2017 in Review

Goals = Mostly Nailed

• full year of 2 x 30min strength sessions, either group classes, personal training, or DIY programs at home
• Well, this didn't work out quite as planned, but I'm still proud of what I accomplished. Strength training is, more or less, a regular thing for me now, after struggling through maintaining the habit for the better part of a year. 
• January: 4/4 weeks
• February: 3/4 weeks
• March: 2/4 weeks: promo rate ran out and we had a few weeks of trying to "DIY" before realizing that wasn't going to happen and paying for classes was worthwhile
• April: 3/4 weeks
• May: 4/4 weeks
• June: 3/4 weeks
• July: 3/4 weeks
• August and September: 0/8 weeks-- conscious decision to eliminate bootcamp in favor of smaller strength training bursts from the Miler Method plan... so, maybe count these as 50% accomplished? 
• October: 4/4 weeks, though I'm counting my PT sessions because they did all revolve around muscle strengthening and last at least 30min
• November: 3/4 weeks (darn you, Thanksgiving illness)
• December: 3/4 weeks (replaced strength workouts with hiking during Hawai'i week)
• Total Sessions for Year: 76 through Dec 13 (91 if you count PT)
• mile PR (was 6:33, Resolution Run 2015)
• crushed a 6:14 at Resolution Run sans training
• mentally choked out a 6:19 at West End in September, after six weeks of training with Coaches Nick and Sierra of milermethod.com
• break 23:00 in a 5K (was 23:33)
• crushed a 22:48 at Hearts & Soles after a few weeks of guidance from Coach Amy
• kind of gave up the 5K life after this in favor of besting my mile time
• run a race in just a sports bra and shorts
• nailed this at Braves, and did a few training runs too

#team

Other Accomplishments I'm Proud Of:

• Completing a mile training plan, which was the hardest I've ever pushed myself
• Cross-training my way through the PF tear, which required a LOT of effort and mental strength to find ways of fitting in unconventional (for me) exercise and conquering my fears of the pool to get swimming
• Captaining my relay team with a smile on my face from the van while in a walking boot (I saved the crying and "woe is me" for the comfort of my home, where I could cuddle with my 3' tall stuffed penguin, Harvey, and my cats)
• Still hitting over 1000mi for the year, despite being out of the game for over three months
• Strengthening my running groups, the Running Mamas and #10KTuesday 

By the Numbers

• 1050.64 miles run 
• 160 hours and 51 minutes spent running
• 9:11/mi average pace for the year 
• 107 days were affected by injury or illness (that's like 30% of the year)
• 4 injuries: calf knot, hamstring something-or-other, weak glute complications, and a partial plantar fascia tear
• 3 new PRs (mile, 5K, half)
• one stroller gender win
• no AG awards that I can remember (pretty cool that just winning ONE was a goal of mine a few years ago, and now I'm like "oh, it's not even a big enough deal to stick out in my mind") 

Peachtree 2017: the largest #10KTuesday ever

Looking to Next Year, Goals

• Resume logging food/nutrition intake: I did this pretty successfully for a few years and found that it forced me to really think about what I ate before eating it. I'm hoping this will lead me to eating better (and toning up a bit) in 2018. 
• Continue regular strength training (bootcamp 1-2x week)
• Make a habit of spending at least 5min stretching after each run (seriously, I'm over 30, this needs to be a thing)
• Compete with the Masters Track and Field team (first indoor meet scheduled for Feb, then hopefully going to nationals in Maryland in March)
• Continue the 1000mi/year streak

There's an obvious exclusion from the list above: any sort of speed/race goal. After three months off with the PF tear, I'm just starting to get back to a regular running schedule. I don't know how long it'll take me to get back to consistent 30mpw again, and, until I'm doing that, and comfortable doing any sort of speedwork, there's no point setting race-related goals.