I’ve kept the last few years for comparison purposes… and my comments in Italics. I expect your comments below. What do YOU think are the wins and fails? what about your wins and fails? What is the most important factor for you? Mileage, PRs, races..??

Total Miles:
2009- 678
2010- 1217
2011- 886
2012- 1241 most
2013- 1109
2014- 1081
2015-  1237
— wow. THIS could have possibly been the year with the most miles if I hadn’t gotten sick on Sunday. I tried, but the 5 miles needed today are NOT happening. It’s still amazing, as this is the first year with NO MARATHON TRAINING. Crazy, right? Plus, I took a bunch of full weeks off (and was sicky 3 times this year) and vacations… Granted, I haven’t been injured (but hey, also haven’t been injured in the last 4 years) but it still makes no sense without the long runs… It makes no sense. On the other hand, the long runs are not leaving me exhausted where I can actually run more… I love this. thumbs up

Races:
2009- 10 (9 in NYC, 1 in Nashville) 1 marathon, 2 halfs, one 18 miler, one 10k, one 5M, two 4M, one 3 miler and a Mile.
2010- 19 (13 in NYC, 1 in Boston, 1 in Boulder, 2 in NJ, 1 in Philly, and 1 in Buenos Aires)
2011- 12 (10 in NYC, 1 in DC, and 1 in NJ)
2012- 16 (13 in NYC, 1 in PA, 1 in Germany, 1 in Argentina)
2013- 11 (10 in NYC, one in NJ)
2014- 15 (12 in NYC, one in NJ, one in MA, and one in Argentina)
2015- 17 (16 in NYC, one in NJ)
— wow, did I really? I do remember a week where I raced 3 times but wouldn’t have guessed I did that many! thumbs up

PRs:
2009- Six! (Out of 10 races)
2010- Thirteen! (Out of 19 races)
2011- Six + 1 automatic one (Out of 12 races)
2012- Three (marathon, 5K, mile) + 1 automatic (out of 16 races)
2013- Three (half mary, 4 miler, and 10K).
2014- ZERO!
2015- ONE – at the NYRR Hope and Possibility 5 Miler in June. I also came first woman in a 5K, but no PR there.
— when you wait a year and a half for a PR, it’s a win. Plus, I PRed by a LOT. I was also 4 seconds away from a PR at a half (which was my goal PR to beat this year) and I was exactly even at a 4Miler. thumbs up

Highest Age Grading:
2009- 60%
2010- 69%
2011- 68.5%
2012- 71:29%
2013- 70.23%
2013- 70.20%
2015-  72.28%
— wow, huuuuuuge jump. maybe because I am older… 😉 though the grading scores made it harder this year, so that’s a great number! thumbs up

Injuries:
2009- 2 — retrocalcaneal bursitis (5 months out), piriformis syndrome (10 weeks out)
2010- ITBS (three weeks out right before the Boston Marahton!)
2011- broken shoulder, 2 broken ribs, torn rotator cuff (2 weeks before NYCM!)
2012- NOT ONE!
2013- NOT ONE RUNNING INJURY! WOHOOO
2014- just my will to run…?!?! So, yey, good!?!?!
2015- a little adductor strain. It took a few months to diagnose it, but didn’t stop me from running. nothing special. just took off racing and speedwork for 6 weeks.
—it set me back a bit as I wasn’t sure what was happening, but nothing serious. Still doing PT. thumbs down

Races Cancelled or DNFed:
2009- none
2010- One DNF, a 50K where I fell twice.
2011- Chicago, DNS because of 2 stress fractures.
2012- ONE DNS (snow storm!), plus the NYC Marathon cancellation.
2013- none
2014- none
2015-  Did the France Run without bib chip as I didn’t want to race it and skipped the Newport Half because wasn’t sure what was happening with my leg…
—just wish now I had signed up for more races!! thumbs down

Highest/Average Weekly Mileage:
2009- Highest: 40. Average: 13
2010- Highest: 40. Average: 23
2011- Highest: 36. Average: 17
2012- Highest: 40. Average: 25
2013- Highest: 43. Average 21.
2014- Highest: 43. Average 20.
2015- Highest: 40. Average 23.6
—Good enough. thumbs up

Marathons:
2009- One (NYC). PR: 3:45:22
2010- Two (NYC and Boston). PR: 3:42:33
2011- Two (National and NYC). PR: 3:37:57. DNS in Chicago for injury.
2012- One (Berlin). PR: 3:27:44
2013- One (NYC). A MegaMESS
2014- Two (Boston and NYC), two awfully-slow-fun experiences. Not even close to a PR.
2015- NONE. isn’t that insane?
— I really felt no remorse not signing for Boston or NYCM. I hadn’t felt like running long in a year or two and skipping the long runs and marathons made me SO happy! I have guaranteed entry to NYCM and I can’t, for the life of me, see myself training for marathon in the near future. thumbs up

Half Marathons:
2009- Two. PR was 1:45:55
2010- Six. PR is 1:42:47
2011- Two. No PR.
2012- Two. No PR. (though there was an unofficial half marathon PR in the second half of the Berlin marathon)
2013- Three. A 1:37:35 PR and two I did for training (1:45 and 1:42).
2014: FOUR! NYC Half, Brooklyn, Gretes’ Great Gallop and Staten Island. Not ONE PR!
2015- Three raced, one Paced. NYC Half, Brooklyn,  More (pacing the 1:45 group) and Staten Island
— Staten Island was the hardest and fastest. Go figure. I was 4 seconds away from a PR. Giving it a thumbs down because I really wanted to PR at the half this year. But a good balance overall.

THE BALANCE

Overall it was a good year. Well, there’s 6 thumbs up and 3 thumbs down, so…. I almost did the most mileage I have ever done, I got faster, I WON A FRIGGING RACE (well, first woman!), I got a PR, plus all the stuff you really can’t quantify, like the amount of hours I’ve spent having fun with friends and new friends outdoors, getting to know people, learn from them and just enjoy their company. The only thorn on my side is that I didn’t PR at the half, which is what I had set out to do. I was REAAAAALLY close, so that makes me happy. The problem is the back of my leg was hurting, I basically did nothing for two months and though it wasn’t anything serious, I wasn’t sure so I stopped training for about 2-3 months, took time off, instead of doing the smart thing of addressing the issue. It is now under control, but I get so scared sometimes, that I back off too past and basically throw all my goals and training down the river and try to forget about it. It doesn’t work. Turns out, it was a sprained adductor (not the hamstring as I had assumed, because, you know, I freak out!) and it would have been fine with a few strengthening exercises. So just learn from me. That’s what amazing from running, you never stop learning. Like, how easy it can be to get dehydrated and barely be able to move your legs!!! Definitely had some teaching moments….

I am happy overall that I enjoyed every mile (or at least 98% of it!), that I discovered my passion for speedwork, that I love pushing myself on some runs and that I’ve learned to enjoy running in a completely different way now. I used to race with my music on, or chatting with someone. Now I leave the music at home and I am able to focus 100% on the moment.  I never would have thought that’d be possible. All from another teaching moment, when I forgot to charge my watch before the NYC Half, so I had no music and GPS: had the race of my life!!! I can now enjoy hearing my heavy breathing and pacing myself based on effort, and not time. There’s no stress.

I had set out three goals for this past year

• at least 25 miles a week,
• at least 1 speed session per week and
• at least 1 session of plyometrics a week

I got it done. In general. I did take a few weeks off. For fun. I am going into 2015 with these goals as a routine, and now adding a little bit more strengthening.

• at least 1 arm/back session a week
• at least 1 glutes/hip session a week and
• at least 1 core session a week

that’s not more than 2 hours overall if you think about it. Yet, I always find a reason to avoid it. It’s in the weekly calendar now. We’ll see how that goes. Here’s to a Half Marathon PR in 2016. Hopefully early so I don’t have to stress about it. NYC Half, here I come.