On To 2015

2014 Illinois XC Challenge, November something or 'nother. This was not a smartly-run race by me, but this photo isn't horrible.

Closed out 2014 with a half at the end of November, sullenly so. Took three weeks off of running to rest up, prepare for what lies ahead.

I felt like I allowed external forces pull me through the first what, seven months of the year without much structure or growth, as far as running is concerned. I'm glad I got angry and started to focus my training in September-October, because with more perspective, I learned a great deal from the Indy half in November. Mainly, I like what I accomplished with essentially no base and just a little addition of speed work. 

These last two weeks have been just easy miles, with a focus on slowing my dumb-ass down. I'm committed to the presence of strength training and more plyo-based athletic efforts being standard in my normal week, and did such three times in the past seven days--bully for me. Trying to build a better physical self as I really haven't felt fit in awhile.  There is a difference between merely running in shape and overall, and I think one begets the other. 

Last Friday, the day after Christmas, I ran in shorts as it was damn near close to 50. This afternoon was coated in the first snowfall of note, after a soupy rain-sleet hybrid of a Saturday. Felt smooth and light on my feet, trying to stay slower on what ended up being an eight mile jaunt in the lightly-falling snow and breeze.

My training is slowly beginning to morph into something that I can place on a calendar, and I'll start to touch on weekly training from this point forward in some form or fashion.  Didn't mind doing such this past fall. Just need to figure out a happier format.

I like the spring goals I have laid out, and I'll probably write on what I'm looking forward to accomplishing in the new year (especially with the piles of missed goals from 2014 I have to touch upon as well) in the coming weeks. I have already signed up for a handful of races between March and June, and I'm sure that a few more will be added to the docket. This will be the first January without a clear-cut idea of what I want as a goal fall race, so that gives a touch more flexibility in the coming months as well. 

There's stuff to look forward to. For now, here's to a happy, healthy and competitive 2015.