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?