Wouldn't it be nice to have a Roomba that roamed around your mind, swept up thoughts and posted them automatically for you?Especially when you know things from the previous year need tidying up and it's already (Ahem) the third week in January.
Time to pull out the Hoover upright ...
My 2007 goals? Well, I actually never posted them but I had written them down elsewhere:
1. Become a faster swimmer
2. Become a stronger cyclist
3. Run 5 more marathons in my 50-states marathon quest
4. Do a sub-6 hour half iron tri
Basically, 2007 was a developmental year for me. To focus on #1 and #2, I took a big step back from running, halving my weekly mileage to only 20-30 MPW and doing mostly easy-paced runs. In swimming, I learned a new, faster way to freestyle and worked up to swimming 4-5 days a week. In cycling, I learned how to get up out of the saddle to climb hills and sprint, spin, draft, and handle my bike better overall.
So perhaps it's not surprising that I'd run slower marathon times, but I had some help in the first half of the year: a sprained ankle at Little Rock (4:05:50), severe GI problems at Olathe (4:27:58), and altitude issues at Colorado (4:32:05). More in line with what I expected were the sub-4s later at Siouxland (3:50:15) and Las Vegas (3:58:44), but who ever said running a marathon would be easy?
Still, 4 of 5 were negative splits and 2 were a couple weeks before half iron distance tris that were major PRs for me: 6:07:43 at FL 70.3, and 5:46:20 at Miami Man (previous PR, 6:39:51 at the 2006 FL 70.3, also my first half iron). So, no complaints.
Now I can move on to 2008.
14 comments:
Wow. You are pretty amazing! What a year you've had. What will 2008 have in store?
I'm still trying to figure it out, actually. Stay tuned ...
Wow, congrats on fine execution of the plan!
Negative splits are the way to go! (I wish...) That's an awesome amount of time you took off your Half-Ironmans in 2007.
Wow -- looks like you hit the whole list to me! Excellent!
You had quite the year!! I wish I would have found your blog before you did the Little Rock Marathon. I was there for the 1/2.
I should add that I learned some good lessons in perseverance and managing race expectations from some of my marathon misfortunes this year. As someone once said, "No rain, no rainbows."
Hi Shirley! And I thought I had a developmental year. You are amazing.
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for the comment on my blog. It really was one of the best vacations we have ever had.
WOW--You really have had a great year. Awesome times and achievements. You sound so dedicated and thats how you made it happen. You really are a role model in so many ways.
Nice to see your post on the Big Island. Made me homesick. Mark and I actually stay at a nice B&B upcountry when we go over to race. Sounds like you had a great time. And, yes, it does get windy going up those hills to Hawi. Just about blew me sideways one year...
yea...you almost have to make a choice - concentrate on one of the parts of tri, or don't, and become a better triathlete. Wierd...
Agreed, Bigun. I kept hearing about how Tiger Woods revamped his swing a few years ago in order to become the superstar he is today. Not that I'm ever going to be that good in tris, but certainly working on my weaknesses was a start. Still got a long ways to go, though!
Well done - now on to 2008!
I'm with p.o.m. What's up for 2008? I love the idea of the vaccuum cleaner for the mind. I think all that clutter weighs us down!
looking forward to following your year in 08.
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