2013 Goal

I've been hesitating about putting my 2013 goal out there because it's pretty ambitious for me.  Last year I chose a goal that I knew was tough but felt confident I achieve if I worked hard and I did.  This year I making my goal even more challenging but I'm not as confident that I will get it.  I think that's ok though, last year hitting my goal was awesome but the journey of getting to it and putting in the work was just as rewarding if not more.

This year I watched a few of my friends train for Boston and as they were training I thought I would never be able to achieve that, at least not for years until my time increased to at least over 4 hours.  After hitting my sub 4 hour goal I started wondering what else I was capable of and considered running an ultra and some other goals but I kept coming back to Boston.  My time is 3:35.  I turn 34 this year and then next year when I turn 35 it will go up to 3:40.  I thought about putting the goal off until next year when I gained 5 minutes but after talking with a very speedy friend who has qualified for Boston a few times at 3:35 and 3:40, I was convinced I should go for it now. 

I honestly don't know if I will get there this year but I figure the worst thing that could happen is I get closer to it and I get stronger by trying for it.  I don't want to regret not trying. 

I'm still working out my plan to get there but I have a rough plan in mind already.  I am going to spend the first part of the year working on my base and getting stronger overall.  I want to add speed-workouts and cross-train more.  I know I keep saying this but I think I have to commit to some cross-training if I am going to get to Boston.

My uncle, Joe and I have planned to run the Lake Placid Marathon in June (my uncle bribed Joe and I to run with him).  This is a pretty hilly marathon and it's definitely not a course for BQing but I think it's a good course for me to practice my mental toughness and to evaluate how I have improved up to that point.  We love Lake Placid and have done the half several times so we will have no matter what.

I am also considering running Pittsburgh in May.  Again, not expecting to achieve my goal there but I have always wanted to run it since I have family there.  This would be another race to evaluate how I am doing.

After Lake Placid, I will give myself some time to recover and then ramp up my training to prepare for the Hudson Mohawk Marathon in the fall.  This will be where I go for it.  It's local, it's a fast course, and I've run it several times so I think it's the perfect race for me to try to BQ.

I may also sign up for Philly in November but there will be no goals attached to that one.  It will be all about having fun.  I'm hoping I can convince Joe to run it too.

So there you go...it's out there, it's real...YIKES!