The Challenge:
To run 2,017 miles between 1 January and 31 December 2017.
The Why
The rather annoying experience of having to abandon my 2016 run made me determined that any future miles would never again feel “wasted”. As I slowly dragged my injured frame to Balmaha, I began cooking up a year-long plan to run 2.017 miles throughout the whole of 2017.
Training started in August and I was careful to build up the miles again gradually. Everything was going as intended and then at the start of December 2016 – BOOM! – everything went wrong.
It was big. And it changed everything.
Fixing myself took a lot of effort, a lot of pain and a lot of time. I’d pretty much lost a quarter of the year before I was even ready to start. But no matter, I’d lost far more important things besides that.
The Story
I could have come up with something else to do, but instead I was determined to at least try to complete the challenge. 
I framed my entire 2017 challenge as a race between myself and the Black Dog – a physical representation of the mental fight that is depression.
The whole year was really just one big metaphor – me against my demons.
I lost.
The dog won the race.
But at least I lived to fight another day.
The Details
| Monthly Totals (Man) | |
| At Month End | Miles run |
| Jan | 74 |
| Feb | 61 |
| Mar | 36 |
| Apr | 194 |
| May | 192 |
| Jun | 171 |
| Jul | 14 |
| Aug | 84 |
| Sep | 230 |
| Oct | 123 |
| Nov | 171 |
| Dec | 10 |
| 2017 Totals | ||
| Total Miles (Man) |
Total Miles (Dog)* |
Difference (Man vs. Dog) |
| 74 | 168 | -94 |
| 135 | 336 | -201 |
| 171 | 504 | -333 |
| 365 | 672 | -307 |
| 557 | 840 | -283 |
| 728 | 1,008 | -280 |
| 742 | 1,176 | -434 |
| 826 | 1,344 | -518 |
| 1,056 | 1,512 | -456 |
| 1,179 | 1,680 | -501 |
| 1,350 | 1,848 | -498 |
| 1,360 | 2,017 | -657 |
*the Black Dog runs slightly more than 168 miles every month, without fail.
This is helped by the fact that he doesn’t have a full-time job, and has no
other responsibilities whatsoever to worry about. I hate that dog!
The Cause
Throughout 2017, I ran various running challenges to try and help me reach my goal. While I didn’t succeed, I was pleased to raise over £1,000 for The Archie Foundation thanks to the generosity of some truly wonderful people.
The Archie Foundation makes a huge difference to the lives of sick children here in the North of Scotland.
To you all: a sincere thank you.
Watch the video below to find out more about The Archie Foundation and their work:
Description of a Struggle
and Other Stories
by Franz Kafka