Happy New Year

Christ on a bike I can't believe it's 2014 already.

I know we say this every year, but doesn't it just feel like time goes by more quickly with the passing of each year. It feels like just a couple of weeks ago that I was eating cous cous and chicken every day, trudging through the snow on training runs around Banbury and elsewhere, a whole year ago.

But what's worse is that I can now say, I'm 40 next year. Horrific. At the same time, I'm getting married next year, which is a whole lot more appealing of course.

Suddenly two big milestones looming on the horizon and a whole other year to get through in the meantime.

I've spectacularly failed to stick to any kind of fitness regime throughout December, and perhaps it was naive for me to think I would be able to. My party season has featured several excessive drinking sessions, leading to a number of tumbles and a couple of quite bruised limbs.

So it is slightly injured and not in the finest of fettle that I peak warily at new year's day, following a rather wonderful evening last night with some of our best friends, and a big pot of beef bourguignon.

But on the upside, I am about a stone lighter than I was at this point last year, which means by 2020 at this rate I should get to where I want to be. Although of course I can’t wait that long for things to happen.

2014 is going to be a year of change, in quite a significant way I hope, and in order to put that in motion I have now signed up for my first challenge which is to run the Edinburgh Half Marathon, on May 25.

Having applied and failed to turn up for the full marathon before in the city, I’m setting my sights at a more realistic level and feel confident I can make it this time and make the fundraising count for something this year.

Happy new year to all and here’s hoping all our dreams come true this year.