Run under 10:15 for 3k and 18:00 for 5k:
3k didn't happen. I tried very hard to run under 10:15 for 3k all during winter track, but I wasn't able to do it. I ran 10:22 twice, running my heart out and coming up far short. I also tried to break my mile PR of 5:15.9, but was only able to manage 5:20 on the track in the winter and then 5:17 on the road in the summer. I also tried to break 2:30 in the 800, but I only ran 2:31, not even a PR. N.B.: I ran 10:08 for 3k and 2:25 for 800 yesterday. So, I just had to train more and be patient.
5k was better: All spring and summer, I ran times between 18:20 and 18:40. It didn't feel that hard to run 18:40, but I just hadn't found the right confluence of good conditions, good competition and hard effort. Finally, these all came together in September when I ran 17:40, which was a 41-second PR. That's a 3.8% PR! Big PRs like that usually only happen in when you haven't run that distance in a long time, not events like the 5k which I had run repeatedly. And yes, the course was USATF-certified! Running 17:40 changed my life (at least with respect to my running career). It qualified me to join NBB (which was my reason for setting my 3k goal at 10:15) and has put me at a higher level in my running.
Win every Red Rooster Ramble and win the points competition:
I did this. I drove down from NH, two hours each way, to continue running the races in the summer. I set the course record twice (it was broken in between) and got in lots of good tempo efforts. I really enjoyed the whole series, but I'm not planning to make this one of my goals for 2011.
Run under 19:00 for every 5k:
I did this. The only exception was a Halloween-themed 5k, which I ran for fun and still ended up running 19:04. The closest I came to not running under 19:00 was Mayor's Cup cross country race at Franklin Park, where I ran 18:50. That motivated me to make several changes to ensure that I wouldn't run so slow in the future. My fastest race was 17:40 and second-fastest was 18:01.3, so all but one of them were between 18:00 and 19:00.
Run every day:
I did this. I have now run every day for two years. My minimum mileage was 2 miles (when I was sick). I also count pool-running as the requisite 2 miles as long as I do it for more than 30 minutes. I pool-ran two days this year.
Run more miles than last year:
I did this. I ran 3211 miles in 2010 and 2907 miles in 2009. I averaged 8.8 miles per day. Here is a graph of my weekly mileage (click for larger) where blue is weekly mileage, red is cumulative average for the year and green is 8-week moving average:
I should point out the huge change that has taken place in my running over the past three years. The following graph shows my weekly mileage (and 8-week average) for all the weeks of 2008, 2009 and 2010:
Just for fun, I added a trendline to the weekly mileage data. I got y=0.28x+27, meaning that I have on average increased my weekly mileage by 0.28 miles per week (from about 30 to about 70 over the course of about 150 weeks).
Run 1000 miles with Alan:
We did this. In mid-November when we had only run 800 miles together, I didn't think we could possibly do it. However, we made a concerted effort in the last two weeks of the year, wherein we ran 53 and 61 miles together in two consecutive weeks, we managed to run a convincing 1043 miles together in 2010. (We ran 1178 miles together in 2009.)
Net over $1000 in prize money:
This is a goal that I set sometime in the fall, when I saw that I was close. As December came to a close, it became clear that I wasn't going to make it. However, if you include the profits I made when I sold things that I won, and if you consider gift certificates to be money (which I do, as long as I use them on things I would have bought anyway) then I netted $1001 this year. I spent $557 on entry fees and took home $1558. Here is a graphical view of my cumulative profits over the course of the year.
Of course, running is absolutely not about the money. I have enough money. I run to have fun and to run fast.
This year, I ran 49 races: Seven track races (5 indoor, 2 outdoor) and 42 road races, including 16 Red Rooster Rambles. I won 28 of them (including the 16 RRRs). Of the 26 road races that were not RRRs, I was 1st 12 times, 2nd twice, and 3rd three times.
I also achieved 10 PRs this year: three in the 5k (18:24, 18:21, 17:40), two in the 3k (10:22.25, 10:21.95), two in the 6k (22:24, 22:22), one in the half marathon (1:25:59), one in the 5-mile (30:09), and one in the 400 (65.0). These are percentage improvements of:
5k: 4.2%
3k 1.7%
6k 4.3%
half marathon 5.3%
5-mile 0.9%
400m 5.7%
I also set course records at the Red Rooster Ramble 5 mile (30:57 and 30:32), the Kingston Firemen's 5 mile (30:47), and the Rhode Races half marathon (1:25:59) (new course). The RRR is getting a new course next year; exciting!
People I ran with in 2010: Alan B, Melissa H, Jenna R, Haynes H, Sarah T, Jeff M, Kim C, Kim J, Bob W, Steph R, Jackie J, Karen B, Kristen P, Ian, Ben K, Michaela D, Katie T, Brian M, Mark B, Henry M, David L, Mike B, Edward T, Anna, Ben N, Greg, Erin H, Jamie J, Dan H, Oliver C, Joey G, Riadh, Jim M, Jen C, Tess A, Dan G, Scott D, Beth, Wendy, Nick S, Laura E, Michael C, Michael G, Bob J, Billy R, Russell D, Vicky J, Clay H, Matt H, Alex S, Scott C, Chris J, Michelle G, Cooper W, Stella W, Dave D, Mark C, Gwyn C, Eric M, Rob, Verity, David, Jimmy, Matt S, Paul L, Brett R, Erin L, Lauretta B, Mike O, Nate B, Sarah C, Pat M, Kyler E, Keith M, Carmen T, Emily D, Evan S, Jordan A, Erin D, Sasha V, Jen D, Emily M, Tom, Jenn D, Sarah C, Will V, Katie D, Karina J, Leah B, Erin B, Kathryn J, Sarah B, Tony W, Scott M, George R, Lauren, Vinit S, Laura K, Caitlin M, Chris P, Rich, Joe, Erin A, Zak K, Nikki. (This only counts people I talked to while running -- I did some running in large-ish groups and I don't count the people I didn't talk to. Also, just racing against someone doesn't count.) That's 105 people. Pretty awesome! Thanks, everyone!
2009 was my best running year ever, and now 2010 is my best running year ever once again. I ran lots of races and had lots of wonderful experiences. I ran lots of miles, got faster, got stronger, and ran with lots and lots of great people. That's pretty awesome, and it's what makes running so much fun. 2011 is off to a great start so far, and I hope it will be another wonderful year!
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