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2019 Assessment


Since today is Tuesday, I’m  linking up with Zenaida and Kim (Kooky Runner) and you should too.

My Topic this week is: My Assessment of 2019

I’m a teacher at heart. (once a teacher, always a teacher.)

And you can’t grow in the future unless you assess the past. 

Yes, it was a good year meaning lots of bling, miles and races.  You’ve seen my pictures but do they really tell the story?

Here’s my story:

I ran 947 miles.

I didn’t have a goal of 1000 miles but it was a number than I wanted to meet and I have only done it twice.

2018 – 894.5 miles
2017 – 1041.5 miles
2016 – 1046 miles
2015 – 969 miles
2014 – 911 miles

not this year

I had a calf injury for 5 weeks in Feb-March.  I do think, though, that my marathon training long runs made up for the injury. Of course, minimal miles in December definitely ended any chance of reaching 1000.

My job and travel interferes greatly with getting in the weekday miles.  However, I’m not a runner who needs those high mileage weeks and I also think the lower mileage has helped keep me injury-free for the most part (until December that is.)

I ran 31 races. 6 Half Marathons, 3 15ks, 2 10ks and the rest were shorter distances. Eleven were new races. Five of the new ones were half marathons and of course, there was NYC, my first MARATHON!

Again fewer than previous years. I have run 40 or close to it in the past.

But it was a conscious choice, not because I was injured. Only the last two December races did I DNS.

I’m a social runner and racing to me is a way to run and meet up with other runners. But with the ability to run with runner friends on the weekends, I didn’t feel the need to sign up for as many races.

my weekend BRFs

The ones I did run, I enjoyed and I usually try to run different races each year. But this year, they tended to be halfs. I guess there were not many NEW local races that appealed to me.

I continued to win my age group in most of the races that I entered.

This happens when you are in an old lady’s age group. But still, it makes me happy.

I am most proud of winning in longer races such as Sacandaga Half and Surf Town Half and in NYC races (Brooklyn Speed Series 5k, Building Brooklyn 5k, and Grete Gallop 10K, Hot Chocolate 15k.)

Although I did not have a PR year (like last year), I completed my first FULL Marathon.

I know I am slowing down.  I’m not sure how much or how often.  It just feels harder every time I go out there.

Last year, I had many course PRs at races that I have run multiple times. Not this year.

But I think I am enjoying running more and PRs just don’t seem as important as they used to.

ran most of this race while chatting with Renee

It also helped that I focused on my marathon and I couldn’t be prouder of that achievement.

My Finish times were for the most part consistent (at least for the shorter distances).

Considering my lack of training, (I run but don’t follow a plan per se nor do I do any speed drills), I did ok.

I didn’t break any speed records. But I finished most of my 5ks under 29 minutes. That elusive sub 27 5K still stands (and may stand forever.)

one of my better showings

My half marathon finish times were meh:

Publix – 2:20:29
NYC – 2:16:01
H2H – 2:11:15
Sacandaga – 2:13:03
Surf town – 2:16:08
Hannaford – 2:22:05 (post 7 miles)
NYC Marathon – 2:26.56 (first 13.1)

Not close to my PR (2:06:52) but the important finish time (under 2:12:00) was met in the Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon. It qualified me for NYC Half 2020 and NYC Marathon 2020.

I conquered my fear of trail running.

I ran this summer for the first time in many of the ARE Summer Trail Running Series. They are held weekly at different local trails.

Huyck Preserve

I enjoyed them immensely. I met new runners. I discovered new places to run. And I never fell.

Thacher Park

Someday, I may even sign up for a trail race.  But I’m not there yet.

Stay turned for Friday when I’ll post what I had planned for 2019 and next Friday’s post when I’ll look ahead to 2020.

I’m linking also up with Coaches Corner–Debbie and Marc.

Happy Running!  Do you assess your year of running? If so, how did you do?

28 thoughts on “2019 Assessment”

  2. Conquering that fear of running a marathon was huge. So glad that you did it & enjoyed it! And that marathon WAS a PR. 🙂

    I can’t even imagine working full time & running that many races. Just not for me, I need more quiet time!

    And winning your AG is not automatic, even when you get older (unless you’re the only one), so don’t downplay that.

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        • You can start collecting at 62, 66 or 70. I started at 66 because I can work and collect. You can’t live on just SS!!!

          I’ve LOVED all my jobs before this one. I’d rather work at this job than not work at all. I can focus on its benefits. Everything has positives.

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  5. That first marathon is definitely bask-worthy 🙂 I still smile when I think back to my first 26.2. Like you, the mileage numbers don’t have much clout. I am doing just fine with my low/moderate mileage and I’m staying free of injury. I’m also improving my speed, so I don’t need “all the miles” LOL. The 1000 mark kind of happened on its own for me this year, and I have no goals of surpassing that next year…if it happens, great! If it doesn’t, oh well. Happy 2020!

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    • That’s the way I feel. If 1000 happens, great.

      I got lucky with 5 injury-free years. This year I was not so lucky.

      So happy that I took that big step and ran 26.2 miles.

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  9. Minus the injuries, I think you had a great year of running! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the marathon experience and you did a great job! I still think you’ve got even more speed ahead of you 😉

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  11. I am not in a place where I can emotionally look at my past year in detail. Right now, all I see is what I lost, not what I gained. It will change, I’m sure, but this is where I’m at in the moment.

    I’m also a very social runner, so this has been an incredible loss to me.l I don’t see my friends as often as I used to. i don’t have my outlets. And that’s really hard.

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  12. Wow, 31 races, that’s impressive! I hear you on it getting more difficult to get PR’s as we get older. Because I was racing in my 20’s and 30’s, I set most of my PR’s way back then and will never see those paces again. Now, like you, I focus on competing against women in my age group. 🙂

    Happy New Year! Here’s to a healthy and injury-free 2020!

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    • I hear you. Age group comparisons are great. One of the reason I like running as opposed to other sports.

      Happy new year and hope we bot get rid of any pain we are experiencing now.

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  13. You did have a PR – the marathon!
    Your races are impressively consistent.
    I’m sad I didn’t get to do Hot Chocolate before it cancelled.
    NYRR just sent a graphic that I need to look at.
    I’m still torn on whether I’m a social runner — the not racing butterflies on race eve suck though

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    • True on the marathon PR. Lol
      I’m sad about hot chocolate too. Love the hoodie.

      I know. I’m having that problem with LeBow. Still holding on to hotel and bus.

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