Dreaming Big - My 2015 Goals

After spending some time reflecting on 2014, I've been giving some thought to 2015 in recent weeks. My goal since I started running was "run the Chicago Marathon". And since October 12, I've been goal-less. Well let's fix that. Why have goals? I've been reading "Hanson's Marathon Method" lately. "Goal of any sort narrow your focus and give meaning to your training". It's true. You set set the big goal and suddenly start dividing that into smaller ones. You see progress and that keeps motivating you. But without that, it's hard to find the motivation.

So I have a few. Let's start with the natural ones. Performance related.

1. 4:15 Marathon. (PR 4:28:47). 4:15 sounds like a lot off; almost 14 minutes. But I don't think it's out of the question. I feel like I have more in me.  I feel like with a more regimented training, that "more" can not just be brought out, but be better.

2. 25:48 5k (PR 25:49). I don't typically race 5k's. They're too expensive and I have trouble fitting them into marathon training schedules. That said, this one is going be 2 years old in May. I tried this fall but my best attempt was still 45 seconds off. More speedwork  Also finding a flat, uncrowded course. Those exist, right?

Now performance aside, there's a few other things that I really want to do next year.

3. Run more with friends. Our paces don't always line up. While we may have run on the same trails sometimes this year, I feel like I neglected them in some ways while striving to keep pace for my time goals. Sure we chatted before and after. But during, we were apart. I want to commit to running WITH them at least once a month.

4. Spend less on race fees. I ran a lot of races this spring to race in several states. I ran some incredible courses. But at some point, it was less about quality and more about quantity. I want to change that. There are a number of local races that are "must-do" for me. I'm a sucker for the CARA Circuit. There's some other destination races on my hopeful 2015 races. Looking at you Nashville! But I want to make sure that I'm not running a race this year just to get a medal. I want to give 150% each time I pin that bib on. I want quality from myself. And that only happens by reducing the quantity.

5. Finish a Tri!  I've hid behind the "I can barely swim" and "I don't have a bike" thing for too long. Well neither has changed. But I've also realized that those are just barriers I've put up. When Spring rolls around, I'm going to be bike shopping. And somewhere in between, I'm going to jump in the water. I don't have a race booked yet, but I'm going to give it a go! How hard can it be? (Famous last words!)

There it is. Raw and exposed. I plan to followup towards the end of next year on how I did.

What's you're goals for 2015?  Some of the above were inspired by others I've heard recently. So I'd love to hear what you're planning. Maybe that will give me an idea of something to shoot for in 2016!

A Few Run Lessons from 14

As my 2014 running season is pretty much over, I spent some time to look back on the year. I'll admit, I was thinking of a "things I'm thankful for" post. But when I really thought about it, those things really circled around a few lessons. And if we don't learn, we never progress, right?  So here's my top 6 from this year. Yeah I went all Buzzfeed (please tell me I'm not the only one that goes nuts with those lists of arbitrary length??):

Running groups are amazing!  Running was a solo thing for me until later in 2013. Then I started hanging out with the Bolingbrook Fun Run Club. This year, I also added in the Western Cook Running Club. What happened? I found people that were crazy enough to go out with me in pretty much any conditions, polar vortices included. I found people that pushed me outside my comfort zone. And I made and further established friendships with some of the sweetest, most inspiring, and incredible people I've ever met. Every runner has a story,  and some will blow your damn mind!

So are pace groups. This year I trained with CARA's summer marathon training program. Okay, so I missed way more than I planned on. But what I got was a group that ran my set pace with me through the long runs. When it was 35 and snowing. When it was 75 and blistering. And we did so 2.5 miles to each aid station on the training course. So many of those times I wanted to go faster. Or go slower --yes, walk breaks. But they kept me on pace all of those times and forced me to go that extra half mile to the scheduled stop.

Consistency yields results. I introduced a 6th day to the schedule this year. Tuesday were speed work. Wednesday's: Semi long. Saturday's: Long. Every week. And 30 minutes come off the marathon PR. Every one of those "I don't want to" days (yes, those DO exist in my world), were all part of that. You get what you put in. It's true.

So much has to go right to run your best race. Yes, consistent, quality training is important. But even when you train your best a whole list of things... Avoiding stupid injuries. Perfect weather. Having a well supported and well organized course. A lack of congestion on the course. Fueling. Sleep. It. All. Matters. And I'm not talking about just a marathon. I attempted to PR a few 5k's in recent weeks. I came close, but there was always something that got in the way. And think about what else could have been better, because something may have and you may be capable of that much more.

...That feeling you get when it DOES all go right, makes all the work so very worth it. True I had a big PR in Chicago. But I had so many "but this, but that" after. Indy was different. Indy was perfect. Indy I was able to say was right according to plan. And from there, I know that to get faster, all that's left is to work harder next time. But in that moment, pure satisfaction.

The only better feeling is helping others reach their goals. Pacing friends through their goal race. Cheering on others in person or virtually. And coaching (yeah, that happened...) a group of new runners towards a 5k finish. In every single one of those experiences, seeing the joy THEY had from completing their goals gave me so much more motivation than hitting 5 of my own.

I know I'm far from the first person to encounter these. In fact, they're probably all pretty obvious. But when "obvious" hits you full on, you find yourself thankful for that lesson. Cheers to even more "obvious" in 2015!