At the Race Expo for the Amsterdam Marathon
If there is one thing about 2011 that I can be certain about, it’s that it hasn’t been business as usual. We all have years in our lives that are relatively stable and those that jerk the rug out from underneath us. For me, 2011 was the later. After five years of the same job for both Kelly and I, and no new additions to the family (except for Buddy), we decided to shake things up with a move to Madrid in March. While this “adventure” has brought its share of joy to our family, it has not been without its challenges. Despite these challenges and instability, the one thing that has remained a constant for me in 2011 is running. Some people have church, others rely on the online community, or one of a million legal or illegal substances. What gets me through the day and helps me to deal with the day to day stresses of kids, family, life etc… is running.
One thing I’ve always done since I began running in the summer of 2000 is to keep a running log. In the past few years I’ve come to enjoy spending the first day of the year looking back on what I’ve accomplished the past year. I’m not one to post daily runs and I don’t race that often, so I rarely use Facebook to talk about running. This year though I’ve decided to share this reflection with those reading my blog. I know it’s a little self-serving, but I would encourage all of my running friends to give it a try. Reflecting on your accomplishments is a great way to get motivated for the coming year and an opportunity to learn from the past year.
By the numbers
Despite all the instability this year, 2011 was a great year for me running wise. I ran longer, in more places, and faster than I ever have. According to the numbers, I ran a grand total of 2712 miles in 2011. That is an improvement of about 140 miles over 2010. Of course, many of these extra miles were possible because I’ve been living in Spain since March. My highest month this year was July when I totaled 281 miles, while my lowest month was April when I ran the Boston Marathon and leapfrogged between the U.S. and Spain. Overall I had 19 weeks where I ran between 50-59 miles, 15 weeks where I was between 60-69 miles, and two weeks at 70 or above. These two weeks were also my highest two ever with the week of December 4th at 71miles my highest all time.
The races
Although I’ve never been a weekend warrior racing a 5K every week, I do like to race 5 to 10 times a year. This year though was a little out of the ordinary. With everything going on, I raced only three times in 2011. The first of these was arguably the most famous road race in the world, the Boston Marathon. I won’t go into detail here as I already wrote a blog about my experience, but it was a good solid race for me with a time of 3:15:47 (7:28 per mile). More importantly it was an opportunity to check something off my life list. Getting to the finish line on Boylston Street is no easy task, although some would argue that it’s much easier than getting to the starting line. Although it wasn’t my fastest race, it was fun to be part of the spectacle in 2011.
My race bib for the Boston Marathon
My second race of 2011 turned out to be much faster than Boston. The second week of October, the entire family traveled to Amsterdam, Netherlands for the Marathon. The race turned out to be the flattest, fastest course I’ve ever run. My time was a personal best of 3:07:47 (7:07 per mile). Just as important though, my family had a great time and enjoyed the city.
My final race in 2011 was my first here in Spain. It was a local 10K that I decided to run the day after my 35th birthday. It was a spur of the moment decision and I registered about an hour before the start. The race was a typical local race with just under 400 runners. I enjoyed the course, which ran near our home here, and ran a blistering 10K time of 38:26. The only problem with this was that the course was nearly a 1/3 of a mile short. Anyways, it was a good time and a chance to race for the first time in Spain.
The Lessons
One thing I always find when I look back on my year of running is that there are lessons to be learned. Some of these are technical, some training, and some about life. 2011 had no shortage of these. Below are a few of the things I’ve learned in 2011.
1) Don’t sweat time. Just run what’s comfortable and don’t worry about your pace. Running is a lot more fun this way.
2) A slow first mile does not make for a slow marathon. I ran my slowest ever mile in a marathon at Amsterdam. Because of the stadium start and crowds early, I ran an 8+ minute mile in a race that I would average 7:07 a mile. That race ended up being my PR.
3) Take a deep breath and enjoy the sites. My favorite runs this year had nothing to do with pace/time. Among those that were memorable was a cold run in early February when John Hnat and I saw a bald eagle near Peninsula, a short three mile run around a lake in the Netherlands at sunrise, and a run in Borghese Park in Rome that offered panoramic views of Rome and the Vatican. On a related note, a night run around a lit up Colosseum in Rome wasn’t too shabby either.
4) Finally, take nothing for granted and do your best to enjoy every mile. This lesson is one I learn every year, but one that was reinforced this year as I watched as my training partner in the U.S., and good friend John, battled though several injuries and eventually a major back surgery. What runners have is a special thing, and can disappear with one wrong step or one violent cough.
To all of my friends that are runners I wish you a fulfilling healthy 2012. May you reach all of your goals big and small in the coming 12 months. To all those that aren’t, if you are looking for a way to improve your health and well-being in 2012, give it a try. Just start slow and don’t get discouraged. Just think, in a couple of years you too can write a long winded blog that bores your friends to tears.
Happy New Year!!!
Just before the start of the Amsterdam Marathon
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