Happy New Year, everyone! I didn’t get a post out last week because of the holiday, so I’m jumping back into the newsletter this week.
I already feel rusty – as if I’ve never written to you all before! It’s like taking an extended break from running and then having Bambi legs when you do come back. IYKYK.
Looking back, here are some of my favorite highlights from the year:
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Coming back from injury.
The comeback is sweet because of all the hard work you put in to get back. I spent tons of hours cross-training over half of January, all of February and March, and most of April. I spent nights at Apple Physical Therapy getting rehab and days at the gym biking, swimming, using the elliptical, and strength training. It was hell. But I knew it would eventually pay off.
So when I was finally pain-free, I kicked it into gear and got myself in shape so that I could…
Breaking 5 in the mile.
Break 5 in the mile. This is my 23rd year breaking 5 and something that I’m quite proud of. I waited until the summer (mostly because I didn’t have a choice) and registered for my college roommate and teammate, Craig Segal’s, store community mile event.
The meet was great. The community was great. It was overall a great experience and one that I’m fortunate to have been a part of.
I ended up breaking 5 minutes for the mile in my only attempt of the year. 4:58.
This year’s goal: sub-4:50.
Organizing a USATF club team.
The Dad Run Club is setting up a competitive USATF club team. Our goal is to have fun, compete with the best teams in the Mid-Atlantic, and give more post-collegiate athletes a chance to compete.
Once we’re up and running (waiting on USATF, of course), then I’ll share more details. But if you’re competitive and are looking for a club team to join, we might be it for you.
Mileage over the last 7 months.
I’ve always considered myself a mid-distance runner, and at 41, I think I’ve handicapped myself. I’ve given myself an “out”. But in my running circles, I’m getting lapped. Guys [and gals] are running 2,000 more miles than I am every single year.
Sure, I have 25 years of miles in my legs, but to be competitive, I need to up my mileage. In the last 8 months of the year, coming off injury, I averaged 111 miles per month. I’d like that to be 130-150 miles per month moving forward.
Mapping out my training and racing in 2026.
I’m really excited about where the year is heading. I’m healthy going into the year, which is huge for me. It sets me up nicely for knocking sub-5 off my list.
And I have a loose racing schedule because of the Mid-Atlantic racing circuit. I’ll get quite a lot of club races to tick off, and that’ll be good to get some racing done this year. And then I have a goal to check out some triathlon races and some trail races.
So tell me, what’s something that you’re proud of doing this year? Leave me a comment, and I can’t wait to pump you up!
Do you have questions or want to talk about your training? Send me a message. Seriously. You can send me the most basic question, like “What shoes do I train in right now?” No question is too small.
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