2010 : I Continue

Looking back on 2009, I realized just how much I was able to accomplish in one year. I went from starting the year hesitant about running because of an injury and running about 20 miles a week on average to ending with a weekly average between 40 and 50 miles and gain confidence in my abilities. I ran personal records in every single race distance I tried, from the 5K to the marathon and I was consistent in making some sort of activity a part of my daily life. Not only am I running and walking more than I was when 2009 started, I also found new things to keep me active – camping and downhill skiing to name a few.

My resolution for 2010 is to Continue, to keep doing what I am doing – continue running strong farther and faster without injury, continue trying new things and continue doing those fun, new things I discovered last year.

I’d also like to set a few personal goals for myself, including:

• Run my 4th marathon and get close to the 4 hour mark
• Run my first ultra marathon (JFK 50 is my tentative goal)
• Try something new (Boxing? Yoga? Swimming?)
• Write a short story (put my fingers to keyboard this year…get it down, out my head)
• Paint and decorate one room in the house to completion

I’m looking forward to making it all happen in 2010!

Daily Dozen:
10.5 miles run this morning, intervals – 1 mile easy, 1 mile pushing the pace, repeat
XT and pushups in the gym @ lunch hour

2009 : My Look Back

I took the opportunity on my run this morning to think about my running last year. I started the year coming off an injury, slowly building a base in order to train for my third marathon. It wasn’t an ideal way to begin striving for a life lived in motion but it was my starting point nonetheless.

Without having the benefit of looking back over blog entries or review the numbers on my spreadsheet, I feel very positive about 2009. I had no serious injuries and showed good sense after my marathon by taking a few weeks off to fully recover. I spent many lunch hours in the gym with weights and other strength training exercises or outside taking a walk. I’ve more than doubled the amount of walking I get in each day as result of moving to a house (a house I own…along with the loan people). I stayed active on all my vacations and even built some of them around being active – traveling for a marathon and hiking mostly. To top off the year, I have built my running base up to 50 miles per week and I am running strong going in to training for my fourth marathon.

Looking back at my resolution for 2009: Be Consistent, my current higher weekly mileage and strength and confidence is proof I was able to achieve this goal. I can’t say I was always consistent with my nutrition but I do think I am getting better. Rather than take my own word for it, though, I took a look at the numbers to get an even better sense of my year.

• I took over 7 Million Steps, which means I traveled 3,193 miles on my own two feet.
• That is an average of 19,440 steps or 8.73 miles each day!
• I ran 233 times for a total annual mileage of 1,436 miles – 45% of my total miles (3,193) were run.
• I ran on 219 days or better yet, I took a rest day 146 days. This also means that on 14 days I ran twice.
• I spent 249 hours 14 minutes and 15 seconds running over the year, added together that is 10 days 9 hours and 15 minutes spent running or 0.12% of the year.
• I increased my lifetime running mileage to 4,127 miles.
• I ran 9 races in 2009 – 1 5k, 1 10k, 3 10-milers, 3 half marathons and one full marathon.
• That equals 104.8 miles raced. I also PR’ed in every one of those distances. Go me!
• My average distance per run was 6.17 miles with an average time per run of 1 hour 4 minutes 11 seconds at an average pace of 10:24 per mile.
• On average I ran 26.82 miles per week. (This needs to increase!)
• I ran the highest monthly mileage in October (177.21 miles) and the lowest in June (54.09).
• However, I took the most steps in the month of September (756,102) but June was also the lowest month for steps by far (401,715).
• I did some form of cross-training 97 times. Strength training, 89 times.

It was a good year for sure but I think I can do even better!

I was also able to achieve several of the personal goals I set for myself:

• Run a marathon or two. Check. Keybank Vermont City Marathon. Oh yeah!
• Write a short story. I haven’t put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard) but I do have some ideas floating around in my head so this one is a continuing work in progress.
• Try something new. Check. Camping is so much fun.
• Buy a house. Check. YES!

Daily Dozen:
5.5 mile run @ morning

Happy New Year!

I'm having a little trouble believing it is 2009. I know everyone says it but, the year went by so quickly and quite a lot changed. I got married, left one job, got another job, trained to run two marathons, didn't run either one, sat out for two months because of an injury, started a blog, and restarted my running. I visited a Caribbean island and added another state to my list of places I've experienced. I went hiking, camping and even tried cross country skiing. The year may have gone by quick but I was still able to fill it to the brim.

My resolution this year is simply: Be Consistent.

If I'm consistent (and smart) with my running I'll end the year a much stronger and more experienced runner than I am beginning it. The key will be to avoid injury and this is where the running smart comes in to play. In order for me to achieve consistency, I have to be willing to sit out a day if something is nagging rather than try to run through it and possibly make it worse. I can't be a slave to my running schedule.

However, I also need to stick to my schedule and not be tempted to do more just because I'm feeling good. I think this stupid optimism is what got me in trouble this past year and I need to play it smarter. If I want to be consistent over the long run, not just this year but in terms of being a lifetime runner, I need to run smarter.

I am also going to try to make more consistent choices when it comes to nutrition and food. I'm not suggesting that I will eat healthy all of the time but rather that I be more conscience of the choices I do make. I shouldn't expect that my pants aren't going to be tight after wolfing down a plate of nachos if I don't follow that meal with several that are healthy and nutritious.

The last aspect of my life I want to focus on being consistent about is spending (and as a result, saving). I don't need any more clothes, the ones I have are just fine. I don't need any more shoes, I have plenty. I don't need to buy more things, in fact, I would like to get rid of the excess I do own.

Finally, I want to go on record with some things I would like to accomplish this year:

• Run a marathon or two. It doesn't matter my time as long as I finish them feeling strong and empowered.
• Write a short story.
  
• Try something new - swimming, ice skating, cycling, ultra racing, mountain climbing??
• Buy a house.