2009 Running Review

Overall, I'd have to say 2009 was a good Running Year. Not great due to injuries, but it was a lot of fun and a year to remember.

Total Miles was 1609. That's down from 1924 in 2008.
218 Hours and 20 Minutes were spent running.
I ran on 221 out of 365 days last year. That's 61%, 4 out of 5 days.
My numbers were all down from 2008 and even 2007.
August was my best Month, 195 Miles following a terrible July low of 101 miles.
65 Was my peak weekly mileage. 26.2 the most on any one day.

I did 16 races last year. that's the most I've ever done in a year..

Injuries, a bad year but could always be worse...
I had re-occurring calf injuries in both calfs, then hip injury and finally a right knee thing the last couple of months. The Calf's were the worst and plagued me through the spring and summer. The hip took me out of Pikes Peak Marathon and almost cost me a Marathon.

Let's Review My 2009 goals and see how I did...

PR 1/2 Marathon (Sub 1:30:00)
Fail. I didn't even come close this year. 1:37 at Moab after pulling a calf muscle the week before and again during the race.

PR 1 Mile at Bannister Memorial (5:40)
Achieved. I ran 5:35 at Bannister on May 5th.

PR 10k at Bolder Boulder (Sub 40:00)
1/2 Credit. I had a PR 10k 42:26, but not even close to a sub 40. It felt good to get that old 10k PR from 1996 off the books.

Beat Last Years Time for Mt. Evans (2:47:52)
Fail. 3:00:29 at Mt. Evans, with another calf injury during the race. A painful gut it out race where Craig Carver beat me by a minute.

Pikes Peak Full Marathon
Fail. I withdrew from the race due to my hip injury following vacation. Tried a Burgen peak run that convinced me it was futile. A good decision given that I was able to run the relay and a Marathon injury free, I think. But you always wonder. Some Year I will do this race...

Run 2 Marathons (Not Counting Pikes Peak)
Fail. Only ran 1.

Log 2000 Miles for the Year
Fail, 1609 miles for me this year. After 2008 I thought with a healthy year I would be close to 2000.

Qualify for Boston 2010 (Sub 3:30:00 Marathon - PR)
Achieved. I Saved the best for last. This was the highlight of the 2009 year and my main goal. To qualify for Boston and achieve a Marathon PR. Not only Sub 3:30:00 but I exercised the 3:20 demon I had last year with a 3:19:24. I also felt great after running a Marathon for the first time ever. A memory I will cherish forever. My 5th Marathon.

So that's 2.5 out of 8 goals achieved. 30% not so good. But they were good goals and pushed me to stretch myself last year. I would trade them all for the 3:19:24 Marathon.

Other accomplishments not on my goals.
16 Races
A 10 Mile PR at Snowman Stampede 1:10:34
A 5 Mile PR at Cherry Creek Sneak 33:28
A 7K PR at Running of the Green 28:26
3rd Place at Colfax marathon Relay 2:55 (I was captain)
4th Place Colorado Relay finish (our highest ever) and recaptured our masters title.

So overall a good year. I am still thinking about my 2010 goals and will post them later.

I do want to thank all the family and friends and follow runners that have been with me through 2009 through the good and the bad, the ups and downs.
Thanks for making it a year to remember.

On to 2010...