I was very bad in terms of achieving my 2022 running goals (1 of 5). That review of 2022 is in this blog post. Did 2023 go better for me and my goals? Let's take a look at my 5 goals for last year! Here is the blog post stating my 2023 goals and rationale.
1. Run 2,000 km (1,243 miles). Yes, goal accomplished! I realize this goal is not super hard, but it does require consistency and injury-free running. I achieved that in 2023. Had a total of 1,253 miles. Cutting that one close! I'm happy with this outcome. Would have liked more, but this was the minimum I would be satisfied logging for the year. I did it. Need to think about next year...but that's another blog post.
2. Don't miss more than 2 days in a row (non-run streak). Nope. My longest non-run streak was 7 days. Just like 2022. Seems I get injured or sick once a year and end up missing a week. This one was bad cold. Thought it might be COVID, but multiple tests said otherwise. Just a bad cold. OK, miss 7 days. Not the worst result. I like this goal of not missing many days in a row. No problem taking multiple days off, just not in a row. Keeps me consistent. I'll probably have a similar goal for 2024.
3. Finish the Free Ultra Trifecta (Winter Solstice + Riddle Run + Backyard Ultra). Yes, achieved! I ran the 30 miles at Winter Solstice in late December 2022, then I finished Riddle Run in January 2023 and Backyard Ultra (Last Man Standing) in July 2023. The only finisher of that Trifecta! I'm happy. Will I do it again? We'll see. In 2024, there is now an extra free ultra so it is a Quadfecta (Riddle Run + Backyard Ultra + Allerton Ultra + Winter Solstice). I'll run at least 3 of those 4, maybe all of them!
4. Run a 5K race in 20:30 or a 1-mile test in 6:09. Yes, goal accomplished! I ran a 6:07 mile on the roads in town. Would like to have repeated (or bested) that time on the local high school track, but never attempted it. I'm getting older every year so these fast goals might need to be adjusted. Still, I do enjoy trying for one fast time during the year. 2024 will see a speed goal again.
5. Run the 5-mile loop at Lake of the Woods trails in 40:00. Nope. Never attempted that feat. Think I was intimidated by the goal and embarrassed at how slow it would end up. Never tried a hard effort in 2022 or 2023 on those local trails. I run there almost every single day, but I don't push myself. That needs to change. My best run this year was 42:28 on those trails (3-mile tempo). Maybe 2024 is the year for a good effort on those OG trails. Maybe I'll run the Buffalo Trace 5-Mile Race? Nope. It's a fantastic race (I started it!), but why pay $30+ to run on my local trails?
So I ended up hitting 3 out of 5 goals for 2023. That's not too bad and much better than my 1 of 5 in 2022. I'm not disappointed in the non-run-streak fail, but I am sad that I never attempted a fast 5-mile LOW trail run. Think that needs to be in one of my 2024 goals.
No comments:
Post a Comment