The Race List for 2016 - No Lakefront Path Races

One of my goals for 2016 is to be a bit more selective about my races and stay away from expensive city races in Chicago on the lakefront path.  Running in Chicago means an hour drive, expensive parking (even when it is cheap), expensive races, inconvenient packet pick-up and running on the lakefront path.  Don’t get me wrong, the lakefront path is beautiful as it winds along the lakeshore.  What’s not to like?  The idiots on bicycles, that’s what!!!  Every time I run on the lakefront path, no matter what time of day, I find myself having to dodge people on bicycles.  If the weather is beautiful, it becomes a huge challenge and one I’m not interested in losing.   Having said that, I may enter the lottery for the Chicago Marathon.  One, the marathon is on city streets which are shut down to other types of traffic and two, I didn’t get to run it last year with Team Fox.  Pretty sure I’m not up to fundraising again this year, but I would like to run the marathon again.

If I’m not going to run in the city, what races am I going to run?  I’ve already registered for quite a few!

Date	Name	Length
2/7/2016	Super Shuffle	5K
3/12/2016	St. Patrick's Naperville	5K
4/9/2016	Shake It Off	5K
4/16/2016	Rockdale Ramble	10K
4/23/2016	SlyFox	10K
5/7/2016	Quarryman	10 Miles
7/9/2016	Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10	10 Miles
8/28/2016	Mad to the Bone	13.1 Miles

None of these are in the city, none of them cost more than $60, none of them have packet pickup in the city and all of them have race day packet pickup.  Each one of them is in a different venue – not all on that blasted lakefront path! 

I hope to add the Chicago Marathon to this list.  If not, I may run the Naperville Marathon this year or maybe the Portland Marathon.  Heck, I might just run that one anyway.  I also expect that I will add a Halloween run, a Turkey Trot (probably the Lisle Turkey Trot Tuneup) and the Jingle Bell 5K in December.

Oh.... and probably Parkie's too.  

Another Year, Another ...

First Run of the New Year with my run club

How did it ever get to be 2016?  It seems like I blinked my eyes in 1980 and transported myself into the future.  It’s amazing how fast time flies.  Now that I’m clearly in the last half of my life, in my mind it is time to keep things ramped up.  I’ve heard many older folks say “You sit, you die” and I believe it.   I’m not quite ready for that.

2015 was a good year.  I managed to run a smidge over 1,000 miles without getting hurt.  I did get a kidney stone but I don’t consider that an injury, just a circumstance.  I ran 16 races and completed a 50 miler to boot.  I’m hoping to run fewer races in 2016 with a focus on improvement.  

Group Run 

When I started this running journey back in late 2012, I could barely run every two or three days.  I remember trying to walk up and down stairs after just a three mile run.  My knees hurt, my muscles were cranky and stiff.  I remember telling another newbie, “never run two days in a row because you would likely get injured.”  Fast forward three years and I can now run daily (if I can find the time) and find that the more I run and the longer I run, the less anything hurts.  I’m finally acclimated to this addictive sport and have no intention of having to start over.  My number one goal, always, is to avoid injury!

Being an older runner, and older when I started, I’ve come to accept that speed isn’t necessarily my goal nor something I can achieve.  So, if not speed, what are my improvement goals?  In no particular order, they are:

• ·         Stay healthy and without injury
• ·         Run at least 1,000 miles a year
• ·         Keep my weight at or below 140 lbs
• ·         Run the races for which I sign up
• ·         Write more blogposts – particularly race reports
• ·         Have fun when I run – don’t whine as much
• ·         Crosstrain at least once per week
• ·         Do speedwork & hill work at least once per week
• ·         Inspire other older people to try or stick with a running program
• ·         Stop comparing myself to others

1.16.16 Group Run - Keeping it FUN

As 2016 gets underway, I’ve run 79 miles in the first 18 days.   I’ve dropped six pounds and have three more to go to hit that elusive 140 pound threshold and, I’m finding that running every day feels really, really good.  Here’s to a great 2016, may you all meet or exceed your goals!  BUT…… and this is a big one, if your goals take the fun out of running, I personally think you should reconsider those goals.  Do you want to win big in the short term or having running be a passion for years to come?