2022 was certainly a good year to me overall. With last year's saga of melanoma excision surgeries and a lengthy 5-month recovery with weekly hospital visits behind me, I was able to return to full activities, including swimming and triathlons. After working full time for nearly 40 years, including in seven different countries, I decided to leave the proverbial rat race and retired on July 1. Life is short; live life to the fullest.
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| Company retirement party at the Andrea: Hearing some nice words from the head of our division, as I apparently rudely cross my arms
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Unfortunately, into each life some rain must fall, and tragedy struck hard early in the year for my family and me. Losing my youngest brother to suicide was a total shock to me and something I will never fully understand. I'm not going to dwell on it here and I obviously can't bring him back, but I also can't gloss over it or pretend it didn't happen. I spent the better part of the next two months withdrawing from people, events, and work while going through employer-sponsored and encouraged mental health counseling. Ultimately, life goes on. It has to.
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| Happier days: my brother Kurt (to my left) smiling, while talking to my two sons at my Mom's house on Christmas Day twenty years ago --- RIP, Kurt (1978 - 2022) |
In that spirit of both life going on and living life to the fullest, after retiring, Jana, Matthew, and I took an amazing trip to remote Iceland, where I ran my longest race ever (55K) and then I got to cross one item off the bucket list by spending a week in the land of my Walker ancestors, Scotland. (Archibald Walker was my 6th-great-grandfather and he emigrated from Scotland to the Colony of Rhode Island in 1690.)
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| Ah, Scotland! Specifically the Isle of Skye here. Thanks to Jana for this suggested destination. Amazing trip! |
2022 Goals Assessment: (Verbatim restatement of the past year's goals [in black], and responses in red.)
- Major races: Complete two marathons and an ultramarathon. 2022 running for me will revolve around three core races: a spring marathon, a summer ultramarathon, and a fall marathon. Any other 2022 races or series (like the Border Patrol Challenge) that I run will be subservient to training for and running these three races. Fail. 2 out of 3 ain't bad? Completed summer ultramarathon plus fall marathon. Dilly-dallied too long on committing to a spring marathon.
- Mileage: 2,800. I didn't come close in 2021, but it's a new year! Success! Highest mileage ever at 3,095!
- New England: Run in all six states. Again. Success.
- Trails: Run at least one new trail race. Success. Trust Me, You'll Love it (10K) and Laugavegur Ultramarathon (55K).
- 50K: Rebooted from failed 2021 goal. Success. Laugavegur Ultramarathon. I can use that to satisfy two goals, right?
- Triathlon: Rebooted from failed 2021 goal. Success. Completed two sprint triathlons this summer.
- Set new PRs: PR in the marathon, half-marathon, and at least one other distance. What? You know you're pushing 60, right? I'm basing this on my unexpected successes in 2021 with a new PR in the marathon and half, and tying my PR in the 5K. Success! PR in the marathon (2:47:57), half-marathon (1:19:46), 5-Mile (29:18), and 1-Mile Road (5:12). Technically also a PR in the 20K and 20-Mile, as it was my first time racing those distances.
First time ever eclipsing 3K miles! 
Very similar to 2021. South Kingstown and Jamestown dropped out of the top 10,
replaced with Narragansett and Newport.
Pictorial highlights of 2022:
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| January: Hangover Classic on New Year's Day: Starting the new year on a high note with a 5M PR (29:12) |
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| February: skiing with my two nieces and sister-in-law at Yawgoo Valley Ski Area in Exeter |
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| March: a chilly day at Hare Hop 5K (18:00), but of course that never stops me from wearing a singlet and short shorts. |
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| April: PR and first ever sub-1:20! Newport Half (1:19:46) |
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| May: Shad Bloom 10K on Block Island |
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| June: picturesque sunrise run at Tampa Bay |
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| July: amazing experience at my longest race ever, Laugavegur 55K Ultramarathon in remote Iceland (5:31:49) |
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| August: Returning to triathlons (Niantic Bay) with my friend Tommy 5K |
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| September: Drenched, dying, and apparently making weird faces at my 20K debut in New Haven Road Race (1:17:46) |
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| October: Super psyched with this one! Detroit Marathon - first ever sub-2:50 and a big PR! (Picture is on the waterfront in Windsor, Ontario, Canada) |
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| November: My 20th straight Li'l Rhody Runaround (50:20) |
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| December: Just enough snow to make it pretty. One of the many trail runs this year with my 4-legged trail companion, Brady. |
2022 stats:
- Races run: 30 (2021: 21, 2020: 16, 2019: 24, 2018: 25, 2017: 22, 2016: 29, 2015: 36)
- Race breakdown by terrain: Road - 17, Trail - 10, Beach - 1, Tri - 2
- Age group wins: 17
- Overall wins: 3
- Miles run: 3,095
- Elevation run: 199,170'
- Most elevation gain in a single run: 6,837' (Laugavegur 55K)
- Hours run: 428 (2021: 357, 2020: 383, 2019: 281, 2018: 246, 2017: 360)
- Days run: 352 (2021: 302, 2020: 310, 2019: 276, 2018: 240, 2017: 315)
- Lowest mileage week: 26 (April)
- Highest mileage week: 90 (September, while training for Detroit Marathon)
- Highest mileage day: 34 (Laugavegur Ultra Marathon, including warm-up)
- Longest running streak: 154 days (May 24 - October 24, longest streak ever)
- Longest non-running streak: 2 days (May)
- Number of states run in: 13: RI, CT, MA, NH, ME, VT, NY, PA, OH, MI, NC, GA, FL
- Number of countries run in: 4: USA, Canada, Iceland, UK
- Run furthest from home: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
2023 goals:
- Road marathon: Complete in sub-2:50
- 50K: complete a 50K trail race.
- Ironman! It's time. I'm retired, have the time to train, and I'm not getting any younger.
- USATF-CT: Trying something different this year. Cross into our border state and run at least 4 races in the Road Grand Prix.
- Border Patrol Challenge: Complete all 19 courses. I did this two years ago, and it's a good way to keep fit and have a goal during the winter months.
- Mileage: 3,000
- New England: Run in all six states. Again.
- Trails: Run at least one new trail race.
- Set new PR: Set at least one new PR. Last year I already took the half and full marathon PRs lower than I thought possible for me, but my 4M, 5M, and 10K road PRs all have potential to be broken.
That's a wrap! Happy New Year, running friends. May our paths cross in 2023.
Congratulations on an awesome and fun year of running in 2022! Your training and performances are an inspiration. Looking forward to seeing all of the achievements you make in 2023. I wish you the best!
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