As the new year fast approaches it's natural to start plotting some personal goals. Here's how some runners go about planning their year.
The Goal Keeper
"I usually start planning during December when I set my goals and objectives for the following year. From then I start planning which races I should do to either help work towards the goals or actually achieve those goals, for example, a PB. I obviously have some of my favourite races which I like to enter and better my time each year to challenge myself. My favourites include Swansea Half, Vitality Big Half and the Cancer Research Winter run." -- Hassan Hassan
The New Starter
"I start with gear: new running shoes, all-black look, cool AirPods to listen to the Onetrack squad... I make sure I look the part. Getting started is the easy part; sticking to a plan and staying motivated is another story entirely. As a brand new runner, I can get overwhelmed with all of the info and expectations I see on the internet. It's all too easy to lose motivation and quit. Running with Onetrack helps break things down and remind me that when I do find that motivation, I can pick up where I left off and start again. It's about improvement, but not being perfect." -- Jonathan Merla
The Marathon Man
"I tend to think about if/when I would like to do a marathon and work from there. Nothing too precise aside from that. I lock in a marathon or two, sticking to the ones I know or recommendations from a friend, then fit bits and bobs in around them." -- Nick Harris-Fry
The Breath-Taker
"Having coach guidance after a big challenge like my ultra-run is imperative. I love big goal setting but it’s important to take your foot off the gas, find balance, be present, loosen the reigns and give your mind and body a rest to go again. I have been working on smaller bite size goals such as getting my speed up and learning to love running again after living and breathing my running training for over a year. I now currently virtually run 3/4 runs a week with Onetrack working on my easy runs and a couple of fun speed sessions." -- Georgie McLean
The Balance-Seeker
"The marathon race calendar somewhat dictates itself, being generally split into spring and autumn marathons (pretty sure they do that so you have to train in the worst possible conditions, either ice cold and rainy or roasting hot and humid). I tend to try and fit two in per year, one in each season. This gives me maximum time to train for each one but also gives me a significant chunk of down time after each marathon, allowing for holidays, beers and that ever-elusive social life." -- Tom Ryan
The Stop/Starter
"I've found it really hard to stick to a goal after having two babies in the last three years. Over that time, I've gone from being able to comfortably run for a couple of hours to just being able to walk/jog ten or twenty minutes max. At times I've set goals and made it over 5k. In truth, I was never really prepared that postnatal fitness could feel like recovering from a serious injury, and because of some pelvis issues, it's been just like that. My goal for next year is to take the pressure off completely. I love running, and I know I'll find my way back when the time is right. Failing that, perhaps if my London ballot entry comes through, maybe force is the only way." -- Laura Naylor