MUST TRY HARDER!

It's annual review time.
My report card simply states: MUST TRY HARDER!
What a non year for me running wise. It took months to get over the knee injury and when I did my motivation seemed to have vanished as well. Later in the year my emotions paralysed me as I spiralled downwards into the black pit of depression.
We had the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombing and we said goodbye to Mr Mandela.
There have been highlights, not many but some excellent ones. I ran in Delft, Holland, around a beautiful lake. There was a great night run along the Darent valley which included the badly named Chinook lager at halfway. It was grim. Then there was the pilgrimage run at Stoke Mandeville in the searing heat. I cooked my bare feet on the hot track but catapulted myself into joy. My children and I created an indoor run along the long corridors at Lincolnshire and we made a film of it. I flailed down a steep sand dune and ran barefoot along a Cornish beach. Freedom. Come to think of it, three of my highlights feature no shoes. Freedom. 
Through my job I met some fascinating people including Steve Brown the England Murderball captain, Edward Timpson (Under Secretary of State for Children and Families) and Heather Knight, the England women's test cricketer. I carelessly lost a paediatric nurse but inspired young people with disabilities by creating a sport we call predator rugby.
I ran with some wonderful people and I missed running with others I know well. I promise I'll find you in 2014.
It's the people that count for me in the end. I love the running but the people around me give me a real buzz. So thank you, whether you have run with me, given me friendship or support or if you have read my blog. I appreciate every single one of you.
Happy trails and have a splendid 2014.
Duncan.