Month in Review: Jan 2016

Well, that's it. Month one of 2016 is done and dusted. Whilst I've seen a lot of people wondering how come January is so long, I have found it's zipped past really quickly. January is typically a slow month for the business and a time where we reassess what to do differently in fore the upcoming season and make changes to the 'back end' of the business like contracts and websites and strategies. It's also a time where I spend more time working from home and this year it has been the month of technical training. So, here we go, my January in review....



New year, new diary. My 2016 one is looking sad and bare compared to my much loved and stickered 18 month one


Dark lipstick obsession continues... Taken on my way to a family 80th birthday, I had another family member knock on the door of 80 and my great-grandmother turned 94 this month


I ran about 60km in January but best of all, I got into training a bit more technically with the goal of knocking some time of my 10km


L: Jan 2016 R: Jan 2015

This January also marked a year since I started running. The right hand picture was taken Jan 20th 2015. It was Day 1, Week 1 of C25K and little did I know that wouldn't be where it ended. I started running because my bike wasn't always available to me whilst working away and I needed exercise that was easy to do anywhere. I'd never enjoyed running and it had been 5 years since I'd really put any effort into trying. You can read more about what I achieved in 2015 in my honest review of my year in running post HERE. The left picture was taken not far off exactly a year on. I don't think I look all that different (it's the same Helly running top) but I can't believe how much has changed in 12 months.

And so January ended with both a high and a low. As I mentioned earlier this week, we said farewell to our family Spaniel, Monty. He had 13 thoroughly spoiled years, and it's just a little too quiet without his clattering paws.


Monty, doing one of the 2 things he did best (sleeping, the other was eating)


Winter Run Series: London 10km 31st Jan 2016

And after a sad week losing Monty, I ended the final day of the first month with a massive grin on my face. After a very drizzle-y, wet 10km through central London on Sunday 31/01, I knocked a whole 5mins of my 10km personal best. My last race had been exactly one month before on New Years Eve at 1:06:47, and when my chip time came through for this one, I clocked 1:01:30. Personal bests are not the be-all and end-all of a race, but having put a lot of effort into training through the month, it's invigorating to see it bring results. A sub 60mins 10km is well and truly in my sights. Preferably before my birthday in June!

How was your month?