I am going to start this post with a very brief “race report” as there isn’t much to comment on. I ran the Dick Meighan Memorial 5K for the 5th consecutive year on Thanksgiving. This year, my wife, sister, her boyfriend and a good friend of mine all joined me. The weather was beautiful, perfect for racing. It was very crowded though as there were 2,000+ there for a 5K run through local streets. I was never able to really get going and I ran a net time of 24:21 and had a ton left in the tank when it was all said and done. I did however sign up for a “Reindeer Run 5K” on December 10 so I plan on going for a fast time in that race. But now, on to bigger and better things!
Me & The Fam!
It’s that time of year where we begin to start planning for the New Year; Races & Goals, PRs & New Distances. A few weeks ago I was feeling quite ambitious and I purchased some raffle tickets for the 2013 Western States 100M race in California. The raffle goes off on December 10th. If I fail to get in through the raffle, I will still try to get in via the lottery next year. If I do not get into Western States at all, I am looking toward the Keys 100M to be my “fallback” race. I have been eyeing up a 100 miler and I feel that a year and a half should be enough time to prepare. Part of the Western States process is qualifying. In order to qualify, you must run one of the following: 1) a 50 miler in under 11 hours 2) a 100K in under 14 hours or 3) a 100 miler within the official cutoff. I have my sights set on 3 races. I plan on running one of two north face races, either Bear Mountain 50 or Washington DC 50. Bear Mountain appears to be more difficult as well as a month sooner however it is also more local and I am still undecided. The Second attempt at qualifying will be at the Vermont 50 in September. For both races I will follow a basic mileage based training plan however I will have to get out to the trails a lot more. This will be difficult as they are not exactly in my backyard however I understand the importance of specificity.
The Goal
Another goal of mine is speed. I have never been a big fan of speed work however I know that it can be very beneficial. I recently joined the North Jersey Masters Running Club and I plan to take part in their track workouts beginning next spring. I am currently running high 21s to mid 22s in the 5K. My 2012 goals will be a sub 21 minute 5K in the spring followed by a sub 20 minute 5K in the fall. I also plan in partaking in the NJ Track and Field Road Running Race series which will be comprised of multiple 5ks throughout the year. Once the schedule comes out I can work the races into my training schedules. I will post my training schedules and dates once I get them set in stone. I will also attempt to post my weekly training as well as various race reports from my various distances. I look forward to improving both time and distance and I appreciate any advice and tips along the way.
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