2019 in Review: Getting after it, subject to constraints
365 consecutive days of running at least two miles done, and 2,601 miles of running for the year.
I set a goal to run every day this year. I just ran six more miles, putting me at 2,601 miles for the year, and 365 consecutive days or running at least two miles every day. I'm glad I completed the streak, but I will not be continuing. I used streak running as a means to increase my total mileage, which has long been a goal. I was successful in that goal, as I surpassed my previous highest mileage from 2015 of 2,485 running miles. The obvious caveat is that this is running miles, as I doubt I will ever cover more miles on foot that in I did hiking ~6,000 miles round trip hike on the CDT in 2007. It's less than half the yearly mileage, but in 2007 I walked from sun up to sun down for 178.5 days, while in 2019 I had a mortgage, held down a full-time job, and published a book and a couple papers, so I feel like I'm doing a decent job of getting after it given the constraints.
I've long considered higher volume (or really, better consistency, which would lead to high volume) to be how I could get faster. I could probably do some stats on my workouts to test this, but I won't, and instead will just assume it's true that if you subtract race mileage, my highest volume month was February, when I was seriously training for Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon. It's definitely true that's when I was trying hardest. I set a PR, breaking 3:00. (Maybe it was the shoes? I have no desire to run a race in heavier, less-cushioned shoes to add N=1 to the data.)
I was then really bummed when that leg speed didn't turn over into success on trails. It turns out the weather is really humid and awful in the summer on the east coast. My 100 milers (Massanutten, High Lonesome) didn't go that well, but I did fairly well at shorter ~100K races: Laurel Highlands 70.5 and Castle Peak 100K. Then a mediocre and rainy Marine Corps Marathon (3:21) followed by a second Boston qualifying marathon for the year at Richmond (3:08).
ALL RESULTS:
March--Shamrock Marathon (2:59:40 PR)
April--Cherry Blossom 10-miler (65:29)
May--Farm Park Challenge (47 miles)
May--Massanutten 100 (34:00)
June--Laurel Highlands 70.5 (16:45)
July--High Lonesome 100 (34:41)
August--Castle Peak 100K (16:38)
October--Euchre Bar Massacre (Missed cutoff after 5 hills)
October--Marine Corps Marathon (3:21)
November--Richmond Marathon (3:08)
There were a few other casual things in there--I don't quite know where the line is between casual group runs and formal races is for VHTRC events, but I also ran Hashawa Hills 50K, Boyer's Furnace 40, and a 5-mile turkey trot.
So what's next, and why won't I be continuing my streak? I didn't really like being consistent on a day to day basis. Weekly maybe, and monthly definitely, but some days I'm in the groove in the office and want to stay late and make progress on a paper, get home after dark, drink a beer, let George pee in the back yard, and go to bed. Without running two miles in 90 degree weather or on icy blacktop in 20 degree weather wearing screw shoes. Aside from burning calories, are those lazy 10-11 minute miles with frequent breaks for George to pee really doing anything for my conditioning? I doubt it.
Importantly, I also plan to do a major hike in 2020. I managed to drop my pack and run two miles on days I went backpacking this year, but doing that every day on what will be a 5 or 6-week, 800-mile trek is just dumb. No thanks. I would like to do something every day that I'm not on trail, perhaps stretching, foam rolling, or core exercises, but it won't be running. My not running may begin as soon as tomorrow. I'm glad I have the choice.
I set a goal to run every day this year. I just ran six more miles, putting me at 2,601 miles for the year, and 365 consecutive days or running at least two miles every day. I'm glad I completed the streak, but I will not be continuing. I used streak running as a means to increase my total mileage, which has long been a goal. I was successful in that goal, as I surpassed my previous highest mileage from 2015 of 2,485 running miles. The obvious caveat is that this is running miles, as I doubt I will ever cover more miles on foot that in I did hiking ~6,000 miles round trip hike on the CDT in 2007. It's less than half the yearly mileage, but in 2007 I walked from sun up to sun down for 178.5 days, while in 2019 I had a mortgage, held down a full-time job, and published a book and a couple papers, so I feel like I'm doing a decent job of getting after it given the constraints.
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| George and I at the ATC HQ in Harper's Ferry |
I've long considered higher volume (or really, better consistency, which would lead to high volume) to be how I could get faster. I could probably do some stats on my workouts to test this, but I won't, and instead will just assume it's true that if you subtract race mileage, my highest volume month was February, when I was seriously training for Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon. It's definitely true that's when I was trying hardest. I set a PR, breaking 3:00. (Maybe it was the shoes? I have no desire to run a race in heavier, less-cushioned shoes to add N=1 to the data.)
I was then really bummed when that leg speed didn't turn over into success on trails. It turns out the weather is really humid and awful in the summer on the east coast. My 100 milers (Massanutten, High Lonesome) didn't go that well, but I did fairly well at shorter ~100K races: Laurel Highlands 70.5 and Castle Peak 100K. Then a mediocre and rainy Marine Corps Marathon (3:21) followed by a second Boston qualifying marathon for the year at Richmond (3:08).
ALL RESULTS:
March--Shamrock Marathon (2:59:40 PR)
April--Cherry Blossom 10-miler (65:29)
May--Farm Park Challenge (47 miles)
May--Massanutten 100 (34:00)
June--Laurel Highlands 70.5 (16:45)
July--High Lonesome 100 (34:41)
August--Castle Peak 100K (16:38)
October--Euchre Bar Massacre (Missed cutoff after 5 hills)
October--Marine Corps Marathon (3:21)
November--Richmond Marathon (3:08)
There were a few other casual things in there--I don't quite know where the line is between casual group runs and formal races is for VHTRC events, but I also ran Hashawa Hills 50K, Boyer's Furnace 40, and a 5-mile turkey trot.
So what's next, and why won't I be continuing my streak? I didn't really like being consistent on a day to day basis. Weekly maybe, and monthly definitely, but some days I'm in the groove in the office and want to stay late and make progress on a paper, get home after dark, drink a beer, let George pee in the back yard, and go to bed. Without running two miles in 90 degree weather or on icy blacktop in 20 degree weather wearing screw shoes. Aside from burning calories, are those lazy 10-11 minute miles with frequent breaks for George to pee really doing anything for my conditioning? I doubt it.
Importantly, I also plan to do a major hike in 2020. I managed to drop my pack and run two miles on days I went backpacking this year, but doing that every day on what will be a 5 or 6-week, 800-mile trek is just dumb. No thanks. I would like to do something every day that I'm not on trail, perhaps stretching, foam rolling, or core exercises, but it won't be running. My not running may begin as soon as tomorrow. I'm glad I have the choice.
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