2010 Year in Review

This was the first year that I have logged my running in any significant detail. Realistically, I have only been running for the past couple years and I would still consider most of that to have been fairly recreational in nature. In 2009 I dipped my toes into the world of ultra running. I ran a couple 50km's and headed down to Transrockies for a multi-day stage race; I have had the bug ever since. However as is usually par the course, 2009 ended disappointingly as I spent the entire fall (Sept-December) rehabing a stress fracture in my tibia sustained over the summer months. With that, 2010 was in many ways starting from scratch. Building the proverbial base and forming that necessary anaerobic base and muscular-skeletal capacity to sustain a running lifestyle.

Here are my numbers for the year:

January: 125miles 23hours
February: 150miles 23hours
March: 260miles 41hours
April: 261miles 37hours
May: 337miles 43hours
June: 280miles 42hours
July: 295miles 47hours
August: 145miles 26hours
September: 206.5miles 33hours
October: 203.8miles 32hours
November: 254.8miles 37.5hours
December: 191.9miles 23hours

Totoals: 2710 miles 407.5hours

A quick brainstorm of the positive/ negative elements of 2010:

Positive:
1. most mileage I have ever run
2. the consistency of my running; in other words, no serious injury
3. the incorporation of ancillary work as part of my weekly routine; I did not included this in the numbers above. But I was at the gym doing cross-training/ weights nearly 100times this year. No doubt in my mind, this is part of the reason why I was able to ward off any significant injuries
4. Reincorporating speed work through the fall months- something I will look to continue in 2011
5. the many hours of solitude in the mountains/trails- without a doubt the best aspect of the year and quite honestly, the reason I run. Period.

Negative:
1. did not race as much as I would have liked to; and when I did, I struggled and mostly had crappy days
2. health/nutritional issues. I mostly have this issue back on track but I certainly had trouble with it during the spring/summer where I had a few health setbacks as a result.
3. my girlfriend fighting with injuries for a good portion of the year and thus, we were unable to share as much running as I would have liked. Fortunately, she is a workhorse and has managed to come back stronger than ever this fall and is looking poised to have a solid/smart year in 2011

I have not fully determined my goals for 2011. I don't like to put too much excessive thought into it- I am preferential to a more organic approach. With that said, I have mostly decided on my race schedule at this point and will post something soon on that. Other than that I will look to continue to do what I love- get out the door nearly every day, run and explore my body's limits. Pretty simple but for me, inspiring stuff.