I am doing the Great North Run! Here are my 2025 fitness and running goals!

 

 

Big news!!💜💙🤩

I did enter the first ballot for the Great North Run. I did the Great North 5k in September last year which was a small precursor race for the Great North Run that weekend and honestly? Having soaked up the wonderful atmosphere and people around me those couple of days, I so wished I was staying for the big event. Even though if I would have attempted the big event at that time I wouldn't have been able to...

I was amazed to see recently there was a second ballot so I just went for it and left it to fate. I figured if I was meant to do the GNR I would get a place and if not, I would spend longer honing my craft. But as it turns out, I got the email above and I am in!!💜

I am honestly so excited, I can't believe it! I feel like it was meant to be!

Being a ballot entry there is no charity place pressure of having to raise a certain amount but that said, I do have an idea of who I want to raise money for as they've given me so much!!💜

I will get in touch with them before I say who...

A half marathon, even one as iconic as this, is the furthest I will have done on my return-to-running journey!! What a huge step I am taking! But I do believe that your big dreams should scare you a little or they're not big enough! They have to be on that cusp of insanity and thrill!

💜 Running Goals 2025

 

My fitness and running goals for this year are:

💜Keep lowering my 5k time as much as possible

Starting 2025 with the 5k PB 26m 53s

💜Get comfortable with the 10k distance

I do my first 10k race since returning to running, on 2nd February

I never thought I would say it, but since dedicating my training to the 5k since my return to running at the end of April 2024, I have become a 5k race lover! I know I can do the same, with my coaches help, with this distance and eventually, longer distances

💜Keep building up mileage in training gradually and improving my endurance as much as possible

💜Keep improving my VO2 Max which like the above long term goals, will come with time

💜I'd like to do a fitness photoshoot this year if I get time when my body is in it's peak condition so I can look back on the photos and appreciate my health and fitness inside and out

💜If I can get a ticket, do a Hyrox Open late 2025

I joined Pure Gym a few months ago to allow me to use the functional area of the gym. I really love their Hyrox classes! I try to do one a week and I try to lift weights after a class once a week too.

💜Keep travelling with my races and seeing amazing places in the UK

I have just entered a race in Cumbria - a ten miler!! - at the start of April. Ambitious with my current mileage and it will probably hurt a lot and make me into a mess but I definitely think pushing your limits wherever you can really helps you get stronger and progress!

💜I want to keep losing weight so at the moment I am in a calorie deficit again. It is a lot more gentle than before I started my running training but I want to gently keep lowering my body fat and building lean muscle for my running and general fitness and health.

💜Do some trail races (see below)

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As a result of getting into the Great North Run, I selected when I entered the ballot, to take an entry into the Great North 10k in July too so I guess I will be visiting the North East a few times this year! I am travelling up those ways late February as well for a break to explore and to do a trail 5k (my first trail 5k or trail run ever!!). 

I am hoping to explore some other places this year too - up Bamburgh Castle ways (any Bernard Cornwell/ Last Kingdom/ history fans will know why!) and Oxford would be lovely, too. I will get to see the lakes on my trip to race the 10 miler there too! I will be doing the Great Manchester 10k too!

I am feeling inspired and invigorated at these new and ongoing challenges!

I hope your week has gone really well and I am wishing you all some magic over this weekend!

Much love,

Mairead xoxoxo