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Two weeks after my first half marathon, I ran the hilly Warwick Castle course and finished in 1 hour 43 minutes, more than six minutes quicker than Silverstone despite the hills.

Ten years after my cousin’s son died from Cystic Fibrosis aged just 18, I reflected on his cheeky spirit and how his memory drives my 2013 self powered miles challenge.

I completed my first official half marathon at the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon in 1 hour, 49 minutes and 53 seconds, faster at 10 miles than my Great South Run finish last year.

After going meat free on Mondays through my year without beer, I decided to go completely meat free for the whole of March to see if my health and fitness improve further.

In month two of my 2013 self powered miles challenge I ran, cycled and rowed 200.9 miles, including a Gloucester 10k personal best, taking my yearly total to 406.8 miles.

After losing over 5 stone since 2009, my wedding ring had to be resized by four sizes, and my clothes show I’ve lost about 10 inches off my waist.

I ran the Gloucester 10k in the wind and rain, finishing in 47 minutes and 35 seconds, a personal best by about 3 minutes, as part of my 2013 self powered miles challenge.

In my first month of running 2013 self powered miles, I covered 205.9 miles by running, cycling, rowing and swimming, including a 5k at Disney’s Epcot and a snowy run back home.

I missed the official start of the World’s Biggest Juice Detox while in Florida, so began my own 7 day juice detox a day late, alongside a new challenge to cover 2013 self powered miles in 2013.

On a family holiday in the US, we ran the Disney 5k Family Fun Run through Epcot, with my three year old daughter leaving her stroller to finish the last mile in her Cinderella dress.

After finishing my year without beer I set a new challenge: 2013 self powered miles in 2013, built on running the Great South Run and hitting 670 miles in 2012.

After 366 days without a drop of alcohol, I’d lost over three stone, started running, and finished the Great South Run in 1 hour 23 minutes, setting up a year of races ahead.