Quoted message said:1. How many miles/kilometres did you run this year?
About 1800 (probably 179x... my online running log ain't, at the
moment).
2004: 1150
2003: 700
Quoted message said:2. What were your highest and lowest mileage weeks?
High: 70.x
Low: 0 (first several weeks of 2005)
Quoted message said:3. What was your longest run?
22.75 miles, ~8:30/mi training run
Quoted message said:4. How many (if at all) races did you enter?
12-14.
Quoted message said:5. What were your best and worst race performances?
best: Kaisaniemen Juoksu (http://tinyurl.com/9vh8s) for the AG 2nd,
untapered and after an enormous buffet breakfast
worst: NYCM (http://tinyurl.com/cp3tu) DNF
Quoted message said:6. Do you have a favorite, memorable run that you did this year?
Some training runs outside of NYC really stick with me:
- Helsinki (gold), Vancouver (silver), and Tacoma (bronze) all have
absolutely terrific urban parks for running, and I took full advantage.
NYC is no threat to medal in this competition.
- St Petersburg is mostly quite runner-hostile; but that was part of
the fun, seeing only a couple other runners over the course of a week
and 50 miles, and getting all kinds of puzzled stares and laughter.
- Favorite run within the city is to take the A train to the end of the
line in Far Rockaway, and follow a path something like this:
http://tinyurl.com/7k8xx
I love this as a summer-in-the-city long run: the initial miles of
boardwalk feature ocean scenery, cooling breezes, and are very gentle
on the legs. You run in near-total solitude - a NYC rarity - the first
few miles of boardwalk and then from miles 9 to 13 (some of which,
alas, are within sight of a busy interstate; but you've also got dense
fields of 12 foot grasses on the other side). Some interesting
Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods, and the fact that the run spans
not-quite-Long-Island to almost-Manhattan lends it more of an epic
quality than the length alone would indicate.
Quoted message said:7. What was the craziest weather you endured while running?
I dunno that anything has been all that crazy this year, but plenty of
humid 90-100F summer days and too many windy rainy 30's this winter.
One of those days was this afternoon, and my hands were wet and cold.
I seem to have a touch of Renauds too - runs in my family. It occurred
to me, to keep my hands warm for say a 150 miler in this weather, I'd
take a page from Dean K and run carrying a little Weber Smoky Joe
charcoal grill. It would keep my hands warm, my pot of coffee hot, and
once I'd worked up an appetite I would cook Korean barbecue - mmmmm, a
little galbi, a little bugogi, maybe some tongue. Pass the raw garlic!
Quoted message said:8. What were your goals for 2005? Did you achieve them?
Race goals included 1:30 HM, "good" NYCM. Fell short.
Training goals: hoped to learn a lot, avoid major injury, run
considerably more miles than 2004, and enjoy it all. Succeeded with
flying colors.
Not bad on balance: I don't primarily train so I can race well, more
like I race because I like to run a lot anyway, and so what the hell,
the racing is fun and helps structure and justify all that other
running. That said, I'd certainly like to race better in 2006.
Quoted message said:9. What are your goals for 2006 (and beyond)?
Racing: "good" races at Boilermaker and NYCM.
Otherwise: first and foremost, keep away from injury. Continue to
enjoy running, keep it more like play than work. Keep a close eye on
the calendar and train in well-defined periods ala Lydiard, Daniels,
etc. - in 2005 I half intentionally half not did very little running
faster than LT, and I learned that avoiding the faster running is one
way to get in a high volume without getting injured - or getting fast.
Quoted message said:10. Do you have a favorite running-related quote to share?
I dunno, how about: if your nose runs and your feet smell, you must be
upside down.
