Running Ahead

Another year of running awaits...



trails, long runs, hills, foot blisters, toenail damage, mileage goals, sweat, frozen gatorade, races (or not), garmin, playlists, wildlife, change of seasons, vaseline, blogs, shoes & gear, beer, alone time, runners world, good health...



that's a lot to look forward too!



Starting the New Year optimistically on the prospect of a trailblazing running campaign...



Pounding out 1000 miles is again my top priority for the next twelve months...the early months I expect to fall behind because I am really a coward when it comes to the cold...I hope to maintain a 60m/month pace for January thru March...I can make up those miles in the warm weather months...I aim to peak again in the Fall...Sept-Oct were primo for me this past year...let's see if Ican top 120 miles this time around...



As for races...I have come up with a base list of 4 regional, if not local, races I might like to do...all trail...so that's nice to have on paper, or on blog if you will...to raise my game from '08 I need to actually participate in some of them!


I have an additional three races in reserve that I can add if I catch that elusive racing bug...since you asked, here are the races I have in mind...



March 29 - Backyard Burn 10m

May 17 - EX2 Adventures Trail Half Marathon

September 19 - North Face Endurance Challenge Half Marathon

November 15 - Backyard Burn 10m

all of these races are on trails in the Northern Virginia...I'll run the same BYB trail in spring and fall so I can compare times...

so that's two ten milers and two HMs...enough to keep me busy...


and if things go well I might slip in a trail race in Pennsylvania, a trail race in northern md, a local 10K road race, and another trail race in the fall BYB series...

looky here, I am serious about getting some racing in this year, that I am even keeping a two year race plan in mind...I can do the Maryland Double in 2010 which is running the Frederick and Baltimore marathon/half marathon...and maybe even ponder running my fourth marathon beyond that!

happy new year...