New Years Resolutions 2006

One of my BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) is to complete 100 ultramarathons during the year I enter the 50+ age group.

My resolutions this year:-

Forgeting about trying to convert my training runs into miles or kilomtres, well that was very easy, so that one doen't really count...

I didn't manage to up my training runs over 10 hours per week, my average this year was 10 hours almost bang on 10, so no real upping... 

OK, so its getting close to the end of the year, which means that I have to actually report on my list of goals and the progress I made....here goes...

1. Take the inagural "leap" and train & complete a 50km run (Conquer the Canuck? Run for the Toad?)

Uh-oh, not off to a good start!  Didn't get a 50km race in - I could try and pathetically justify it by saying that the Conquer the Canuck race was cancelled this year (true) and that the Run for the Toad didn't offer the 50km option this year (again, completely true) but I have a feeling there were a few other 50km events out there that I could have researched and trained for and run....maybe next year??  This distance still scares me, there, I said it... (0%)

Well one of my years goals was to run Leadville and finish.  I had some ups and downs in my training and running.  As Leadville quickly approached I have to admit I had a couple doubts as to the outcome.  We went to Colorado about 12 days before the race and two days after I arrived I still had trouble breathing and running.  After about 7 days I started to feel "normal" and the running got easier. 

-Successfully completed American River 50 mile and simultaneously qualified for Western States. (that's next year's contest!)

-Have volunteered or (partially) run at CFA events (Fat Ass 50, Mtn Highway Madness, Vancouver 100, the Enduro, XTC, Run to the Clouds)

So far, having managed to keep pretty much on track with the 10-12 hours a week,three or four sessions a week of 3 hours will do it.(I work split shifts for only 3.5 days a week)

Where has the time gone? 2006 is now half-over!

This past December I took the unusual step (for me) of writing down my New Years resolutions.  It was to be a competition against myself and a way to keep myself honest.  Some other friends and Club Fat Ass members also took up the challenge of going public with their goals.  So, for the benefit of those who care, here's a summary of my progress relative to where I wanted to be half-way through the year:

Despite worsened asthma symptoms and a long recovery from a cold virus, I have been positive about training and running this month.  Given that I lost all the endurance I had built up earlier in the year, I focused on getting back on track and running shorter distances. 

OK, so it being May 1st I thought I'd do a quarterly update to see how my resolutions are coming along (yes, I realize I'm a month late, but hopefully no one is keeping track).

First off, I have to say that I missed the boat on the snowshoeing trip for early 2006 (there is no longer snow out East (that I"m willing to travel to anyways)) so will have to get my fatass in gear for late in the season. Stay tuned...

Not sure where my running training is going this year. At this point it seems to be going no where fast...

March I was lying low because of an recurring Achilles injury. Luckily, the rest and no running regime helped and so far the Achilles tendon is pain free.

After completing the Burnaby Mountain Run (12km) early April and fighting some motivational issues, Pat and I were back on the trails on Easter Saturday, enjoying the late season snow that greeted us in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. April started looking good...until the flu bug hit hard. Missed out on the sunniest CFA run of this year last weekend. While a bunch of Fat Asses enjoyed the brilliant blue skies over Coquitlam at the Run To The Clouds (which clouds), I spent the day coughing and hacking in bed. Bummer.

Feel like any endurance is long gone by now, legs still feel rubbery from fever and doing nothing all week...we'll see how tomorrows planned run with Michelle plays out. What does not kill me only makes me stronger... Or so I hope!