New Year

Two years ago I posted a map showing where I could have run to based on the miles I ran.  This past year I ran about 2016 miles, which is enough to go from Tampa to Flagstaff

2011 began shortly after driving back from a great visit to Jenny's parents in Texas.  Unfortunately, as we were leaving I picked up a cold that decided to hang around for a while.  So, training wise it was pretty tough to keep my miles where I wanted them to be but I somehow managed.

Training continued as the Boston marathon approached but I was wearing myself down and setting myself up for an injury, which happened one week before the marathon.  I didn't think it was so bad at the time.
But, that one decided to hang around for a while, too.
I cut back in miles for May and continued cutting back more into June until I decided to basically stop running until I got better.

That didn't happen all by itself.  Eventually I went to see a doctor and then started physical therapy.  I was also going twice a week to Jenny's boot camp class.

Eventually I started to run again and then finally by the beginning of October the pains that had curtailed my running were pretty much gone.  I ran a 10K, Komen Race for the Cure, 41:55 -  faster than I had run since Boston and just two minutes away from my 10K PR.

In November, I ran the Turkey Trot 10K in Clearwater (39:55) and came within seconds of my 10K PR.

Then finally, in December ran the Pasco Sheriff 5K that Kathryn was the race director for, and to my surprise I PR'd and won the race with a time of 18:34

The miles for the year went something like this:

Jan              277

Feb              261

March            263

April            127

May              115

June              29

July              13

August            83

September        165

October          195

November         226

December         257

So, running wise I was somewhat back to normal, and in some ways stronger,  although with a much different outlook on running.  From the numbers it looks like nothing has changed really, and maybe it hasn't, we'll have to see what 2012 brings, hopefully some good things.   Although I have yet to come up with any resolutions.

Also, in 2011, I finally got over my fear of not running on the road or other hard surfaces.  I did a couple of trail runs over the summer, then started doing them on my own and then sometimes I would also run on the grass alongside the road to simulate running on a trail.

There were many challenges in 2011 but there were good things also.  Here's hoping for better things in 2012 - although there will always be challenges of course.  Hope doesn't make things happen but it does keep you going.  You really need both, hope and something else whether it is hard work, patience, understanding, or learning.