HAPPY NEW YEAR to anyone who happens to find this blog. I'm calling it "RunningThru: Twenty 12" because: 1) I considered and rejected such clever titles as "OntheRun," "TakingFlight," "RunningAround," and many more and 2) the blog will cover my running adventures (and misadventures) throughout (hopefully) the coming year. I'm not sure if/why anyone else will/should be interested, but we'll see.
Last year was a decent running year for me. I completed two marathons and one ultra (the Madison, WI North Face Endurance Challenge 50K). I ran three other road races: 1) the Army 10-Miler, 2) Moonlight Chase 4-Mile (third in age group), and 3) Run With Carl 5K (third in age group).
I have an ambitious schedule for this year. I'm registered for the May 6 Colorado Marathon (http://www.thecoloradomarathon.com/) and plan to run the North Face Endurance Challenge in September. I haven't yet decided what distance: 50-Miler, 50K, or marathon, but I'm leaning toward 50 miles. The 50K (31 miles) is the farthest I've run. (My wife--also a runner but not as intense says that I'm crazy.) I'm also considering the Pikes Peak Ascent in August although my wife (again!) and son are trying to discourage me. She insists I'm crazy. He's more diplomatic and suggests that I might want to wait until I'm living and training in Colorado before trying to run up 8000 feet in elevation over 13 miles. Something about the air. We'll see.
So, I'm beginning the eighth week of a 26-week train-up for the Colorado Marathon. Today I ran 5 miles at race pace. Nothing exciting. I'm old. Race pace is slow--marathon race pace is 10:30; 5k race pace is 8:00. Actually, I ran about 15 seconds faster than race pace today. Despite using my Christmas gift from my son (Garmin Forerunner 405CX) for the first time, I still ran a bit too fast. This is Iowa--a.k.a. Hog Heaven--and today's weather was less than ideal: partly cloudy and 33 degrees with winds gusting up to 40 mph. The winds made it hard--actually impossible--to run a consistent pace! I'll be running 30 miles this week with a long run of 15 this coming weekend.
My New Year's running goals (not resolutions) are 1) a sub-4:20 marathon, 2) complete a 50-Miler within the allotted time, and 3) a 5k at 7:45 pace. What would life be without goals?
So, join me online and on the road . . . and trails this year.
I'm all about you trying intense things, but you need to have a healthy respect for what you're endeavoring. I don't think you have a healthy respect of running 13.1 miles uphill starting at 7,000 feet elevation.
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