2024 in Review, 2025 Goals

2024 Highlights:  By all accounts, 2024 was a great year for me!  No injuries, no setbacks, and a number of accomplishments and highlights.  Here are a selected few:

New England Runner / Marathon Sports Athlete of the Month:  This was a complete surprise and quite the honor for me.  Tommy 5K reached out to me and asked if I had seen the most recent issue, and said I might want to check it out.  Certainly one of my top highlights of the year!

Abbott Age Group World Ranking:  I had no idea, but Abbott World Majors pulls data from hundreds of marathons around the world and tabulates age group rankings.  I was shocked and thrilled to learn that this year, I had the 6th fastest marathon time in the country in my age group, and 41st in the world.  Getting an invite to the 2025 Age Group World Championships at the NYC Marathon was an added bonus!

Surprised and thrilled to be ranked 6th in the country
in my age group in the marathon
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(My world ranking slipped from 41 to 50 by year-end, but
no complaints there either; just something to try to 
improve upon next year)

Ireland:  The travel highlight of the year was a family trip to Ireland in August.  Unfortunately Mark opted out as he prefers the warmer climates, but Jana, Matthew, and I enjoyed a 7-day tour of the Emerald Isle, including Northern Ireland.  Travel report here

Carrauntoohil, highest point in Ireland

The famed Cliffs of Moher

Cross-country trip:  With Matthew finishing up grad school in California, I assisted him moving back home in December.  We took the long way home by taking 11 days, driving approximately 3,800 miles through 17 states, visiting 8 national parks, hiking 3 state highpoints, and running 110 miles in 9 states along the way.  I'm working on a travel recap which I'll post soon.

Guadalupe Peak, 8,751'
High Point of Texas, in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Concerts:  Kevin "Mo" MacDonald called me an "old rocker", which fits and I took it as a compliment!  Attended two great shows in 2024:

Rolling Stones!  (Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA, May)
Mick Jagger gave an amazing performance at age 80!

AC/DC!  (Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, August)
Awesome!  And I've got tickets to see Brian, Angus, and the crew
stateside at Gillette Stadium in May 2025!

Volunteerism:  I firmly believe in giving back to the community, and I certainly try to practice what I preach.  I continued my volunteering roles with both Westerly Track & Athletic Club and The Westerly Land Trust.  In 2024, I took on a new role by putting my financial background to work in becoming an IRS certified volunteer to prepare tax returns at the Jonnycake Center for those that qualify.  I wasn't sure how this would work out, but so many individuals were so appreciative that I'll help out again in 2025.

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2024 Goals Assessment:  (Last year's goals in black; assessment against those goals in red.)

• Road marathon:  Complete in sub-2:55  Success!  Ran the Indianapolis Marathon in 2:53:26
• Mileage:  3,000 (should be attainable if I stay injury-free this year)  Success!  Total mileage 3,132
• Trails:  Run at least one new trail race.  Success!  Ran four new (to me) trail races:  Vermont Overland (VT), Goodwin Forest 30K (CT), Run the Ridge 10K (Ireland), and Three Sisters Skyline Half Marathon (OR).
• Set a new age-group course record:  As I turn 60 this year, I have my eye on breaking at least one of the following 60+ men's course records at 2024 RI summer races:  Blessing of the Fleet (1:01:55, 1993), Run 4 Kerri 4M (23:57, 2003), Bobby Doyle 5M (29:56, 2022)  Success!  Took down the Blessing of the Fleet 31-year old record with a 1:01:28, and Run 4 Kerri in a 23:29.  I didn't get chance to run Bobby Doyle due to a conflict, but I did take down the M60 course record at Indianapolis Marathon by 3 1/2 minutes in a 2:53:26.

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Most miles run ever

No surprises here.  Top three municipalities exactly the same as last year,
and then little change of order in the remaining.  I guess I'm a creature of habit after all?

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Pictorial Highlights of 2024 by Month:

January:  Millenium Mile, NH
A disappointing 5:22

February:  Quinebaug Trail, CT
(Matt Sweeney and Justin Pearce in
background).  Brady led for much of
this 18-mile run in the snow.
---
Fun fact:  I completed all 20 courses
of the Border Patrol Challenge;
Brady completed 19 of those with me.
(Hoping for snow in 2025!)

March:  West Thompson Dam, CT
Brady is on the trail here, about 5' 
below him.  We literally and figuratively
got in over our head on this crazy-flooded
8-mile run/swim around and in the COLD pond. 
Sorry, Brady!

April:  Middletown 10K, CT
Ran well at this USATF-CT race in a 36:45
(5:54 average pace)

May:  Vermont Overland 
Course preview the day before with Brady and maybe 30 others
Love this photo that the race organizers took!

June:  Goodwin Forest 30K Trail Race, CT
Preparing to cross the finish line.  In first place overall!!

July:  Blessing of the Fleet 10-Mile,
Narragansett, RI
On my way to taking down the M60
Age Group Course Record in a 61:28!

August:  Run the Ridge 10K, Laragh, Ireland
Overtaking a few runners on the final downhill section
en route to a 7th place overall, and first in age group

September:  Three Sisters Skyline Half Marathon,
Sisters, OR
1st in age group

October:  Block Island Half Marathon
Podium finish (3rd overall) in a 1:23:40
(1st and 2nd place might have been just a little bit younger than me!)
Low key race, and given the hills and wind, plus running as an island
the whole race, I'll take it!

November:  Indianapolis Marathon
Took down the M60+ Course Record!
2:53:26
(Love this pic Jana took)

December:  Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Out on a 14-mile run here on just one of many cool
places I visited with Matthew on our cross-country trip

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Top 3 Race Performances:

1.  Blessing of the Fleet 10-Mile Road Race, Narragansett, RI, 1:01:28

My only goal was to take down the M60+
age group record, and it was by no means a given,
as it had stood for 31 years and the temp out
there was 81°F at the start.  This photo was
the moment of truth!  I beat the CR by 27 seconds!
Over the moon!

2.  Indianapolis Marathon, Indianapolis, IN, 2:53:26

I was in some serious pain during
and post-marathon, but I pushed through
it with a lot of mental self-coaxing and
took down the M60+ Course Record by
3 1/2 minutes!

3.  Goodwin Forest 30K Trail Race, Hampton, CT, 2:38:37

Couldn't wait to get out of my grubby
and muddy shoes and hydration pack.  Unlike the two
races above, I had no expectations here,
and was thrilled to take over the lead about 4
miles in and hold it to the finish!  1st overall!

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Bottom 3 Race Performances:

1.  New Bedford Half Marathon, New Bedford, MA, 1:23:37

This is tough to pick, because I didn't have any races in 2024
where my time was absolutely atrocious and I completely
blew up.  This was a windy day, which explains some of my
time (I was shooting for ~1:20-1:21), but what was most disappointing
for me was the wind was there for everyone but so many people
were just passing me easily.  Running the 1st mile in 5:48 was
not smart, and I just didn't pace or execute this race well.

2.  St Lawrence Marathon, Cornwall, ON, Canada, 2:57:50

As with New Bedford Half, it's not that this
was an abominable time, but rather it was
way off my target and I just progressively slowed
so much in the 2nd half that it was really frustrating
and depressing to see runner after runner
passing me.

3.  Li'l Rhody Runaround 8-Mile Trail Race, Charlestown, RI, 53:02

I look like I'm running fast here, and
in fact I closed decently, but this was my 
slowest race since 2011 and I run this pretty
much every year.  I was quite sore during
and after the race, and the reality is I overdid it
and had no business being out there one week
after Indianapolis Marathon.

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2024 Stats:

• Races run:  28 (2023: 29, 2022: 30, 2021:  21)
• Race breakdown by terrain:  Road - 19, Trail - 8, Beach - 1, Tri - 0, Swim - 1
• Age group wins:  23
• Overall wins:  2
• Miles run:  3,032
• Elevation run:  192,305'
• Most elevation gain in a single run:  3,517' (Carrauntoohil, Ireland)
• Hours run:  430 (2023: 387, 2022:  428, 2021:  357)
• Days run:  345 (2023: 325, 2022: 352, 2021: 302)  
• Lowest mileage week:  23 (November, post-Indianapolis Marathon)
• Highest mileage week:  83 (March, while training for St Lawrence Marathon)
• Highest mileage day:  27.2 (tie:  Pachaug-Nehantic BPC trail run in March, Indianapolis Marathon including warm-up)
• Longest running streak:  59 days (August - October)
• Longest non-running streak: 3 days (November, recovery after Indianapolis Marathon)
• Number of states run in:  21:  RI, CT, MA, NH, ME, VT, NY, MD, SC, GA, PA, OH, IN, WV, AR, MO, TX, NM, AZ, CA, OR (highest number of states run in one year)
• Number of countries run in:  4:  USA, Canada, Ireland, UK
• Run furthest from home:  Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland, UK

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2025 Goals:

• Boston Marathon:  At my 7th and perhaps final Boston, break my Boston PR (2:56:16)
• Mileage:  3,133 (one more than my PR in 2024)
• Triathlon:  I haven't gotten on the bike since Ironman Maryland (2023), but hoping to get in at least a sprint tri
• Set a new age-group course record:  I set three of them in 2024.  Can I keep the streak going?
• Abbott Age Group World Rankings:  Improve on my 2024 results of 6th fastest nationally and 50th in the world (This may be a tall order, but that's what goals are for!)

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And that's a wrap on 2024!  Definitely one of my best running years all time.  Looking forward to going after it in 2025 as well as catching up with many running friends.  Happy roads and happy trails!

December 2024: Closing out the Year

Running stats:

Miles run:  285.3

Elevation gain:  22,674'

Weekly miles (for weeks ended in month):  50, 59, 59, 50

Running distance returned to normal post-marathon;
higher elevation due to cross-country trip with runs hillier than my RI runs!

Primary running surfaces:  Roads (139 miles), trails (105)  

Primary running locations:  Charlestown (54 miles), Westerly (35) 

Other disciplines:

• Walk / hike:  34 miles

Quick synopsis:

• No long runs.  That'll change next month.
• No races.
• Eleven states:  RI, CT, CA, AZ, NM, TX, AR, MO, KY, WV, MD.

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Interesting runs:

• Joshua Tree National Park, California, December 12.  12 miles.  First time to this park; outer-worldly run.  

  

  Amazing unique scenery.  And fun fact:  "Joshua Tree" (pictured here) isn't a tree at all, but rather a succulent.

  
  

• Saguaro National Park, Arizona, December 13.  6 miles.  My 2nd visit here.  

  

  Another really cool place to run through!

  
  

• 13th Annual Christmas Light Run 🎄, Westerly, December 23.  5 miles.  Fun to keep up the tradition!

  

  
  

  
  
• Newport in the Rain, Newport, December 28.  12 miles.  Rainy run pretty much on the half-marathon course, from Easton's Beach CCW around Brenton Point.  

  

  I love how every year someone places and decorates
  a small Christmas tree at Easton's Beach.

  
  

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Races:

(None)

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Miscellaneous:

I liked my old plates, and the Plum Beach Lighthouse
(north side of Jamestown Bridge), but the plates
were seriously delaminating to the point
the final digit was barely readable 

Of course I love Beavertail as well!

Dec 5:  Christmas tree selection!
Went earlier than normal due to my 
impending cross-country trip, but the 
timing worked well with snow on the ground!

Love the old-fashioned aspects of this:  snow, cutting and
hauling your own Christmas tree.  As with manual transmission
drivers, I'm in the minority of Americans that buy a real
Christmas tree (23%), but it's how I grew up and what makes
me happy!

8.5' Korean Fir

Dec 22:  First day back from 11-day cross country trip.
Happy to be back for a run with Brady; a little snow for Christmas
was an added bonus

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Looking ahead to January:

Just one race planned:

• Winter Wonderland 5-Mile Race, Milford, CT, January 25.  First race of the 2025 USATF-CT Road Grand Prix series.

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Monthly highlight: 

Running in Joshua Tree National Park. (will have a separate post on overall trip w/ more photos)

Monthly lowlight: 

Spending time in Arkansas, especially in Paris, Arkansas.  My first time ever to this state, and while I had low expectations, it was even worse than I had imagined.  Run down, dilapidated houses with trash strewn in the yards, impoverished, and redneck.  I Googled "most redneck state" and Arkansas came up.  No surprise there.  (On the opposite spectrum, least redneck:  CT, RI, HI, MA, NJ).

November 2024: Marathon Age-Group Course Record at Indianapolis!

Running stats:

Miles run:  197.2

Elevation gain:  9,546'

Weekly miles (for weeks ended in month):  56, 47, 23, 37, 57

Sharp drop in both mileage and elevation in November.
Low mileage reflects marathon taper and recovery;
low elevation reflects training for and running a flat marathon (Indianapolis).

Primary running surfaces:  Roads (88 miles), trails (87)  Pretty much evenly split.

Primary running locations:  Charlestown (61 miles), Indianapolis (27), Stonington (20)  Obviously not a normal distribution, skewed by the marathon and lower mileage.

Other disciplines:

• Walk / hike:  16 miles

Quick synopsis:

• No long runs.
• Three races.
• Five states:  RI, CT, PA, OH, IN.

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Interesting runs:

• C-town MLR, Charlestown, November 1.  13 miles, with 4 of them at MP for my final pre-marathon workout.  Hit my targets with mid 6:20s.  
• Easy & Breezy, Narragansett, November 25.  12 miles.  Fun run on a mix of South County Bike Path and quiet roads.  

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Races:

Indianapolis Marathon (November 9):

Indianapolis, IN

This was my goal marathon race of the year.  Signed up back on New Year's Day to get "monumental" pricing, had a single goal of taking down the M60+ age group CR, and got it by more than 3 1/2 minutes!

Thrilled to get my name up on the leaderboard!

Coming in to the finish

Race report here

Li'l Rhody Runaround (November 17):

Charlestown, RI

In retrospect, I should have either run the shorter 4M course or better yet, just skipped this race.  I clearly wasn't recovered from the marathon a week earlier, and I paid for it as I was sore both during and after the race, which really shouldn't be the case for a relatively easy 8M trail race.  53:03, one of my slower times in recent years.

Finished well, but couldn't
make up for lost ground

Race report here

Pie Run (November 28):

Middletown, RI

Final race of the year.  My 4th and unfortunately slowest time running this fun Thanksgiving Day race in a 31:02.  Still won my age group, as everyone was penalized to some extent by the wind and rain.

Race report here

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Miscellaneous:

Nov 1:  Great post-run lunch and refuel after a workout
in Charlestown

Nov 9:  Toledo, Ohio, on way home from marathon.
Nice to stop for dinner with my cousin Bill and his wife Marsha.

Nov 15:  Beach Pond, Exeter.  Leading a WLT hike
on the Tippecansett and Pachaug trails.

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Looking ahead to December:

While I'm done with races for the year, my key adventure will be an 11-day cross-country trip from California back to Rhode Island.

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Monthly highlight: 

Indianapolis Marathon, and taking down the M60+ course record in a 2:53:26.

Monthly lowlight: 

Li'l Rhody Runaround:  live and learn that an 8-mile trail race is just too much for me a week post-marathon.

Pie Run 2024

 

Middletown, RI

Thanksgiving Day 2024

This was my 4th time running in Newport County YMCA's annual Thanksgiving Day Pie Run.  Previous years running this race:

• 2016:  30:08
• 2019:  31:01
• 2022:  29:20

Picked up Keith and the four of us (including Brady and Jana) were off.  On the way over, Keith asked if I had a goal in mind.  I explained that just two years ago I ran 29:20, and said anything sub-30 I would be happy with.  When I asked him the same, he had a smarter answer of having A, B, and C goals.  I do often have those, but typically reserve that wider range for goal races (of which this was not one).

It was forecast to be raining and windy during the race, but when we arrived at the Newport County Y, we remarked that it didn't seem that bad.  Did we luck out?  Wishful thinking as we were still about 75 minutes before race start.  We got a really good parking spot almost in view of the start/finish line.  Wind was "only" 10mph as went for a warm-up run with Brady and Keith, and it was not raining (yet).

I went for a 2-mile run, and Keith continued on for another 2.  I had plenty of time to change into race gear, including singlet and NB NYC Marathon Elite V3 shoes.  Opted to go inside to use "real" bathrooms and stretch a bit, coming back outside with just ten minutes to go.  Ran a few strides and just two minutes before race start, Keith and I took off and handed our quarter-zips to Jana for safe keeping until the finish.

The timer motioned for us to move right up to the starting mats.  I noticed the timer was on oxygen, and I'm thinking this can't be good.  Unfortunately with a dog barking repeatedly, I couldn't hear any of the race instructions.  If there were any mention that we were about to start or a countdown, I didn't hear it, and all of a sudden a gun went off (I heard that!) and it was time to go.

Start of race.  In blue singlet and blue cap.

Mile 1:  Wind had increased to 13mph and just a few raindrops now.  As with many races, a bunch of runners blew past me at the start, and many of the them I had re-passed by the end of the mile.  Mile 1 split 6:03.  Not where I wanted to be, but it's still early.

Mile 2:  We continue out to Easton's point in a partial headwind.  I'm still passing a few people here, but feel like I'm barely moving.  Mile 2 split is a 6:18.  Yeah, this race is about over for me in terms of a sub-30 shot.

Mile 3:  Holy moly, headwind picked up with gusts of over 20mph as we head down Sachuest Point Road to the turnaround.  I see the lead trio heading back towards me.  This is rough.  6:21.

Mile 4:  Turned around and headed towards home.  We're with the wind now, but we do have a 100' climb up past St George's.  6:24.  

Mile 5:  Final mile downhill with the wind.  I actually pass a couple of runners here and have a fast 5:37 closing mile, but my race is shot.  

Finishing in light rain

Final result:  31:02, 15th of 667 overall, 1st in age group.  Full results here

Besides winning my age group, I was also the first 50+ today, and I was one second off from being 1st master.  But in terms of time goals, not only did I miss sub-30, I didn't break sub-31 even.  I try to rationalize this with the wind obviously a factor.

I am getting cold standing around in the wind and rain, so I head out immediately for a cool-down with Keith and Jacob Mageira (and Brady!).  Post cool-down, I take a hot shower at the YMCA, get my award for a 1st place age group finish, and we're out of there.

Age group award:
Sweet potato pie,
and a bag containing a winter hat
and a $15 gift card to Custom House

Stopped at Custom House on the way out to redeem our gift cards, but unfortunately they're closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Today's race didn't go my way, but weather was clearly a factor and I'll be back.