2012 Go Time

Laura and I started off 2012 with a race. Instead of defending my title at the Resolution Solution 5k, I opted instead to volunteer as a course marshal at the Team Ortho Polar Dash. It's not as exciting as it might sound--course marshals are nothing like US Marshals. They don't get to capture fugitives, carry guns (although in Minnesota I suppose I could have), or have thick mustaches.

Though we didn't get the adrenaline rush of tracking a heroine dealer through the Sierra Nevadas, we did get free hand and foot warmers. Laura had five of them stuffed in-between her two pairs of socks. This mild winter has wussified me. I wasn't wearing mittens, so instead, I was pulling my fingers out of my gloves and wrapping them around the hand warmers in my palms. Luckily the runners I was cheering for were none-the-wiser. My gloves were thick enough to camouflage my frigid fingers' sissyness by maintaining a rigid shape (see photo).

Notice the motionlessness of my right hand.

Besides keeping our extremities as warm as possible, we also rang cow bells and cheered for the 10k and 1/2 marathon runners as they ran up the hill where South Mississippi River Blvd and Summit Ave intersect. We did get one sweet taste of authority when the St. Paul Police Officer told me I could direct the priests leaving their monastary off of the race course if they had to go exorcise demons or distribute the Eucharist (I'm paraphrasing here). All in all, it was a great way to start 2012.

2011 Goals - Check!
In 2011 I set some ambitious goals and some goals that were not quite as ambitious. I wanted to run 1800 miles for the year and complete my first 50k. Looking back, 1800 was a little soft of a goal. I trained for a marathon in April and then a 50k in July, followed by a Ragnar ultra relay with three legs totaling over 34 miles in less than 24 hours. Just to train for those three races I should have hit 2000 miles.

I wrote that if I trained seriously for the 50k the miles would take care of themselves--and they did, to the tune of 2409. I did estimate a few of those runs so it's possible I only ran 2397, but it's also possible I ran 2421.

I'd also made it a goal to set personal records in the 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, and marathon. I did that and set PRs in the 10 mile and 50k by default. Yes! Really, while those goals may sound tough, I hadn't raced a 10k since Labor Day of 2009, and hadn't run a serious 5k ever. It's amazing what training somewhat consistently for two years can do for PRs.

12 Goals for 2012
This year I'm going to do a list so it's easier to write this post next year:
1. Write some different kinds of blog posts.
2. Pace Laura during her next PR-setting marathon.
3. Get some misguided company to give me free stuff to review on my blog.
4. Break 4:50 in the mile.
5. Break 16:45 in the 5k.
6. Break 1:20 in the 1/2 marathon.
7. Run over 2500 miles.
8. Finish a triathlon without drowning or falling off the bike.
9. Learn more about running.
10. Make it a whole year without kidney stone removal surgery.
11. Break 34:45 in the 10k.
12. Turn 30 and run 30k.

It's been a fun year of blogging. I hope to keep this blog somewhat entertaining this year, though I fear successful completion of goal #10 may hinder my writing. Perhaps I can find an equally compelling non-running related subject to write about this year.

Happy New Year!