200 hours.

That's it. That's the post: 200 hours. We did it.

At the end of 2024 I wrote that I might try for 200 hours of tracked running in 2025. I did it. I also made the 1,000 mile marker, which was completed some time in October iirc, and I then pushed on past 1,200 miles for the year. I hit a nice elevation milestone when I passed 85,000ft for 2025. Those stats feel pretty good.

What else did 2025 look like in running?

• I paced at the Great Birmingham Run (Birmingham Half Marathon), which ticked off one of my big running ambitions.
• I ran the Midlands Tops Round and got a nice little finisher's badge
• I ran a lot more with friends—I run a couple of times a week in Sutton Park with my mate, Steve, but I am also increasingly doing local runs with Mike. Cathedral to Castle (followed by the Tamworth Tap) with Steve, Mike & Stu and Black Country Half with Steve & Mike. WiP's very fun Lichfield Long Plod with Stu. Some lovely Lake District trails with Mark & Sam (+ the first 12 miles or so of the Lakeland 50 with Mark before he pushed on up Fusedale).

It's the 2nd January 2026, and I'm now on 0 miles / 0 hours / 0 ft—so what's next?

The focus this year is purely on my target event: The Lakeland 100 in July.

This year on the Lakeland 50, I got a qualifying time to enter the full 100 (and a bit) mile event. I entered the Lakeland 100 ballot, I got a place, and now I need to dig deep ahead of the event. I don't know what will change or how my body will respond to the challenge of the 100. Every milestone distance has required me to learn something new, and develop some new strategies. Lack of sleep is really going to be a factor on the 100, that much I know. It's going to be a long 6-months of hard work to prepare for this.

I'll use the same mileage model as last year, as the best way of checking with myself that I am doing enough in general, as this keeps me on track for 1,000 miles across the year and keeps me pretty consistent

• 20-miles: on-track
• 22-miles: ideal mileage (builds more buffer into the system)
• 25-miles+: stretch goal—because it implies that I'll have had a lovely long run of 13+ miles to fit that into the week. This will also need to become more of an active target the closer I get to July.

April is the first key checkpoint on the journey towards the L100: I'll be running in this test event with Sam. It's sort of a treasure hunt with jogging, I think? No idea quite what we have signed up for but it sounds a laugh.

I need to get more time on hills before Lakeland, which is always a challenge around Birmingham as it is pretty flat here, in real terms. I'll get back out to the Midlands Tops (and hope to post a better time), but I'd like to get out the Peaks and Lakes more this year too.

I'm going to use more back-to-back long runs for training this year: do a hard/long run, and then do the same again the next day. These are great for practicing running on tired legs, and they simulate the later stage of an ultra quite well. Doing one night run followed by one morning run also gets me time running on a head torch which is definitely a skill worth practicing. This sort of training is also very convenient as you can finish work, run, sleep, then run again on the morning of a day off—otherwise it gets hard to pack mileage in around the rest of life.

Beyond July? No firm plans yet, but one of my local pals is talking about York or Chester Marathon in the Autumn, so I might join up and support them for one of these events. I'm also keen to do more pacing in 2026, but I'll be sticking to half marathon or 10km for that as I feel very in control at those distances (wheels can still come off for me on the marathon... especially if I am aiming for times).

Final goal for the year: actually try to do some weights. I know I need to work on core more. I need to clear the garage and get the weight bench out. This is the thing I will struggle with the most.

Ok, that's where we are. ✅ Run more ✅ more hill work ✅ crack the 100 ✅ don't neglect strength work. That's the plan for 2026 and all I need to say to here to keep myself honest. I'll probably post some updates along the way but I'll be back next year to sum up how it went.

postscript: it's actually now 4th January when I come to edit this. The running account is now open, so I'm on track there. The garage has not been touched yet, so weights have not begun... I'll start the core work tomorrow with some stretching and press-ups. I promise.