That time I recapped my running year in screenshots and Instagram photos (with a little blurb on goals)

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January 4, 2014 by Amy B

My 2013 recap, because this is what bloggers do, right?

I haven’t done an end of the year recap in awhile, so pardon me. I’m rusty.

New Year’s Eve, while out on my last run of the year, my thoughts were mostly running-related, so let’s start with those.

Map My Run says my total mileage for the year is this:

Garmin says this:

There’s probably a run in here that was missing from Garmin – maybe a treadmill run or something.

I don’t know how this compares to past years but I’d be willing to bet that this is the most I’ve ever run, since it’s the first year I ran through the winter months instead of shelving the running shoes for hockey skates.

I ran races I hadn’t run in the past because I’d been too worried about messing up my marathon training schedule. I’m so glad I did. It was a blast.

Breakers to Bay 5 mile race, June 2013

Run the Keweenaw Trail Race Series that kicked my ass.

I ran the inaugural Canal Run Half Marathon and kicked a lot more ass than I even knew I was capable of.

And then there was THE race – the Twin Cities Marathon.

I PRed that race. Didn’t hit my original (slightly lofty) goal, but still beat my first marathon in ’04 by a few minutes.

2013 is also the year I discovered Picky Bars.

My first picky bars order!

And by proxy found Oiselle,

My first Oiselle order – the hoodie that started it all.

But my favorite running highlight of the year isn’t measured in minutes and seconds or gauged by PRs: I made some new friends who happen to be runners (and bikers). Team /var/run was born.

And it turns out there are a lot of people here who like running or simply pushing themselves to be better, however they choose to measure it. And I like being around those people and following them on social media and looking at silly photographs of Garmins and icicle-crusted eyebrow selfies and post-run poured beers, whether that breaks all the “rules” of Instagram or not.

Josh, Nancy and me of TVR after a run(ch)

Screw the naysayers. That’s what “unfollow” is for.

Aside from a few new races, I also took on the Runner’s World Run Streak Challenge with Josh and Nancy. The challenge was to run every day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, which is something I’ve never done before – not even close. I figured my body would be a complete wreck by the end – if I even made it that long – and I estimated I’d wimp out on the first day with shitty weather.

Not only did we all make it all 35 days, but there were not very many 1 mile minimum days. I’d say we kind of crushed it.

On the last day of the RWRUNSTREAK challenge

Total for the streak: 110.57 miles.

After the marathon I set a goal to run 200 miles before the end of the year (span of time about three months).  I had one low week (I think I was sick) of 3 miles but the rest were pretty average, though my mileage was up for the runstreak period. Total miles between October 7 – December 31: 230.82. Crushed!!

So now that 2013 is over, what have I got planned for 2014?

I’m still working it out. Any destination races require thoughtful planning way in advance (because of the kids) and with a family wedding and vacation planned for the summer, I’ll be working around those dates, too. Tentatively, my goals are:

• PR in various distances: half mara, marathon, 5 mile, 5K.  Specificaly, I’m hoping for a sub-2 hour half, sub-4:30 full, and sub-26:00 5K.
• More miles. I’m setting a goal of 1,200 miles, but that’s admittedly a little arbitrary. I’ll work on refining this soon.
• More cross-training, specifically biking. I’ve got a trainer now that I like and a shitload of episodes of television on Hulu to get through.  I’m also sticking with the 100 push-up challenge and aiming to work in more core work (finally) to hopefully alleviate some of the back pain I’ve been having lately. Oh, and weights. And other shit that isn’t running, like snowshoeing and strapping on those skis again.
• Participate in at least one mountain bike race. It’s been nine years since my last one and it was miserable; I was not prepared at all. I need to redeem myself. Also: I want to prove to myself that I can still bring it being closer to 40 than 30.
• Learn how to swim and complete a sprint triathlon (and perhaps the Copperman Tri with TVR). I have never had formal training and am pretty awful. I won’t drown if I fall in, but it isn’t pretty. Swimming is not one of my favorite activities, but I’ve got two kids now who are going to want to swim and be around the water. It’s time I learned how to be proficient. I’m also very aware that swimming is a great cross-training activity and the only way I’m going to cross that tri off the bucket list.
• Commit to speedwork, hillwork, i.e., REAL WORKOUTS, not just loping around with no specific plan. Not that those mindless runs aren’t necessary sometimes, but I want to see what I’m truly capable of.
• Related: drop some weight. My son is going to be two years old in April, and I stopped using the “I just had a baby” excuse back when he was six months old. I’m carrying at least 15 more pounds than I’d like, and this is the year I take them off and keep them off for good.

So those are my 2014 goals off the top of my head. I’ll talk more about planned races in another post.

It was a good year, and I know it’s just the base for an even better one in 2014.  Thanks for coming along for the ride run!