First off, since I am not reporting on any particular race, there are not really any new running-related pictures to post. However, I didn't want to have a text-only blog post. As such, this entry will be interspersed with pictures that I think are funny or maybe you'll think are funny, or because reasons.
Such as proof that Jeannine and I shouldn't be allowed in public. This wasn't set up at the Christmas Village. We made it at home. Probably.
Anyway, as 2013 draws to a close, I'm looking back on what was, I believe, overall a pretty good year for my running. I had a few victories (Virginia Creeper Marathon, Blue Ridge Marathon, Dogfish Dash 10K-all course records), a few PR's (Dogfish Dash 10K, Philadelphia Half Marathon), and I finally adhered to my goal of actually maintaining an online training log. This website is also where I got the title to this post, since it converts miles run to calories, and thus into things like, "doughnuts burned," "televisions powered," and "gas saved." I also got to run in my sixth Blue Ridge Relay, where my team FINALLY WON THE FUCKING VAN DECORATING CONTEST!
Victory never tasted so sweet.
There were also some failures this year. I had my first ever DNF at the Delaware Marathon, where I had to withdraw at Mile 19 because what had been a nagging toe pain started to become excruciating, and I felt like continuing would have maybe sidelined me for months. Withdrawing when I did allowed me to only have to take a day or two off. Then, at the Finger Lakes 50K a couple of months later, I had to withdraw around 25 miles in for the same thing. I went to a podiatrist, got everything looked at, and more or less solved the problem. This was one of the reasons that I decided my Fall race should be a half marathon rather than a full marathon.
But then I got to wear a kilt to a wedding two weeks later, so I count that as a win.
I ended up running around 3,400 miles this year (which is apparently around 1,550 doughnuts). My lowest month was 198 miles (March, in which I ran the Virginia Creeper Marathon), and my highest month was 452 miles (August, in which I busted my ass).
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And this is my friend Kelly. He is #18 on Buzzfeed's list of 32 People Who Absolutely Nailed It in 2013.
Looking forward, there will be some changes in the coming training cycle which I hope will be advantageous. For one, I have decided that, at least between now and the Blue Ridge Marathon, during the week, I will do my running exclusively in the morning. This is different from the past in that I will only run once a day and that my hard workouts will mostly be run before the sun comes up. As terrible as that sounds, let me tell you, it can't be worse than having to do a hard workout after a long workday. This Fall, things got a bit dark (figuratively and literally) when I would have to begin a hard track workout at 8:00pm after being on my feet for 11 hours and then be back out the door running a medium-long run (usually 13 miles) seven hours later. And since I am planning on writing and submitting my thesis proposal this Spring, having my running out of the way by 6:30 or 7:00am is a good thing. I do plan on continuing to work with Coach Mike. We only worked together for the two months leading up the the Philly Half, and I was definitely fitter, faster, and more prepared than I would have been on my own, and probably more so than I have ever been. I'm anxious to see what happens with more training time and for the full marathon distance.
Running Goals for 2014:
-Run at least 4,000 miles. I had some very solid months in 2013. I also had some lackluster months, largely impacted by my work schedule. If I get in all of my scheduled mileage before work, this can be averted. Also, by running fewer long races, there will be less tapering and less recovering, so I can keep my training at a more consistent volume.
-PR at the half-marathon, 10K, 15K, and marathon. Yes, ideally, these would be the goals for every runner every year, but I think that this year, given my schedule and my current fitness and plan, I can actually achieve this if I can stay free of injury.
-ACTUALLY stick to doing regular core work. This has been a hard one for me to stick to in the past. I have a pretty bulky upper body for a long distance runner, so it's hard for me to make time for exercise that is not exclusively running. To inspire me to do core work, I will watch this video of Bruce Lee playing ping pong with nunchucks.
"Bruce Lee Playing Ping Pong with Nunchucks" Badass is the only thing in my ranking system that rivals "Theodore Roosevelt Being Shot in the Chest and Finishing his Speech" Badass.
Alright, well I believe that's all I have for now. If there's something I forgot, I can report on the other side of midnight tomorrow.
Have a Happy New Year!
Jeff
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