These were my running goals for 2015. The back injury got in the way of a few. I’m still happy with my performance and progress for the year.
◆ 3000 miles for the year
⁃ It was going to be close if I hadn’t missed two whole months of running with my back injury. I ended with 2,247.9 mi. Still more than 2014. It was a challenging goal. I’m more disappointed that I missed those two months and couldn’t make the push to hit it than not hitting it. I prefer a challenge to something easy, anyway.
◆ 400,000 ft gain for the year
⁃ I would have hit it had I not missed those two months. I ended up with 327,513 ft of gain.
◆ Complete my first 100 miler
⁃ I didn’t make it. GI issues and the weather were too much for me to handle. One or the other would have been ok. Both were to much. I took a DNF at 68 mi. My legs still felt good, which was a good confidence booster that my training was good.
◆ Run the Pacific Crest Trail Section J solo in one shot, Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
⁃ Scheduling and some minor aches and pain got in the way this year. This will go back on my list for 2016.
◆ Negative split an ultra
⁃ I completed this goal early in the year at Bridle Trails 50k. I had a great race. I ran each of the 6 laps within 1 min of 40 min and ran the last half slightly faster than the first.
◆ First 100 mile training week (not including the 100 miler)
⁃ My biggest non-race week was 84 mi. I’m not sure if I care to continue pursuing this goal. I plan to add in more cross training, so I’m not sure.
◆ Run everyday
⁃ This was going very well until my back injury. I made it over 1 year total, August 13, 2014 through October 3, 2015. But I didn’t make it all of 2015. I might not keep running everyday and do more cross training instead. Try to keep my running days longer and bike or elliptical on off days.
◆ Run to Upper Wallace Falls 50 times in the year
⁃ I made this way earlier than I expected. I think I ended up with 58 trips to the upper falls, and the last one was in September.
◆ Wallace Falls everyday for a week
⁃ I was saving this one for the fall. Another goal lost to the back injury. I may or may not carry this one over.
◆ Lake Serene quad (~28 mi, 10,400 ft gain)
⁃ I decided I didn’t care about this goal and scratched it.
◆ Traverse Baring Mtn, Barclay Lk, Eagle Lk, Townsend Mtn, Flapjack Pt, Eagle Rock & back to TH (~21.5 mi, 13,000ft gain.)
⁃ I just didn’t fit this one in. I will keep it on the list.
◆ Run up to peak of Mount Stickney from Wallace Falls side
⁃ I attempted it a couple times, but didn’t quite make it. I’ll keep this on the list too.
◆ 5:30 1 mile
⁃ After my attempt early in the year when I did 5:32, I didn’t try again. Speed became much less of a priority than mileage and vert. I still want to make it, I’m just not sure if it’s enough of a priority to make it to my 2016 list.
◆ Sub 18 min 5k
⁃ I did a solo time trial 5k in 18:12 early in the year, when I also did my fastest 1 mi. I didn’t try again for the same reasons as I didn’t try again at 1 mi either.
◆ Traverse Mt Persis, Persindex, Mt Index
⁃ They closed the access road, which adds about 5 mi one way just to get to the trail. I decided it wasn’t worth it with so many other more accessible places. This will go on to the maybe someday list.
Awesome job! You have some neat goals on your list and it’s cool that you can see that some aren’t worth pursuing and others are still important enough to reach for.