I'm only seventeen days into the new year and have a good feel for running through the next twelve months. I am already up to 40 miles on the year which may not be that amazing but it's a good start. When I was in peak form, I had some 40 mile weeks but for now, this is definitely a great sign. If you attempt to be a runner in Mansfield Ohio, you quickly learn that winter will do everything to drain you of the will to be a dedicated runner. I have accepted that in this season I will have to deal with the treadmill as part of my training regiment if I am to stay strong into spring.
I have my eyes set on a short term goal of hitting the 2000 mile mark in my log book. If things continue as I hope, I should reach this milestone as spring arrives. It should take me three months to get there if all goes as planned. In the meantime, I know that I have to focus on a few key things:
1. Losing weight. I want to drop 18 pounds.
2. Longer distances. I am hoping to be hitting some 12 mile runs by the end of February.
3. Speed. I know that as I lose weight I am getting faster but I have to have days of just plain old speed work.
I love this about running. You can set so many goals to keep you challenged and motivated. But of course the BIG ONE is Chicago Marathon in October!
