2012 Resolution

Happy New Year! I have never been one for resolutions, 'cause I'm not a fan of broken promises, so If I make one... I like to really give it a good try. I am getting back to documenting my idiotic tales of running. 1. It helps me to remember. and 2. Maybe one day it will help to completely confuse my children as to why their Dad was in running clothes most of their life. 2011 was a good year. I set personal bests for all the distances I raced. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can do better.

This year with Amelia as a new training partner, I was able to get a little closer to the recreational runner's Holy Grail... the Sub 20 minute 5K. It was the only 3 month period where I kept my crazy eating under control. Lighter means faster.

I ran 3 marathons this year, Flying Pig, the Carmel Marathon, and the Indianapolis, running consecutive personal bests at the Indiana races, getting down to 3:41. I have been trying to get the clock to read 3:3X:XX for about 3 years now. The Indy race I really had a good chance, but a 25 mile per hour wind in the face really took the steam out of me.

I also ran my fastest 50K this year, dropping 45 minutes off my time at Germantown, getting down to 5:23, on trails. It was a great day weather wise and I felt amazing through all 31 miles. It was a transcending experience. To drop that much time, to feel that good, I must be doing something right! Most importantly not one day, did I not run due to a "running related" injury. Its getting close to 5 years, since I had anything that's stopped me, so that's a big deal too!

I still think I have a couple years left of getting faster. ( I think) This of course, goes against the rule I subscribe to... that you can only have 7 years of improvement, at anything. All things, work, sports, life, you can only try to improve on the same thing for 7 years and make it better, after that it falls apart. You either have to go do something else, quit, get fired... or reinvent the thing that you do. So this year my reinvention has to be how I eat. I can't continue to run 50 up to 70 miles a week... but eat like I'm running 120! Plus the fast food obsession needs to get some serious work. (Rosaries and Proverbs is just not enough to get me over the hump) I am thinking of some radical scenarios (radical for me, that is) to try to get my eating issues under control... seriously, if I did not run like I do...I'd be in line to be a Biggest Loser contestant, no doubt in my mind!

So for the tentative 2012 race schedule: this is just target races, there is no telling when something may pop up or get substituted.

March Big 10 Hoops 5k.... will need to run some 5K's before and after this... but this is the target for running a 19:5X. I have enlisted the help of famed Florida running coach Carl Egbert to help prepare me for this feat. (he's working pro bono) I know I have it in me somewhere... more fast running and 15lbs off the frame should help!

Then next target is the Marathon. I currently plan to run the Carmel Marathon again, which has moved its date to late April. (Much better than the Inaugural which was in mid-June this year) I was really proud of myself for running a PR in the heat, and I look forward to being on the starting line 30 years from now as an old codger that has run in ALL of them!

A well as being a shot to run a best time, the marathon is also going to serve as a "tempo run" for another go at the 50 mile distance. There are 2 events in mid-May that I am considering. Either doing the Dances with Dirt Gnawbone race again, or going up to Wisconsin for the Ice Age Trail 50..... the cons of the going to Brown county is they get stupid sometimes running you so far off trail...(not looking to go Hoosier Hiking) and the con of the Kettle Moraine race is driving 5 hours. So we'll see.

For the fall, I am just hoping to have a real nice training effort at running a great Marathon again. My training is always best going from the summer into fall. Not sure what race.... I would love to do Steamtown (Scranton, Pa)... if it could coincide with a Rutgers game. I have never done the Monumental so that is an option. If we head back home then maybe Philly. We'll see, plenty of time to figure that one out.

Thank you for the indulgence, I just wanted to get my thoughts down for the year. I have resolved to keep up with this, so I am shooting for a monthly edition! All in all, 2012, should be a fun year of Going, Going, Going!