2013 - A review

If you'd told me in March that 2013 would be my most successful year of running since college, I'd have laughed and laughed and laughed. You see, I laugh when I'm uncomfortable, and I get uncomfortable when people talk to me, but some of that laughing would also have been because that would have seemed like crazy talk.  Here's why: by the end of March, I had gone roughly 100 days without running a step, due to a badly sprained ankle and bone bruise sustained during the Old Mountain 5K in December.

[Sad and pathetic side note: I sprained the ankle with about a mile to go in the race and only kept running because I wanted to introduce myself to Jonny afterwards.  It was a great short-term move (we met!), but a very poor long-term move (the messed up ankle).]

I slowly built up my running after getting the OK from the doctor, started racing in July, and was miraculously running well a short time later.  There were two moments in particular that made me realize I'd gotten back in shape sooner than I'd expected:

The first was at the Bottone track mile in July.  I had no idea what pace to run in this race, so I took it out conservatively because there's nothing worse than hitting a wall on the track where everyone can watch every step of your demise.  Once I was safely through the first three laps, I discovered I had another gear left and churned out a 62 final lap.  That was shocking.  I'd given too much of a lead to the front pack and couldn't reel them in, but it was fun trying to close the gap in the last 400.

When my sister saw this photo, she asked, "Why do you look so old and so pale?"  I want to know why the other guys all look so young and so tan. 

The second was a couple of weeks later at a WTAC fun run.  I cruised the first mile with Jonny in ~6:00 and then decided to try accelerating throughout the rest of the run (see the graph below for proof!).  The second mile was 5:20 and the third was 5:00.  I don't think I'd ever finished a race with a 5-minute mile.

WTAC fun run pace profile (center part of graph). 

What I liked about 2013:

View from San Juan run.  Other, less savory,
views from same run not shown.

• No significant time missed to injuries after returning from the ankle sprain.  This is extremely rare for me.  I've missed running three of the past ten years due to some major leg maladies.
• Running my fastest times since college in a few events - 5K, 4 miles, 10K.  It was reassuring to discover there is life left in these  legs.
• Running in some new and interesting places.  Puerto Rico, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Virginia, as well as discovering many of the great local trails and roads in RI.
• Joining the Westerly Track and Athletic Club.  After running mostly alone for the past 10 years, I joined this fabulous club.  I felt like I knew most of the guys already after reading their blogs while I was returning from the ankle sprain.  I was hooked once I joined the crew for a Summer Solstice sunrise run (at 4:45 AM, no less -- isn't this how the military tricks you into allegiance?).  

Why 2013 went so well:

• I have no idea.  Really.  But I have a few guesses:



Running the Bridge 2 Bridge race in my hometown.

• A bunch of injury-prevention activities.  Running only on trails, lifting, hip-strengthening, foam rolling, dynamic stretching, shoe rotation, ankle braces, shoe inserts, post-run refueling, ice, ointment, the list goes on and on.  I don't know which things helped and which didn't matter, but I'm going to continue doing them all until I have a reason not to.
• Group workouts.  Getting on the track with Jonny, Galoob, and Nate really helped me regain some speed for my fall races.  The early morning starts were rough, but I never left a workout feeling like I would've rather stayed in bed.
• Strava.  This one might require some logic bending.  I joined Strava in April and used it as a fun way to get in shape without too much pressure.  I loved the challenge of trying to go after various CRs, even if I got a bit carried away sometimes (Galoob even referred to me as a "Strava menace" at one point).  By only running fast when I felt like it, I avoided getting locked into a specific training plan, and I was able to push and back off when my body told me to do either.  

Looking ahead - 2014 Goals:

• Stay injury-free!  This is always my number one goal.  Injuries are the source of all that's wrong with this world.  Drought, famine, terrorism -- these can all be traced back to someone's running injury.
• Get fast.  I want to get back on the track and run some decent short-distance times.  Sub-2:00 800, sub-4:30 mile.  
• Hack a few seconds off 2013 race times.  Sub-16 5K, 10K PR, sub-47 at Li'l Rhody
• Get in triathlon shape.  This requires getting back in the pool and some more serious cycling.  Would love to join Jeff and Tom at some local races.
• Get strong.  More consistent lifting, chucking some rocks around the yard, whatever it takes.  Time to be a little less scrawny.

Looking forward to a new year and new running adventures.