2013 Running Goals

Finally, January 1st is here! Seems like it took a full year to arrive. I've not done well with my running goals this past year or two, so it may be time to pull back and create feasible goals for 2013. Or not. Here are my specific, measurable, goals for the coming year:

1. Run 2,013 miles.
I tried to reach 2012 miles in 2012...and failed miserably. Why not up the ante by another mile? In 2013, I will run 2,013 miles. This is a great process-oriented goal. It isn't an end-goal, just a gradual process of accumulating mile after mile. Most will be on trails, but a few miles will find their way into my running log from the treadmill at the gym or the roads around town. Fast or slow, roads or trails, they are all good miles. I just need to average about 38.7 miles per week, every week, for 52 weeks. That's doable.

2. Break 24 hours at Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run.
I'll be happy with 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds. That would be a huge 100-mile personal record. This translates to an average pace of 14:23 per mile...for 100 consecutive miles. Seems easy, right? After about 75 miles it won't be that easy. When you are tired, thirsty, hungry, blistered, and chaffed at 1 am...it's easy to quit...or slow down. Suddenly, 14:23 pace is monumental. This very specific distance/time goal is a nice complement to the total mileage goal above.

3. Complete 6 ultra-marathons in 2013.
Anything over 26.2 miles counts as an ultra-marathon...and I plan on finishing at least 6 events this year. Tentatively, I plan on the following eight: Riddle Run 28/50, Kennekuk Fat Ass 28, Land Between the Lakes 60K, Umstead 100, Howl at Moon 8-Hour, Evergreen Lake 50K, Farmdale 30, and McNotAgain 30. I might add one or two other races, and one of these listed may become a DNS or DNF. I'm confident I'll finish at least six. Who can't run one ultra every two months?

Have a great year of running and I hope you achieve all your goals.