New Year running resolutions

FOR SO MANY runners, the New Year is a chance to set goals for the 12 months ahead and put plans in place to achieve them. We asked the race captains of our new Facebook Group to tell us what their resolutions are for 2019 and how they intend to turn them into reality.

Radu Restivan – Tokyo Marathon & BMW Berlin Marathon 2018 was a very difficult year for me because in February I got a bone fracture in my right foot and I had to struggle for months to be able to run again. It all culminated with the TCS New York City Marathon in November, where I started crying during the marathon because I couldn't believe that I was able to finish another Major. For me, 2019 will be about appreciating the small things like being able to run with my friends and family and about enjoying each and every run. In the end it's not about the kilometers we spend running, but the great memories we collect with the running community. I wish everyone the same!

Jill Monroe – Boston Marathon My New Year's resolution is to make new memories and new friends through running. I will be running the St Jude’s Nashville Marathon. My goal is to finish and train smart, but I really am looking forward to running it with a friend and just having fun. I love traveling and running; I hope to keep incorporating the two. I don’t have any time goals, but I’m challenging myself to move every day in some way, whether it be through running, yoga or cross training. I also hope to run 1000 miles this year. I hope to continue to encourage and inspire the running community to explore our beautiful earth on our own two feet.

Neil Gottlieb – Boston Marathon 2019 for me is about continuing to challenge myself and the making most of the journey. To that end, my resolutions for 2019 are to train smart and stay injury-free for the first full year in a decade, and also to run a 50-mile race in my 50th year.

Amy Bradley - Virgin Money London Marathon My New Year's resolution is "finish lines, not finish times", as every time I try to get a PB something happens (cold, broken leg, falling over 20 miles in, that sort of thing...) and I seem to end up injured and disappointed. 2019 is about completing events with a smile and helping the runners I coach on their journeys in marathoning. I also want to give more back and marshal a bit more.

Kelly Haldeman - Virgin Money London Marathon I completed all six Abbott World Marathon Majors this past year (2018) in Boston! Now that the dream came true and hard work paid off, I decided to set some different goals for 2019. I would like to PR my half marathon and be able to enjoy some shorter distance races all while continuing to benefit the IM ABLE Foundation. It was incredibly rewarding to run marathons to give back to this amazing foundation and it’s something I hope to help grow in 2019. Lastly, making a promise to promote positivity and encouragement to all those on a quest to make their running and fitness goals come true!

Denise Sauriol - Bank of America Chicago Marathon I have four big ones: 1.    Help more first-time marathoners turn into many-time marathoners! 2.    Obtain my Second AbbottWMM Six Star Medal in Tokyo this March 3.    Complete the Everest Marathon and Comrades Ultramarathon back to back. I think I might be the first to do such? 4.    Complete my seventh and final continent at the Patagonia Chile marathon

Roni Kornitz – Bank of America Chicago Marathon To complete 100 days of trail running (my resolution for the #RaceSLO100 challenge). 2019 will also include the highlight of my running career, finishing my Six Star journey in London (thanks to AbbottWMM’s competition for five-star finishers). So I'll be doing "Boston to London" in April. I also plan on running 20 marathons in 2019, so I'll be able to complete 200 marathons in 2020.

Brian Cronin – TCS New York City Marathon Allow time to rest. The races will be there, so make sure my body is also able to be there. To get my first sub-four marathon. After years of doing many races in a year, I’m narrowing it to two, so I can focus my training.