Retrospective

My goal for 2007 was to improve. Improve overall fitness and become a better, faster runner. Since 2006 was a year of personal worsts for me, both fitness and running-wise, I knew I had nowhere to go but up. But how far I could go was the real mystery. Since the time I started "running" in 2003, and then running my first long distance races beginning in 2005, I always ran and trained conservatively and fearfully. When I raced, even in a 5k, I was afraid of going too fast. When I ran half and then full marathons I was afraid of injury and bonking. By the time I ran the Flying Pig in May 2006 and The Disneyland Half in September 2006 I was overweight (by my standards) and pulled off my slowest finish times in those two distances. I was going backward and I wanted to go forward.

2007 (or rather Fall 2006) came with a new attitude. I was going to go for it. I was going to conquer my imagined fears and see what I was really capable of accomplishing. When I turned 44 in February, I vowed to PR in every distance I raced this year. As it turned out, not only did I PR, but I PRd my PRs!

My races and times:

More Half Marathon: 2:10
The Cleveland Marathon: 4:39:10Redlegs Run For Home 5k: 26:19
Racing to Read 5k: 25:59
Hyde Park Blast 4 Miles: 35:42
Conquer the Hill 10k: 56:56
State-to-State Half Marathon: 2:03:10
ING New York City Marathon: 4:31:10
Thanksgiving Day Race 10k: 54:25

In the course of the year, I lost 15 pounds and have managed my weight and eating in a healthy way. My body fat is less than 16% which is excellent.

I've run a total of 1480.65 miles this year, averaging 123 miles per month and about 30 miles a week.

Next year, my goal is to run a 4:15 marathon and to break 2:00 in the Half. Most likely, my spring marathon will be the Kentucky Derby Marathon on April 26th and the Columbus Marathon in the fall. I tend not to make specific race plans in between but race when and where I can.

Here's to setting goals and achieving them!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!