2012 Recap - Part 1 - The Goals

Happy New Year!

I've been meaning to write this recap for a while now, but only now am doing it. I've been reading all the blogs from my Michigan and other blogger pals and thought I should finally do my post.

This is me running.

I suppose I have a lot to recap so I'm probably gonna take a couple posts to do it. This one will recap the goals I set at the beginning of the year and how I did in meeting them (or not meeting them).


1. Run a 22 minute 5k - Result: So Close.

This was a tricky goal to set. I wanted to say 20 or 21 minutes at the start of last year, but I think I've gotten pretty good at knowing my capabilities and I set this one just right. My best 5k time this year was at the Open Door Julie Run in June with a time of 22:16. I really thought I had it at that race, but I came up just short with a disappointing 3rd mile. I wanted to say I met this because the race had a clock time start and was slightly long, but the official time is what it is.

I knew that race was my last, best shot at 22 during the year, as I went into half marathon training mode after it. That training helped me for the next goal which was...

2. Run a 1:50 half marathon - Result: Done!

I thought this would be the most difficult of the goals to meet (and maybe it was), but I did it, running 1:49:09 at the Brooksie Way in late September. It was doubly sweet to meet this goal on that course, which is notoriously difficult. I dropped over a minute per mile off of my time from the previous year.

The Train (me) stands victorious on the mountain top!

3. Place in a "big" race - Result: Done!

I qualified this one by noting in my goal setting post that "Even though it doesn't have a huge turnout, the Julie Run is big to me". Well, I finished 2nd in my age group at the Open Door Julie Run in June, which means I can consider this goal "met"! That finish meant a lot to me, as this particular race is the first one I did before I committed to getting back to running on a regular basis. Placing in any race at that time seemed so far away.

4. Finish a 10k in 48 minutes - Result: Not Met.

Excuse time. I ran in two 10k races and neither one was the main race I was preparing for. In March I had a good effort at the Shamrock N' Roll 10k, finishing in 50:28, a 7 minute PR. I was on my way to getting this one, except that I ended up doing a couple 10 mile races and the 10k distance never ended up being a priority. My other 10k race was not planned as I won a race entry from Renewal by Andersen to the Milford Labor Day 10k. This race was a week after the 10 mile Run Thru Hell and on a hilly, un-PR friendly course. I did PR with a time of 50:16, but that is obviously not close to 48 minutes.

The thing about missing this goal is that I think that, in my peak shape from 2012, I would have beaten it handily. It was a good goal, but my priorities changed during the year (both in running and in life), so it didn't get accomplished. It won't stop me in setting a more challenging goal in 2013, but that is another post. :P

The Train is crushed, but he will chug on with bionic legs!

5. Run 900 miles - Result: Not Met.

I didn't want to set a mileage goal, but did anyway. I honestly thought I would have no issue with 900 miles, but I didn't know we would have a baby during the year (BOOM - saying that was shocking is way too mild) and I didn't anticipate that the mid-late summer months would be so personally challenging. I ended up running about 802 miles, which was up from just over 450 in 2011.

I am not troubled about not meeting this goal at all. I rarely passed on running when I was physically and mentally able to do so and when my schedule permitted. Therefore 802 miles is cool with me. Again, not meeting this goal will not prohibit a higher goal in 2013.

Summary:

Despite only fully meeting 2 of 5 goals set at the start of 2012, I say that 2012 was an outstanding success. It was my first full year of running. The fact that I was active all year long was a huge accomplishment in itself. The goals that I missed, well, I didn't miss by much and they were well within my capabilities.

I will get part 2 of the recap done in the near future and then layout goals for 2013! Thanks for reading and for your support in 2012! I appreciate everyone who read and commented on my blog, twitter, facebook, dailymile, etc. during the year. You helped encourage me during the year and I hope I returned the favor in some small way.