the injury improves @Whataninterestinglookingpotato and with some rest @SFRSmum the virus eases before Xmas. Sorry you missed out on the family event. We’ve had most of Nov-Dec viruses constantly in our house but finally feel like we’ve getting better again. We’ve a very active fit family so it’s felt as mentally hard as physically. DD1 (18) has been most impacted by that flu virus yet she’s ironically the fittest normally.
I did my first parkrun in months on Sat which was great chatted whole way round with a friend I’d not seen for ages and we both said must do it more often.,We used to meet weekly & run when our kids were at school together but covid interrupted the routine & kids grew up and it drifted.

So sorry to hear about the lurgy and illness hitting everyone at this time of year. Hope everyone manages to recover enough to enjoy the Christmas break, running will still be there when you're recovered.
I have slacked off running a bit lately, just been feeling tired, fed up of running in dark and wet etc I also am now where near hitting some running goals I set for myself this year (1000 miles and a half mara distance run each month). Over the next week I'm going to think about goals for next year and if I want to try for these again, or something different like a 5k pb, then 10k pb?
I have the local boxing day race which is 4 miles, with a big hill halfway. I don't think I'm going to beat my 2023 time but I could try to beat last year's time (when I wasn't very fit) but if I'm honest at this point I think I'm just happy to run my best and enjoy it with no pressure about time.
Have a wonderful Christmas runners, it will soon be time for our 2026 run thread and i really enjoy the fresh start of a new running year!

I'm crossing my fingers for Christmas Day parkrun. I'm feeling the benefit of not plodding around on concrete floors all day at work, and have walked 5km today. I just want to complete, not fussed about time run/walk ratios.

Well done on your park run @RunningInto

it’s a shame you missed out on your trip @SFRSmum i hope you’re feeling better ready for Christmas.

Good luck for your Boxing Day run @Jumbojem

fingers crossed for your Christmas Day park run @BogRollBOGOF being injured really sucks doesn’t it.

7 mile club run for me tonight. I feel like I’m getting quicker with every run now but going uphill is still quite hard and can be a bit painful. I don’t seem to be setting myself back recovery wise though from running so I’m going to keep it up. I’m glad I can keep up with my normal group now.

merry Christmas everyone!

Hello runners, so sorry to hear of all the illness and injuries. Sending healing wishes to all who are under the weather or otherwise below par.

@Jumbojem I looked back at the start of the first 2025 thread, but I don't think I set any goals other than completing my big run a bit faster than last year, which I did! I've just gone through the 1000 mile barrier which I think is my biggest yearly total. I've managed parkrun almost every Saturday, either running, volunteering or both - and two of the Saturdays I wasn't at parkrun I was doing other running events.

@BogRollBOGOF I'm also looking forward to Christmas Day parkrun with DS1, although he'll be considerably faster than I am

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato glad you are feeling better, hope it continues.

@SFRSmum sorry you had to miss your Santa Dash, hope you enjoyed the peace and quiet. I saw someone on their way home from our local one last weekend, it made me smile to see Santa wandering along.

Thank you for all your well wishes, Im slowly improving. Ive been doing a mix of slow jogging and walking and ive got just over 20km left to do over today and tomorrow of my 'run up to christmas' challange. I think ill do it, just!!

Its a beautiful day here today so will escape the craziness for a while.

Well done on the 1000 miles @OhOneOhTwoOhThree thats an impressive total.

running on the 27th, 10k turkey trot. Hopefully the weather is kind as its on the seafront on the west coast of Scotland

I completed the 250km in 25 days of December!! Very very proud, I was beginning to doubt it was achievable when I was laid up!

10k turkey trot tomorrow, im not going for a pb, im just going to jog it. I dont want to upset my chest which is still quite congested

Anybody have any ideas for a January challenge? I enjoyed the 250k in dec, and think ill do the advent calendar one next dec.
Ive got alot of training and runs in January so looking for something fairly high milage, if anyone can think of anything, let me know.

I've been setting up my bullet journal for 2026... 9 years since I set my first one up and I'm on volume 3 now!

Not sure what I'm aiming for. Most likely a 10k early spring as the first goal. That's realistic from my current position.
A summer HM is likely... not sure on spring and autumn options as events have changed over time. There's a HM I like in early spring, but that's probably too soon to get milage back up sensibly- if I'd had a better December, that would have been more viable.

I'm hoping I can get routine going again in January. I'd just got a routine of 3 purposeful runs a week going when I injured myself (non-running) earlier this month. I'm not recovered yet but am cautiously functional and improving 🤞

Thinking of 2026 goals.

I lost weight in 2025 and realised that this has helped massively with running. I’ve been a runner for almost 40 years (I’m 50) but put down getting slower to age rather than getting fatter. Turns out it’s still possible to run quite fast at 50 when your not schlepping around with an extra 4 stone.

So my goals are to see if I can run faster at 50 than I did at 40 (and possibly even 30……20 is definitely pushing it though). Going to start with the 5k time and then maybe try for 10k and HM later in the year.

Well done on completing you mileage goal @SFRSmum

nice to hears others running goals for 2026.

I think my goals are for a 3:25 marathon in April, complete my first ultra in a respectable time and not get injured again!!

im not starting out marathon training in as good a place as I had hoped for due to being injured but with 16 weeks to go I have time to get back up to speed as long as I can up my mileage without aggravating the injury.

did a nice 4 miles trail run with the dog yesterday morning before the craziness of family Boxing Day commenced. Was nice to get out for some head space and the dog was thrilled as it’s the first time since being injured I’ve been able to run with her properly.

The last 2 years I've struggled to complete 1000 miles in a year, but this year strava has my total at over 1100 which im really please with. I might aim for 1200 next year.

My aims for 2026, are a 1.32 hm - I need to find a flat one!
And I have a club competition i want to score well in. Also in the XC league im in I am hoping for an AG prize. There have been 3 of 5 races so far, and you have to complete 4 (your best 4 score, if you do all 5) Only 1 other woman and myself in our AG have completed 3 so far (if ive assessed the results correctly) ....but some faster women have done 2 so its a way of forcing myself to do them all to give myself the best chance

I’m similar to you @Nedsatomicdustbin i lost 3.5st then ran my fastest parkrun & 5k when in my 50s.
I’ve no desire to run faster though just stay injury free. I can run a 10k but it then makes my joints hurt too much so I’m sticking to 3 runs a weeks between 4-7k lots trail mixed in as I prefer it Going skiing in March so must keeping injury free and fit for that and have too keep up weights as I took a 3wk break with illness and boy have I noticed it. Did good weights workout Xmas eve but had DOMs for 2days now. Did a great 6k trail run early Boxing Day which I really needed.

@SFRSmum well done on the 250k and the 10k!
@Fizbosshoes 1000 miles has been my goal last two years, broken down into a monthly goal but injury or illness have stopped me getting there yet. Aiming again in 2026 as when I did have higher mileage in 2023 I did run faster.
Well done those who've successfully lost weight and got faster. I could do with loosing some as I am definitely the tubbiest out of my running group and I do hate some of the pics of me running.
So as well as the 1000 miles I'm also aiming to run HM distance once a month, not a race but as a long run with coffee/rest/snack breaks as required. Although I have a trail half in March and a trail 15 miler in April so that's two months covered already.
I did my local boxing day run yesterday, faster than last year and mysecond fastest time out of the 4 years I've run it. Got some strava segment PRs on the course, notably on the downhills and the finish straight which is rewarding as I pushed myself on these rather than settling back after the hill to recover. After many years of running I am still rubbish at pacing. Noticed today a friend has been doing lots of parkruns as progression runs so maybe I need to try something similar.

Amazed that I PB'd in the 10k today!! It was icy and I genuinely wasnt pushing myself hard, still knocked nearly a minute off my time. 52.53!! I really didnt think id ran fast, so much so that I didn't even check my time until an hour after!

Next run is the middle of jan, my first half marathon.
My goals are mainly distance based for 2026. Half, 25k, marathon and ultra (30 miles)
Id like to get a sub 25min 5k, and a sub 50 min 10k. Maybe a sub 2hr half too but still to run one of those so not sure what to aim for yet.

Hello everyone, hope you all had a fabulous
christmas.

i dragged myself out for a Boxing Day 5k solo and today i ran the Coley Canter 7.7 miles which I hated and plan never to do again. The trail sections were basically all uphill and my breathing is still not right after being ill. And to top it all off, no medal 😂😭 Happy that I still went though

Well done @tinks3110 not every race is a great race, but you got it done.

well done on your 10k PB @SFRSmum

it’s good to hear what everyone is aiming for next year. I’d like to add to my list improving my half marathon time. It currently sits at 1:41 but I’m confident I can do faster as did that time very injured. I’d like 1:35 if possible at some point this year but won’t get it in my first one in March as it’s in my town and it’s super hilly here!!

went out today with the returning from injury gang for a steady 10k before going out for the day with the dds, my siblings and their kids.

Hello again everyone, ages since I posted... Great to hear about everyone's exploits, whether it's PBs or being careful with an injury!

I have just been fairly steady since my half marathon in October. No particular goals in this part of the year, but as I'm building up to some big races in 2026 I've raised my regular weekday run distance from 5 to 7.5km. That means with another longer run at the weekends I should be on 25km a week, which I'll build up more as I aim for my next HM in March. But first, doing a series of three trail runs near Guildford, starting on the 10th. (G3 series - I've volunteered with the organiser before and it's a really friendly small scale type of event).

Away from home at the moment and I brought trail shoes, not road shoes, so my last run of the year was yesterday around a National Trust property, and first run of 2026 will be, ooh I don't know, perhaps a disused railway line I've spotted (need to figure out access/right of way first). Happy new year all!

Tried a new parkrun (for me) this morning. Bit put off that the toilets were closed, but went with friends, so no ducking out because I couldn't have a pre run toilet visit 🤣
But i was actually fine , and after a conservative first mile, put in 2 more laps that I was really happy with!
Happy New Year everyone

Happy new year runners! 🏃‍♀️ 🎉🎊

well done on your park run @Fizbosshoes

good luck for your trail runs @TyneFilth

i had every intention of making it to park run this morning but after a night of celebrating and going to be at 2am I decided that I probably wasn’t actually safe to drive the 30 mins to the new years park run most of the running club was planning to attend. So i turned my alarm off and went back to sleep 😂.

once I was feeling a bit more human I took myself out for a steady 5.5 mile run. It started off as a recovery run as that’s what my watch suggested but kept going for longer than needed. Starting slower actually helped my heart rate to stay in zone 2 throughout the whole run despite upping the pace quite a bit. So that was good.

first run of new year complete.