new year, new goals!

2013 was a big year for me.  Not for running but in life.  my fiancée and I bought a house, I got engaged, and I moved for the first time ever.  Our house needed a ton of remodeling so it was a busy year.  I did 5 races instead of my 13 in 2012.  I trained but just enough to get by so I didn't really nail anything like I did in the previous years. 

2013 in review:

January - HURT 100 while I did quite a bit better then 2012, I don't feel like I nailed it like I can.  I ran a 26:47, but I feel like closer to 24 is my true potential.

February - Cowtown 50k - I did this race spur of the moment so what can I expect? I had hopes of 3:45ish but came in around 3:58 with a poor finish.  I injured the IT band over my left hip which put me out for 3 months.

July - My hip healed just in time to get in training for Tahoe Rim Trail 100 July 20th.  I've wanted to go to Tahoe my whole life so it was a great experience.  I fell apart the last 20 more then I ever have in a race.  My 22-23 hour finish quickly turned into wanting to quit and a 26 hour finish.

September - Rough Creek 40.  I half way trained and knew my endurance wouldn't last 40 miles so I did ok the first 20 then suffered the last 20.  I still managed to win but ran it over an hour slower then 2012.

October - Cactus Rose 100.  I got in better shape but still not ideal.  I ran a 20:38 which was about 1 1/2 hours slower then I wanted but nutrition had a lot to do with it.  One day I will actually nail this race.


2014 looking ahead:

over the winter I lacked motivation to get out and train when it was cold.  I got in miles here and there but never trained enough to make it to my planned races (bandera 100k and rocky raccoon 100m).  here's a breakdown of my goals for the upcoming year.

Feb - I'm focused now and I would like Feb to keep going good and hit at least 300 miles.

March - High milage month with some speed training.  Im planning on possum kingdom april 12th and I want to nail it so march will be an important month.  I haven't done speed training in years but I know the importance so twice a week I will substitute my regular run for some sort of interval or tempo run. I would like to average around 80 per week.

April - Nail possum kingdom 52 miler in around 7:30.  I will need to be lean and top of my game but I need a goal that will force me to stay focused.

May - stay in shape and stay lean.  May 10th the dallas to fort worth run will be fun and then 2 weeks later I plan on going to new mexico for some good mountains.

June - stay focused despite my bachelor party in new Orleans.  possibly captn karls at the end of the month? might be good motivation to stay focused.

July - getting married july 12th.  our honeymoon will be in seattle area and Canada with plenty of mountains to go hiking / running on so hopefully it will be easy to stay in shape during that period.

August - major focus month.  high milage, intense training.  no races planned.

September - most important month of the year (running wise). September 6th captn karls finale at reveille ranch. I would like to better my time of 5:45 and possible go under 5:38???  then recover good and stay very focused for Mogollon Monster 100 in Arizona September 27th.  That's my main race this year.  Its my kind of course and I want to nail it.

October - recover from MM106 and play cactus rose by ear. 

November / December - stay lean and who knows??? probably train for bandera 100k.

my main goal for 2014 is to stay motivated and not have any blow off months.  I want to nail every race I enter (or at least properly train).  I enjoy the training and trail running scene so I would like to get back into it.