END OF YEAR REPORT
I didn't want to believe it, but back in Spring, very strong forces were present in the over-thinking cranium of yours truly telling me to step aside from competitive running and finally hit the bowling green instead. Of course, there had to be one last crack of the whip before fully conceding to a change of sport. As it happened, the time of year was sympathetic to my plight, in that the season of midweek evening races was kicking off and I just absolutely love evening fell races. If I was going to pack it all in, I was going to do so by enjoying it at least. In my favour, if by default, was a surprisingly high cholesterol reading at that time, from which dietary adjustments saw weight drop off that I didn't think possible. As much as a possible swansong, Summer also became a race-myself-to-fitness experiment. One race a week, looking for increments of improvement and eventually stumbling upon decent form by the end of Summer and a training routine that was working really well for me. After the fell race at Widdop by mid-July, I dared to believe. I felt like I was racing again. Some good results followed. Even going in to Autumn and losing that little extra snippet of sharpness from weekly racing, I proved in mid-November that there really is some racing life in this old dog yet with a 5K time of 17:05 at the Podium race.
Looking back at some low points earlier on in the year - a capitulation on Pendle at the Stan Bradshaw, a punchless plod at the Darwen Half Marathon, pulling the plug at the Yorkshire Three Peaks, pulling out of a track session so not to hold the rest of the group up - it's been quite a turnaround. Initially, I had to take some hidings, but in the end I made it and I think I still have more to offer in 2018 before the next serious consideration of signing up for the Crown Green.
There almost endeth my ramblings for the year, but not quite my running. One last bite of the 2017 cherry will be the Auld Lang Syne fell race at Haworth on New Year's Eve. I'd like to do it some justice as this will be the final race that Woodentops legends Dave and Eileen Woodhead will be organising from Penistone Hill. A real sadness about that for many hundreds, thousands of fell runners by whom they are loved and admired. But their great races will continue at least with Wharfedale Harriers taking on the mantle of Woodentops madness. 
Winter niggles have pestered my progress during December - a bit of a cold snap and all sorts of bits and pieces start nagging. As such, regarding Sunday's race and the Lancs Cross Country Championships the following weekend, in all honesty I am expecting potentially disappointing outcomes for myself. But just to be there and able to race them without further hindrance would be a suitable underlying success.