So as the first week of 2017 draws to a close and we all stop talking about the festivities of the last few weeks our minds start to focus on the year ahead and we start to concentrate and work on the steps we need to take to reach the goals we have set for the months ahead.

This very weekend 4 years ago I took my first step(up and around a big hill)  towards one of my 2013 goals which was to lose weight and improve my health by setting a running challenge target in aid of charity. Over the months of 2013 I would take part in numerous 5k and 10k running events in support of various charities which would help and motivate me to reach my goal by the end of that year.

So a dozen official race events later and 3 stone lighter in weight I had achieved my goal by treating each race as taking a small step along the way which when combined would in turn help me achieve this big hairy yearly goal I had set myself.

Similarly last year in 2016 I set my myself a 40th birthday year challenge of taking part and completing my first ever marathon which after achieving smaller training steps and challenges in the many months before the marathon I managed to achieve my goal and complete the Edinburgh marathon.

Whether in business or personal life we need to set ourself various big hairy goals. To achieve the target though we need to break down how we are going to reach our goal by setting smaller achievable targets (mini goals) which when taken lead us to our end big hairy goal.

One of my big hairy goals for 2017 is to complete my second marathon which will be in my home city of Stirling but the only way to achieve that goal is by getting the hard work done in the many months before by setting training targets and achieving the smaller steps through hard work.

No one ever accomplished a big hairy goal by not putting in the hard work and taking smaller steps beforehand. 

Stumbled across this Sunday newspaper article today about Virgin Sports - looks like the company launched by Richard Branson in 2015 is ready to increase its pace in the running and cycling events market.

Mass-participation fitness events have certainly become more popular over the past decade which was highlighted recently in our own area with The Great Run Company launching the Stirling Scottish Marathon event in 2017. 

These events are a crucial way in raising money for charity so with Virgin's not-for-profit fundraising Virgin Money Giving you can expect these two to be closely linked which in turn will hopefully increase the benefit for charities. 

It was on this day, Sunday 19th June 2016 that I had my very own Battle of Bannockburn. 
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Three weeks after completing my first ever marathon in Edinburgh it was back to shorter distances but that meant running at a much faster pace than marathon pace.

I had signed up for the inaugural Bannockburn 10k in 2014 to mark the 700th anniversary of the famous battle but illness prevented me from participating so I decided after training hard for the marathon that taking part in this years Bannockburn event would be a good experience and thankfully  my battle with this hilly 10k course was won.

The Bannockburn event was a well organised and enjoyable event raising funds for the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund but also this year for the Small but Mighty Fund who are raising funds for the Brain Tumour Cancer charity.

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The inspirational London Marathon takes place today and in just 5 weeks time it will be my turn as I take part in my first ever marathon in Edinburgh. 

Training for this challenge continues and yesterday I ran my furthest distance to date running 18 miles around Stirling.

I will be running for the charity Cancer Research and would appreciate any support that people can give to this great organisation in the battle against cancer.

My sponsorship page is at https://www.justgiving.com/scottmclean40

Comedian Eddie Izzard has completed his amazing challenge in South Africa to run 27 marathons in 27 days for Sport Relief.

I'm running my first marathon in May and yesterday I completed my first ever half-marathon distance through the streets of Stirling.

​I've got blisters where I didn't think I could get blisters and lets not talk about how I look while walking today so how Eddie has managed to do 27 marathons which included 2 today on his last day is just remarkable and and achievement that I dip my hat to. 

My first ever Marathon in May edges closer and today training continued with a 6 mile trail run in Sauchie, Alloa at the Gartmorn 6. 

During my 2013 Charity Challenge I first ran this race and today I'm pleased that my time of 46 minutes 54 seconds was nearly 5 minutes quicker than three years ago.

The marathon takes place in Edinburgh and I have a main fundraising page for the marathon supporting Cancer Research in which donations and support would be greatly appreciated. 

I took part in the 10K Resolution Run on Sunday in Edinburgh with a respectable time of 47mins 51 seconds.

The charity fundraising event is for the Stroke Association with a couple of  hundred runners taking part in either the 5K or 10K races.

The Resolution Run series is a number of events held throughout the UK with the Edinburgh event taking place in the outskirts of the city at the scenic foreshore in Crammond.

In a few months I will take part in my first marathon which also takes place in Edinburgh. A donation was made to the Stroke Association charity with my main fundraising page for the marathon supporting Cancer Research in which donations and support would be greatly appreciated. 

If you use Facebook like I do for many of my business and community activities why not use the power of social media to connect and have a conversation.

My new Facebook page is now live and starting to increase its profile.

If Twitter is your thing then I'm also on that and you can follow me on @ScottLMcLean