It’s a New Year, and the time of year to set yourself new challenges, writes Hannah Webster.

Seasoned readers of this blog will be aware that I’m not in favour of going on diets or setting weight loss targets.  I think the best challenges are ones you come out of with positive achievements that can never be taken away from you. Climbing a mountain, cycling the 900 miles between John O’Groats to Lands End, achieving a good time in a triathlon – these are all challenges which take hard work and determination, and crossing that finish line or meeting that summit will be something you will never forget.

This is why I have set myself another one this year. Last year, all I wanted to do was to complete a marathon I did that, albeit in a relatively slow time, and it was incredible. This year, I have added a few things to the idea to make it more interesting.

I will be running the ING New York City Marathon in November, with an aim of completing it in under five hours, 38 minutes quicker than my last one. Now, the New York Marathon is the biggest marathon event in the world, having started in 1970 with a few athletes it has grown to an event with about 45,000 competitors. It is difficult to get a place unless you go through a tour operator such as Sports Tours International, and because Sports Tours itself has managed to get me into the race, it allows me the option of raising cash for a charity.

As a Walsall reporter and someone who knows and cares about the town, I have chosen to raise money for Walsall Hospice I have covered stories of challenges and money-raising events for the hospice, and spoken to many people passionate about the cause. I have watched as the new hospice takes shape in Goscote Lane. The facility is so important to the people in the town, and it has been inspiring seeing it come together. The only sadness is for those who missed it and could not have their relatives close by in their final months.

The New York Marathon has massive fund raising potential – not least because the event marked the beginning of mainstream marathon running – and this year I want to know that I am running for an extra reason than as a personal challenge. Participants raised more than £30 million last year and I am all set to contribute to that effort for 2011. As soon as I have a donation web page set up, I will post it on here and get started with pushing for the cause.

I have got my running shoes back on in the last few weeks and I am already starting to feel those familiar aches and pains in preparation for the Reading Half Marathon in March. Long may it continue.