2015 in Review, 2016 Goals

2015 in Review:

Let's start this review off with the obligatory review of 2015 goals:

• Mileage:  2,200.  Surpassed (barely).  Actual mileage 2,207
• PR goals:  I specified goals only for the half marathon (1:20:47) or full (2:51:55).  Achieved neither.  My first half-marathon (Ocean's Run) was short in distance due to snow/ice, my 2nd half (Surftown) was off my PR by over a minute.  With regards to a full marathon, this was the first year in 13 years of running that I didn't run one at all.  Didn't plan well; more on that later.  (The irony is that I PR'd at a number of unspecified distances:  5K, 4-Mile, 5-Mile, 10-Mile, and finally broke 50 minutes at Rhody!)
• Volunteering:  In 2015, I look to keep volunteering for WTAC, Westerly Land Trust, and at least one other cause / organization.  Exceeded.  In addition to the aforementioned, volunteered at the ice skating rink, at the WARM Shelter, for the YMCA Back Road Ramble, for the Westerly High School Rivalry Run 5K, and most recently accepted an invitation to join the Westerly Land Trust Finance Board.
• Stepping up the distance:  Full Ironman.  Failed.  Never materialized beyond the dream stage.
• Keeping it fun:  Passed.  Still really enjoying running, group runs and rides, tris, vicariously running through Matthew, and helping to put on events.

Miscellaneous 2015 Running Stats:
Races run:  36
Age group wins:  27  (As Mike B would tell you, that's only because by the time you get to my age, there's nobody else left that is still running)
Miles run:  2,207
Hours run:  294
Days run: 304
Lowest mileage week:  20
Highest mileage week:  70
Highest mileage day:  32
Highest mileage run:  25
Longest running streak: 20 days
Longest non-running streak:  2 days
Number of states run in:  9 (including all New England states!)
Number of countries run in:  2
Run furthest from home:  Treasure Island, FL
New Strava CRs (that I still hold at EOY):  15 


2015 Pictorial Review by Month:

January:  Fun group run in Misquamicut on MLK Day.

February:  Final Super 5K.   Such a shame; we have a huge
WTAC team attendance (above) complete with finishing time
wagering and Mews celebration.

March:  Snow still on the ground at the end
of March at Brrr-lingame race.  This was
just an awesome winter for those of us that
love to run and play in the snow.

April:  Running on Florida gulf coast
beaches and trails.

May:  New experience pacing a group at the
inaugural Mystic Half Marathon.

June:  Northfield Mountain, MA.  Grueling, but rewarding and
bonding experience at the Ragnar Trail Relay.  When else
do you run trails at 3:30am with a headlamp and come back to
a roaring fire and Smores?
Anybody have a pic of Chris limping around the next morning
like an 80-old guy?  Hilarious (at his expense).

July:  My 13th consecutive Blessing of the Fleet
10-Miler was my fastest and funnest ever (1:00:52), despite
the soaking rain.

August:  Block Island Tri.  Enjoying a post-race

lunch on the island with the WTAC team.  My

favorite tri.

September:  Myrtle Beach, SC.  Fun runs on the beach while visiting
southern colleges with Mark.

October:  Run for the Pumpkins 5K Trail Race.
So much fun both organizing and running this
inaugural race.  Leaves me yearning for more trail races
and trail planning.

November:  Li'l Rhody.  A perennial favorite, but this year even more so with a
 sub-50 finish and a PR of over a minute!

December:  Christmas 10K.  Fun race, but even more fun
was the gathering with the WTAC team for warm-up, cool-down,
and post-race lunch at Brick Alley Pub.  Thanks Tommy for planning this one!

2016 Goals:

For 2016, I am going to get back to some very specific and measurable goals:

• Distance: Run 2,315 miles.  Why such an odd figure?  To beat my highest mileage year ever (2014: 2,314 miles)
• PRs:  Surprised myself with big PRs in the 5-mile (36 seconds), 10-mile (40 seconds), and Rhody (1 minute, 4 seconds).  This suggests to me that even at my advanced age, there may still be room for some additional lifetime PRs.  So here's laying down the gauntlet for PRs to be broken:

1. 5K (current PR 17:32)
2. 5-Mile (29:36)
3. Rhody (49:10)
4. 10-Mile (1:00:52)
5. Marathon (2:51:55) 



What do you think:  will the New Year hold any PRs for me?
2015 results give me room for optimism.



• Return to the Marathon:  Really disappointed in myself that after 13 years of consecutive marathon running (17 marathons total), I didn't run any in 2015.  Had signed up for Boston and plunked down the three Grants, but backed out of it when the NRA bus fell apart and the logistics got worse.  Then I planned on a fall marathon, er ... I didn't plan at all, but rather I just kept thinking about it and somehow felt that would be enough to get it done.  Failure! 
  
  So here goes my 2016 marathon plans:  Sugarloaf Marathon, May 15.  Registered! (to keep myself honest)  A new and interesting venue for me.  Planning out my rough training schedule now.

So what about the Full Ironman I keep talking smack about?  Yeah, um ... honestly, having trouble pulling the trigger on the entry fee of seven Franklins, before transportation, hotels, etc.  Thinking Mark's college and a 2016 family vacation should get higher budget priority.  That's my latest excuse and I'm sticking with it.

• New trail course planning:  Had a lot of fun designing and planning out the new Run for the Pumpkins 5k course in 2015.  While none should require the same amount of work, potential new race courses that I may have a hand in during 2016 include 1) Back Road Ramble - 5 Mile Option, 2) WHS new XC course, 3) new trail 5K possibility for WTAC that is just in the conception phase.
• Trail running:  Run at least one new trail destination race that I've never run before.  Had so much fun running the Catamount 10K trail run in northern Vermont last summer.  I have a couple possibilities in mind for 2016, but nothing I can commit to yet.

Well, that's a wrap!  Happy New Year, friends and frenemies alike, and happy trails (and roads, track ovals, beach running, bike routes, swim lanes, etc.)!  What are your aspirations?  I look forward to reading them.