Now if you’ve come to this space in the World Wide Web hoping to take part in some ridiculous name the George Michael track listing game, I’m afraid you are a day late, try clicking here. 

If, on the other hand, you have come by to check how I’m doing on the fourth day of Janathon, then prepare to be totally underwhelmed.

It was a trip to the gym. Nothing extravagant because after two weeks of excess and 31 days of running on the horizon I’m thinking slowly slowly catchy monkey is the way to go.

3.5 miles.

In other news….

I’m not one to really eat breakfast on work day mornings, but that is about to change. On the way home from the gym I popped into Tesco for a box of my favourite chocolatey sensations…

Total Janathon mileage = 13.2 

Run streak = 4 days

During today’s run I was accompanied, metaphorically, by George Michael. I was never the greatest George Michael fan, Wham was all a bit pop for me, even as a teenager I had an eclectic taste in music, but what it didn’t include was a great deal of popular music. His solo career interested me slightly more, the album Listen Without Prejudice was a great album and I took the time today to enjoy it once again on today’s run.

So please if you will, read, or should I say, listen without prejudice to today’s Janathon blog…

Tomorrow I am back to school, my freedom has ended. I’ve been praying for time to move very slowly so that I can enjoy the last day of the holidays. Before even returning I’m waiting for that day when we break up for the holidays again; to heal the pain and set the soul free. 

I had to run on my own today, Kath came round this morning to take Helen out on a 6-miler, they won’t go when I go, so I expect it’ll be raining by the time I get out. 

As the new term approaches, my mind starts to think about planning lessons. Running is good for that. For a creative writing task I had this idea to give the students random characters, like some cowboys and angels, then get them to produce a story. Although I’m not sure how long I will be waiting for them to create something good with that idea. I’m not sure, maybe it’s something to save for the future. 

Well, that’s three days down and three days done, I’m my mother’s pride. 

Total Janathon mileage = 9.7

Total Listen Without Prejudice tracks surreptitiously placed into blog = 10 (all of them)

I’ve got a ‘heavy cold’.

Today should have been a ‘work day’. In fact this was the initial plan:

• Run
• Shower
• Breakfast
• Work
• Lunch
• Work
• Dinner
• Work
• Bed

This was how it actually worked out, thanks in part to my ‘heavy cold’:

• Run
• Then do absolutely anything else to avoid doing any work

The day started off pretty much on plan, despite the ‘heavy cold’; I was out the door by 8am. I’m still suffering from a ‘heavy cold’, but unlike the Queen I did manage a public appearance. Took the dog to the woods for a gentle jog round. It was very cold and my ‘heavy cold’ meant I found the whole thing rather difficult. All I could think of was the sofa and wallowing in my ‘heavy cold’. 

On arrival home I did experience a slight panic…

Then the day went something like this: 🏡 🚿 🍳( 📺 ⚽️)🍳(📺⚽️)🍝(📺🎯)🛏

Total Janathon mileage = 6.2

‘Heavy cold’ mentions = 6

It’s the 1st January. Which can mean only one thing: Janathon.

The annual attempt at running every day of the month. Although in recent attempts it has usually ended in failure around the 3 week mark. But not this time, no, this time it will be a complete success. 

The day started off slowly. In much the same way as the Queen failed to appear this morning, because of a heavy cold, day 1 nearly didn’t happen because of the same heavy cold. It was also raining really hard for most of the day.

The majority of the day was spent on the sofa in front of the TV watching the football, with the odd glance out the window to see it had stopped raining. 

At 3.30pm it had indeed eased up, so we headed out with the dog for a jog round the woods. 2.6 wet cold dark miles. Done. 

After beginning the Janathon challenge it was time to attempt challenge 2. The big one.To eat all the chocolate that has gathered about the house. 

As we trundle to the end of another year, my mind begins to wander to the next. 2017. But before we put this year to bed, let’s have a quick look at what all the fuss was about. 

2016 was a busy year all in all. Not in as much as challenges completed, this year has been a bit poor for that, but just stuff happening. 

Some highlights, in no particular order:

• Trip to China
• Various races including the Milton Keynes Marathon
• A first 24 hour race, Endure 24
• A year preparing for Ofsted, including the actual visit
• A year of Parkruns, including number 50
• Various gigs, of which Frank Turner at Rock City tops the list
• Mount Snowdon conquered 

It would appear that having already said that it was ‘a busy year’ – my lack of being able to remember anything else that happened would seem suggest that in fact it wasn’t as busy as first thought. 

Coming soon…the year ahead. 

Those eagle-eyed amongst you would have noticed that my attempt to run every day of October, following the Ron Hill #RunEveryDay challenge, came to an end yesterday.

Managed 13 days, then made a conscious decision that I wanted a ‘day off’ – absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I found myself in the pub at the end of a very long term. 

So although the run streak has come to an end, I do actually have some good news.

Popped to Rutland Water Parkrun to complete my 50th Parkrun.

Lovely jubbly.

Parkruns recently have been a bit of a plod round with Helen or Amy, but to celebrate the 50th I gave it a go today. Started off fast and tried to run faster. Finished in 23.30 – I did indeed start off fast, but couldn’t go faster. But happy enough.

Now off to order t-shirt…