2013 in review

I cannot say I'm sad to see 2013 go.  Losing my mom, the Boston bombing, injuries, another race cancellation... I just have to hope that 2014 will be better.  

Goals set for 2013:

1.            Finish the Ironman Raleigh 70.3 in under 6 hours

2.            Run a sub-70 minute 10 Miler (likely goal race: ATT 10 Miler)

3.            Run a Half Marathon under 1:30 (likely goal race: Metro PCS Dallas)

I barely made the first one (5:58:26) and the addition of a second Ironman 70.3 shifted my summer/fall focus from my plan to meet the second two goals.  The decision to continue triathlon training through the summer/fall paid off with a much better time at the Augusta 70.3 (5:20:45), but I fell short of goal number 2 at the ATT 10 miler, finishing in 1:10:48.  Still a PR, but not the sub-70 I was hoping for.  By December, my knee was not cooperating and the 1:30 was already off the table, but I never even had the chance to race for a new half marathon PR in Dallas thanks to the ice storm and subsequent cancellation.  So a big fail on goal #3.  Despite feeling quite disappointed with the year in general, I ended up with new PRs in the mile, 5k, and marathon, and finished in the top 6% of my age group in the Ironman Age Group points standings, earning an "All World Bronze" award.  Unfortunately those are not offering me much consolation at the moment, as various injuries have me sidelined from running.  Nonetheless, I'm hoping to be able to turn it around in 2014 and am not deterred from setting some new goals...

1. Sub-3:20 marathon
2. Sub-1:30 half marathon
3. Sub-13 hour Ironman at Beach to Battleship (update 2/2014: Deferred to 2015)

Hopefully at this time next year I'll be able to report better than the 1 out of 3 for 2013.

Final stats for the year:

Running:

1,479 miles

201:33:32

156,671 calories

Cycling (outdoor + trainer)

1,207 miles outside

118:26:19

Swimming: 25:51:11

Total time: Over 370 hours

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!  I'm looking forward to seeing what 2014 will bring!

D is for Dallas... and Disappointment.

I registered for Dallas in June, but have been planning on it since last December.  Like the 2012 New York City Marathon, it was a big goal race a long time in the making.  It seemed a perfect end of the season race since my brother lives in Dallas and the course is pretty flat, and my biggest fear was that it would be too warm to attempt a fast half marathon.  Also like NYC, my dad and stepmom were amenable to the idea of traveling to the race as a mini-vacation and family get together.  Even better, Adam took up running and was determined to run the full in a 0 to marathon first year of running, and Brittany opted for the full as her main fall/winter race.  Perfect plan, right?  What could go wrong?  Well, as it turns out, just about everything, as once again Mother Nature stepped in to squash my best laid plans.  After the NYC cancelation debacle due to Sandy, the bombing at Boston, and now the ice storm-driven cancelation of Dallas, I am starting to think I'm cursed when it comes to running big city races.  With my knee resembling a "water balloon" (thanks to my doctor for that quote), it's probably best to not run, but I am just so disappointed.  I'd really been looking forward to pushing myself in a PR attempt, visiting with my family, and cheering on my brother in his first marathon.  But now I end the year with a jacked-up knee and not even an attempt on a half marathon PR, and it's just so disappointing to see so much planning, training, and anticipation go for naught.  Again.  Combined with a doctor's recommendation of no running for at least two weeks (yes, I was going to race on Sunday anyway), my year is over, I failed to meet the goals I set for myself at the start of 2013, and I don't know where that leaves me going in to 2014.  But as Allie said, bad things are said to happen in threes, so hopefully with NYC (canceled), Boston (bombed), and Dallas (canceled), I'll be in the clear from here on out.... If not, I may have to hang up my racing shoes for good :(