2015 Goals

As Christmas and the beginning of a new year approach, it's time to put into writing some goals to be accomplished during the 365 days of 2015.  2014 unfortunately, turned out to be one big learning experience for me, and one that I won't soon forget.  Let's hope that I've learned enough from the current year that allows me to succeed in the next one.  So, here we go........

Goal #1 - 2,500 Miles - This year is going to be different for me in that I've never ran a spring marathon.  This year, I am lucky enough to be going to Boston in April for that little race they hold there.  That said, I've never run a large number of miles during the spring (160 total for March 2014), and specifically during baseball season.  This year that changes and hopefully I can keep up with the demands of both marathon training and baseball season.  I'm going into the new year assuming that I'm also doing a Fall marathon.  With that commitment,  I think this goal is within reach considering I'm closing in on 1,900 miles this year and haven't exactly gotten after it the last month of so.

Goal #2 - A New PR in EVERY Distance - This was a goal that I laid out for 2013 as well and the reason for putting it out there again is so that I race and plan to race.  I ran a grand total of 4 races during 2014.  3 Half Marathons and 1 Marathon.  I don't believe that I toed the line often enough to be able to best embrace my competitiveness.  I love all of my running friends, and foes for that matter, but for the time that we are racing, my only mission in life is to beat you to the finish line.  In order to be better at racing, you gotta race.  I know already that I have a shot at two new PRs with a half in Naples, FL (1/18/15) and a marathon in Boston.  I'll start looking at the race calendar over the next few days to figure out where and when to attack the 5 and 10k distances.

Goal #3 - Help someone else achieve a new PR - I've been absolutely blessed to be surrounded by so many who are willing to help.  So many people willing to share little bits of information that they've acquired through study and experience to help me become better.  I think that now it is my turn to do this for someone else.  I don't know how this happens or what shape/form this comes in, but part of my becoming a better runner, athlete and person is to help others achieve their goals as well.

Goal #4 - Re-Qualify for Boston - Complacency has a way of letting the obvious hide in plain sight.  This goal seems to piggy-back on goal #2, but I feel that it needs to be put into writing.  If I PR at the marathon distance, I will re-qualify for Boston.  That isn't enough though.  This goal needs to be front, center and in my face as much as possible.  I've told people for the past year or so that an ongoing goal of mine is to be able to run Boston any year that I choose to do it.  Therefore, this goal needs to appear on my yearly list of goals.

Goal #5 - Cross-training - Reflecting back on the things that went right in 2013, and what went wrong in 2014, cross-training is one of the things that I must get back to doing.  Swimming, cycling, core strength training, increased flexibility.  I need to be much more consistent about all of these things.  The goal is to add two of these items each week to my schedule.  Even if it's only 30 minutes at a time.  I'll track this along with my running to ensure that I stay on track.  The challenge will be keeping up with this routine when the training mileage gets high and baseball season is in full swing.  

So, with 1 day left until 2015, it's time to get moving on some of these goals.  Over the next few days, as I learn where I'll be traveling for baseball, I'll start researching race calendars to see when I can fit in shorter distance races during the spring.  I'll also be researching yoga classes, boot camps, etc. in Nashville, Naples and whatever other cities I'm going to be in for the next 5 months so that I can work toward all of these goals.  

A big hope of mine for 2015 is that I've learned from the past couple of years.  I've experience enormous highs and some interesting lows.  Let's hope hope that I've aligned these goals with all of those experiences.  That said, what are some of your goals for the coming year?  Anyone setting a mileage goal or a PR goal?  Respond to this and let me know.  I'm very interested in what others set as goals.

Wow, it's already Christmas???

Are you kidding me?  It seems like yesterday that I was writing a recap of 2013 and basking in the pleasure of my successes throughout that year.  It seems like yesterday that I was giddy with excitement for my acceptance into the 2014 New York City Marathon and the upcoming college baseball season.  Now, it's late December and I'm wondering how exactly this year disappeared.  This has definitely been a roller-coaster of a year with all sorts of new experiences.

Before looking forward to 2015, I think it is important to look back at the current year.  What did I do right and wrong, and what can I do better in the coming year.  First failures and then successes.  Failures are always tougher to admit than the successes, so let's get those out of the way.

My first failure was putting all of my eggs in one basket.  During 2013, I set multiple goals and chasing each of those contributed to the success of all of them.  In 2014, I had a single goal, breaking the 3:00.00 marathon barrier and that was my sole focus.  My 'one basket' was the New York City Marathon in November and while I feel I was prepared to chase that 3:00.00 barrier, the conditions that day didn't allow for it.  The learning point here is that chasing multiple running related goals will make me better, or better prepared for all distances.

My second failure was that I stopped chasing knowledge.  There was a bit of complacency that set in after I qualified for Boston in 2013 and I stopped reading about how I could get better and stopped learning.  When I started running, I chased every bit of information that I could get my hands on.  Whether it be reading books, websites and magazines, or talking with fellow runners and co-workers.  I think I've already rectified this problem.  I have 3 books lined up and ready to read that I hope will give me the knowledge necessary to continue to grow as a runner, athlete and person.  While I no longer have a 12-time (or is it 13?) Ironman sitting beside me at work, I know that he's an email or phone call away and that I need to be a bit more resourceful for those personal interactions with more experienced athletes.

My third failure was that I just simply ran during 2014.  During 2013, I was committed to 'doing more' than just running.  I swam 3 or 4 days a week for 30-40 minutes at a time.  I rode my bike, even though in the trainer in my living room, more miles that I ever had.  I did yoga from time to time and I was committed to my Trademarked (not so much) 'Commercial Break Workout'.  I must get back to more 'cross-training'.  Having better full body strength and fitness is extremely important for me to push myself as far and as hard as my mind believes that I can go.

Now, let's talk about successes.  This is the short section of the post.  One real success times 3.  During 2013 I didn't even attempt a half marathon.  During 2014, I ran 3 of them.  Each one producing a new personal best.  I've always said I wanted to get myself into good enough shape that I could go out and race a half-marathon on a moment's notice.  Well, in April I put that to the test in Columbus, MS.  Fortunately I knew a couple of weeks prior that I was going to race, but I wasn't exactly in 'racing shape'.  I posted a new PR that day by 2 minutes to get my half PR to 1:34.44.  I went out way too fast and had to listen to Emily Rollins give me grief afterward.  I deserved every bit of it.

The 2nd PR was at the Middle Half in Murfreesboro.  This race came during the last high-mileage week of marathon training for New York.  I had already run 55 miles for the week going into the race and still came out with an almost 3 minute PR, 1:31.54.  Really made me wonder just how fast I could go if focused on training for a half.  

The last PR came earlier this month at the inaugural Mt. Juliet Half.  Well rested, but not well trained, I went 1:31.19, shaving off more than 30 seconds.  My goal for that day was to simply have a consistent race.  After two miles of ridiculous hills at miles 3 and 4, I settled in and had my most consistent race performance yet.  A very nice way to close the year.

So, what's in store for 2015?  Over the next few days, I'll be writing down my goals for the coming year.  Having that commitment in writing is very powerful for me.  Knowing that someone else has read (or thinking someone else has read) what I plan to do really commits me to doing it.  Once I put the goals to paper, or the internets, I'll come up with a racing plan that best prepares me for another year of successes.

In the meantime, I've got some shopping to do!  Geez, how did this come up on me so quickly???  Merry Christmas peoples!  I hope that you only get coal if you asked for it!

The People I Meet

It's been almost a month since I wrote this, but think now is as good a time to share as any.....

Those of you that know me, know that I'm as comfortable in a room full of people I've never met as I am in a room of the exact opposite.  I speak to most everyone and am blessed to have met some incredible people along the way.  Over the past few days I've thought about my 'racing' experience in New York this past weekend and have been dwelling on that disappointment.  This morning when I woke up, I had thoughts of those people I met during my trip and how getting to know them was, and continues to be, a great joy.  Here's a bit of a recap.

As I boarded my flight in Ft. Myers for New York, I made sure that I had my new Bose noise-canceling headphones ready to play the movie I had rented for the flight there.  I had rented 'Transcend', the story of Wesley Korir.  Yes, a running movie to set the tone for the weekend.  As people continue to file in, I'm happy that no one has yet seated themselves next to me.  No way I get a row, an Exit Row nonetheless, to myself, right?  Right.  And then in walks Ms. Miranda and almost immediately, we start talking.  Where you heading, where's home, you known, the basic questions you ask when traveling.  Turns out Ms. Miranda lives in New York with her family and had been on a girls trip/work conference thing in south Florida.  She returned the questions and I told her that I was heading to NYC for the marathon, when she told me about her recent first half-marathon.  The energy level of the conversation immediately increased.  I could feel the pride she had for completing her first and the passion to hopefully do it again.  She told me the story about running this race in the pouring rain and how miserable it was.  Was she telling me something about my upcoming race???  Hmmm.  She asked question after question about my training and my racing.  Questions that I don't feel qualified to answer, but I did.   We talked about her conference and her experience with Oprah.

I finally start my movie but quickly stop it to talk with Ms. Miranda a bit more.  We talk about the mile-repeats workout that Wesley is doing in the movie and I explained how I do a similar workout, only mine is about 2 minutes per mile repeat slower.  Wow, a bit of reality.  As we get closer to New York, Miranda tells me that her husband is in a band and he'll be out playing on marathon Sunday and she and her kids will be out cheering on runners.  I get excited about this.  I'm actually going to know one of the millions who are out cheering.  I tell her that I'll be looking for her on Sunday and hope that I see her and her family, knowing I'm not likely to see them. (Of course, I didn't see them.)

This was an incredible way to start off my weekend.  Miranda is a beautiful, smart, and passionate woman whose enthusiasm for her first half-marathon reminded me why I run.  The overwhelming sense of accomplishment shows more for your first than it does your tenth and I wish her nothing but the best of luck in her next race, which I think is next week......

On Friday at the Expo, I found myself in a line of thousands waiting to get in to pick up my bib and do some shopping.

Bored and frustrated with standing there, I said something sarcastically to the lady in front of me, which cracked her up.  We were immediately friends.  We talked about running and racing, our personal lives and what not, just to pass the time.  As we entered the Expo, we said our goodbyes and wished each other the best of luck.  We both grabbed our bibs and heading into the zoo that was the expo for the New York City Marathon.  As I was wrapping up my shopping and heading toward the cashier, I was greeted with another line hundreds of people deep.  As I'm walking to the back of the line, I see her again and she asks me to join her in line.  We continue to talk as if we've known each other for year.  I wish I could remember her name so that I could look to see how she did with her race.  She was hoping to get close to 4 hours and I'm sure that she did.

Who said that New Yorkers are jerks and assholes?  I'm 2 for 2 with great experiences.

I decide on a late lunch at the Carnegie Deli.  This place is famous for many reasons and as expected, there is a line out the door.  

While standing in line I meet Janet Pennar and Betty Dong.  As Janet says, 'Dong is the Chinese part of Betty's name'.  hahaha!!!  These two ladies 'adopted' me if you will.  They had come to New York on vacation from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.   As we are standing in line, the receptionist comes to ask how many are in our parties.  Stephen Hagan, party of 1! They ask if I want to join them, but I decline saying I shouldn't intrude.  As we get to the door, instead of a party of 2 for them, the receptionist called out a party of 3.  By this point I'm starving and tell them it looks as if they are stuck with me!  We all got a pretty good laugh about it.  Janet and Betty are both Pharmacist in Winnipeg and went to Pharmacy school together years ago.  They've remained friends all these years and still vacation together regularly.  We had a great conversation and I even decided to pick up lunch to thank them for taking me in.

On Saturday, I got in a short, shake-out run, then showered, grabbed a coffee and sat in the hotel bar/restaurant.  While sitting there playing on my iPad, in walks an obvious runner.  WOW!!!  Does this woman have some energy!  Deena and I start a conversation as if we've been friends for a hundred years.  She's waiting for her husband, daughter and mother to arrive from Florida AND waiting for her room in the hotel to be ready to check-in.  Deena is running her first-ever marathon and is uber excited about it.  She's also nervous and scared because she's got some knee issues and hasn't run in the past 3 weeks.  I try to convince her that this is normal even if she had been running.  The work had been done and she would be fine.  She tells me about the girlfriends she's running with and invites me to their post-race party.

As earlier documented, I was miserable after my race.  I made it back to the hotel, showered and laid down.  Then I decide, 'What the hell? Might as well get out and socialize a bit before the Knick's game.'  I put on my clothes and head toward the post-race party.  The guy at the door is in a foul mood.  The place is packed and I get interrogated about why I'm there.  Felt like I was walking into Guido's bar and needed the secret password.  I tell them who I'm looking for and they were like "Nope, no one here with that name".  I tell them that I know 9 ladies are hosting a party in the back room and that Deena is one of them.  A receptionist steps in and asks if I'd like to check the backroom.  I tell her thanks and if they aren't there, I'l gladly take my butt back to my hotel room bed! I see Deena in the distance before she spots me.  As soon as she recognizes me, she starts moving toward me.  A huge hug and congratulations to her.  She did it.  Bad knee and all.  Taking her time, enjoying the city and all the people in it.  She's still a ball of energy and I can't help but smile. She introduces me to her husband, Gilly, her mother, and all the girlfriends she ran with.  All are incredibly welcoming and so very excited for their achievements.  All of the girls aren't there yet though.  Some haven't finished, or have just finished and are on the long walk to get there.  Quickly I notice that I'm the only runner there that isn't still in my running gear.  These girls started in the last wave that went out more than an hour after me.  I'm lucky to have been able to shower because I stink after a race and these girls didn't need any part of that!  haha!

Deena can't sit still.  She bounces from one person to the next telling stories about the people that offered her beer while running, the wind on the Verrazano bridge and how one of her friends gave her a shot in the ass while on the bus to the start line.  She's busy managing her people all while scarfing down an adult beverage and a chicken tender or two.  Gilly is on standing orders to have the camera ready for photo ops at a moments notice.  Prior to the race, Gilly had a huge banner made for Deena wishing her luck.  Everyone in the room is to sign the banner.  What a great time!!!  I truly hope that I have a chance to see Gilly and Deena again someday soon.  Deena's energy is contagious.  Once she gets those knee issues taken care of, I'm sure she'll be back to the marathon in no time.