OK, it's not Saturday morning, but, as it's the end of the year, I thought I do a Scribble anyway. It's a time to reflect on the year gone by, and look forward to the year ahead, planning what we hope for.
Personally it's been a very mixed year. My own running has been virtually non existant, due to my surgery in April, and the lengthy recovery process. On the plus side, despite the time involved, after two years of worry, I'm Cancer Free, and can look forward to 2020 in a positive way, and aim to be back on the running scene in January, having signed up for the Lord Mayors Challenge to restart.
One of the things I have loved during the year has been seeing the posts from folk on here as their running lives have developed. I won't embarrass anyone by naming names, but it is a joy to see how fellow runners, friends, have enjoyed their running, improved and become more confident in their own abilities. Continue on into 2020 and beyond.
Having been sidelined all year myself, I empathise with those still struggling to recover from injury, illness, or, as in my case too, the onset of older age catching up with us. Here's hoping we can all get back to what we love to do over the next 366 days, Yes We Can.
Sadly the last week of the year saw the news that a friend, and local runner lost her life tragically, and a dear friend of mine on the other side of the world in Argentina, also a runner, died after a short illness on Saturday past. The world will be worse off for both losses.
Finally, let me sign off by wishing everyone here a Happy New Year. If you're running on New Years Day, it's still OK to raise a glass to the turn of the year tonight. Never forget that we do this for fun, no need to head to bed at 10 o'clock and miss the festivities, running should be part of our lives, not all consuming.
I'm still on holiday for a few more days, enduring the heat (38C) in Buenos Aires, but looking forward to joining you all on the roads and trails of an Irish January next week and beyond. I look forward to catching up with old friends, and New, in 2020 at races, parkruns and even on the streets of Dublin. Have a great time tonight, and an even better 2020, and quite simply, whatever your goals for the New Year, go for them, and of course...... ENJOY!
