Josh O'Neill

2023 Review

Josh O'Neill -

About Last Weekend...

I had the intention of sending out a final post of 2023 while I was in Dublin however I ran out of time as it was a packed couple of days.

The couple of weeks leading up to Christmas have probably made this December the busiest one yet.

Going away the weekend before Christmas was a great idea on paper. It did, however, mean we had to have all our gifts and shopping completed by the 22nd.

Instead, I've decided to review 2023 and lay out some plans for 2024.

2023

What I Set Out To Do

My first blog of 2023 included a list of some goals I set out for myself:

  1. Complete a 50km trail ultra-marathon - I did 2, Ultra X and Run The Blades.
  2. Continue to grow this blog by becoming a better writer - Not a quantifiable goal however, I did get a post about the Run The Blades ultra boosted on Medium which meant it got sent out to more users and became my most viewed and earned post.
  3. Build on my coaching skills (leadership and communication) - I'd say this has been achieved. I've spoken at the RFA in-person events, been on podcasts and had amazing coaching calls with clients throughout the year.
  4. Continuous professional development both technically and in soft skills - this sounds like corporate talk lol.

What Happened

One of my biggest values is travel and adventure.

This year I've been to:

  • Lille, France (via Brussels Charleroi and the Belgian countryside)
  • Overnight stays in Edinburgh and Fort Augustus
  • Florida
  • Tenerife
  • Barcelona for Hyrox
  • Dublin in December

I added 2 Munros to my list - An Caisteal and Beinn a'Chroin - with some solo hill walking. Despite being knee-deep in snow at parts it was a cool experience.

2022 was the year I discovered I was physically and mentally capable of more. 2023 was the year I pushed the boundaries even further than I thought I could.

I got humbled at the Glentress Half Marathon and ran along some of the West Highland Way with my good friend Ryan.

When the time came for my first ultra, I felt ready. It didn't go exactly as I hoped. Cramp about 30km in meant the last couple of hours were the longest of my life while I chewed on salt tablets and ran while the pain was bearable. Crossing that line was a huge achievement.

So much so that I decided I wanted to do it again. This time with a lot less prep and to prove to myself and others that your body and mind are capable of a lot when the goal means that much to you.

Then came prepping for Hyrox.

This was different to any training I had done before. A lot more conditioning work and cardio.

I put healthy pressure on myself and set a time goal of 1 hour 20 minutes which set the standard going forward.

This was one of the best weekends of the year. Aligning multiple values together like this got me into such a clear headspace heading into the event itself. The feeling of sitting on the beach in November relaxed me in preparation for what was to come the following day.

2024

I’m super excited for another year of huge growth.

For the first time in my adult life I feel in control of my own destiny with a lot more influence on the outcomes that I actually want.

Physically the goals are:

  • Podium at Hyrox
  • Run another ultra marathon
  • Complete a 24 hour charity challenge
  • Possibly one other which I’ll reveal later 👀

Lifestyle wise:

  • Visit 2 new countries
  • Have a date night 1-2 times per month
  • Spend more time with my family
  • Be around the people who bring out the best in me

2023 was a beautiful chapter in my life.

2024 is going to be even better.

Have a great New Year when it comes🎉

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Speak soon!