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