After a fruitless lunch hour looking for a decent diary or notebook to use as my running log for the year I decided it was time to get wth the times and create a blog instead. Anyway I have big plans for 2006. This year will mark the end of my life as a footballer and Alun Carter the serious runner will emerge. About or dozen or so matches left with the Monkseaton Arms FC and that's it I'm hanging the boots up in May. I've ran for several years now including 2 London Marathons (1999, 2000 - PB 3h 27m) and 9 Great North Runs (PB 1h 26m) but football has been the mainstay of my athletic life. Now its time to move on. I'll never be the footballer I was 11 years ago in college (Boston University) ..... Christ 10 years, never quite realised it was that long ago.
Anyhow, my chief goal for this year is to run an autumn marathon and ultimately crack the 3h 00m barrier that would guarantee a place in next year's London Marathon. Not sure where to run the marathon, but Cardiff in October looks good (although its only 2 weeks after the Great North Run) or possibly Loch Ness or Moray in September. The 3-hour barrier is a tough one to crack but failing that I'd be happy with anything under 3h 15m. I've already submitted an entry for this year's Great North Run and am still waiting to hear if I'm in or not. I suppose cracking 1h 25m for this would be a challenging goal. Other races I'd like to do include my old favourites the Clive Cookson 10k in Monkseaton, the Blaydon Race in June and possibly the Northumberland Coastal Run in July. The Keswick Half Marathon in early May is another possibility but I'll wait and see how things pan out.
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