AHHH January. The month of hope. New goals, new aspirations and gyms flooded with fresh members ready to make 2024 their year.
It is a month littered with contradictions. Despite the need to tighten purse strings and the inevitable festive season come down, January brings a sense of a fresh start.
While some will end up falling back into old habits, many will make drastic life changes that alter their circumstances and health for the better.
The truth is, these alterations can be made at any stage during the calendar year.
However, what January offers, is a clean slate. A new diary and new beginnings.
If local avid sportsmen and women are in search of added inspiration – look no further than Jersey’s own Joe Parkinson.
Completing a single marathon is usually a runner’s ultimate goal. How about 12? In 12 days? In brutal conditions in the build up to Christmas?
In aid of Mind Jersey and Jersey Christmas Appeal, that is exactly what the strength and conditioning coach set about achieving.
Needless to say, Parkinson not only completed his target, but 11 of the 12 marathons were finished in less than 4hrs 44mins.
What might be even more impressive, is that his latest feat is only the tip of the iceberg in Parkinson’s 2023.
Just a few notables include the Double Top Ultra Marathon, Jersey Triathlon, 480×48 powerlifting into ultra-marathon, Ironman Italy, Channel Island 100km ultra-marathon and finally his epic 12 marathons in 12 days.
An ever humble Parkinson joked about his year: “I guess it was OK.”
What many fail to grasp is what goes into these monumental efforts. The teams behind the individual and the support offered along the way. Parkinson’s journey has been one of discovery, mental and physical growth and pushing his body way beyond the boundaries he once thought were impossible to break through.
“I’m 30 this year. I was quite aware that fitness will become harder to maintain and even decline as the years draw on,” he said.
“I felt like I wanted to make the most of being in peak condition, otherwise all of the training through the years would have felt slightly worthless. There wasn’t much of a plan set in stone at the beginning of 2023. It was more a case of jumping on opportunities that presented themselves to me.
“I had a burning desire to really push the boundaries of what I thought I was capable of and there were lots of ‘failures’ along the way. Looking back with hindsight, what I considered ‘failures’ were more like
