Not really a race, I just wanted to mark it special so I can find it easily in the future. I've been wanting to reflect on 2008 and how far I've come, especially because I feel like I've been dissapointed with my winter training and how I seem to be getting slower (aka, my 10k decline at the Christmas Rush race). In October 2007 I realized that I for sure needed to lose the 10 pounds or so I'd gained while moving from Las Vegas to Washington - eating bad, not working out, etc. Plus though I've never been overweight, I've always had 10 pounds or so to lose, so the extra 10 pounds did not help. So I started working out - a lot! At one point I had worked out 52 days in a row, which I was so proud of, and definitely jump-started the weight loss. However most of these work-outs were on the elliptical, its crazy to think now how I hated running, never did it - it was so much harder than using the elliptical and I was so terrible at it! But I tried to keep running every so often, and it was usually at 5.3mph on the treadmill. Over the course of 6 months or so (October-April) I lost 25 pounds! I am definitely the thinnest I have ever been, none of my clothes fit, and I'm now a happy size 6. I still think I could lose 5-7 more pounds, but now I really want think that losing that extra weight would help me be a faster runner! So in 2009, if possible (my body seems to really like the weight I'm at now, losing anymore might be difficult), I'd like to try to get down to 130. We'll see how that goes. The turning point from elliptical to running came on a cruise I took with family. I kept working out while on the cruise, and one day (about January 2, 2008), I ran 5 miles on the treadmill. This sounds like nothing now, especially considering I ran 8 miles today (today is actually 1/19), but I had not run 5 miles before really, except maybe 2-3 times before in my life (one of which was a terrible half marathon I hadn't trained for). After this, I decided I would do what I had always wanted to do - train for a marathon! So I did, and on June 8, I finished the North Olympic Discovery Marathon in 4:45. So those are the things that I need to remember in times when I'm feeling dissapointed with lack of progress... that in one year I lost 25 pounds, went from being a non-runner to being a "runner", something I imagine will stick with me for life. The drive to "PR" is now inside and all of my New Years resolutions revolve around PRs. Last January I was running on a treadmill at 5.3mph, this year I'm running at 6.5mph (and trying to push it to 6.7-7.0). Last year I was running outside at 10-11 min/miles. Today I just ran 8 miles at a 9:06 pace. These are the things I must remember, and be thankful that I'm healthy, and have been injury free thus far (knock on wood). So before this gets more lengthy - on to my new years resolutions for 2009 and beyond! 1) As mentioned before, if I can lose a few more pounds, try to get down to 130ish. 2) Run the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon in less than 4:20! I think this is a goal for this year. I'm thinking I will try to run one marathon a year (the time committment is just so much, so I will do lots of halfs and probably just one full a year), so 2010's goal will be less than 4:00, and 2011's goal will be to qualify for Boston with less than 3:40. As time goes on we'll see how likely this is! 3) Run a 10k in less than 49:00. This will definitely require a great deal more speed workouts than I'm doing now, as will #4. 4) Run a 5k in less than 24:00. 5) Run a half marathon in less than 2 hours. I feel confident that I'll be able to reach this goal this year (knock on wood again!), so for the rest of the year and 2010, strive for less than 1:55. 6) Run consistently! In 2008 I ran 1,058 miles - try to consistently run 25 miles/week or more in 2009, track it consistently, and run a total of 1,300 miles or so in 2009!
| 