Happy 2011 to all! This blog has been quiet for quite some time, so it’s time to get the first words of the new year up.
2010 – In Review
Here are the raw numbers for last year:
- Total running: 215 miles
- Longest single run: 26 miles
Prior to last year, my longest single run was a 10k, so overall I’m happy with how the year worked out. I was able to slowly get back into running, ramp up my mileage, and eventually run in my first ultra. Although I did end up taking a DNF at mile 26, the training and lessons learned were valuable. In addition, February brought a 2-for-1 addition to my family with the arrival of twins. No shortage of things to do at home!
On the downside, I have been dealing with hamstring and tendon issues since fall of last year, in spite of taking eight weeks off. This has necessitated a lot of tinkering with form, strength training, stretching, foam rolling, etc. I have recently restarted my running, but am still battling to keep all my relevant bits loose and pain-free.
So, a busy year running and parenting (with a bit of work and play thrown into the mix)… what’s on deck for 2011?
2011 – Things to Come
First and foremost, I want to ramp up my mileage. I am planning a (successful) 50k in the Spring/Summer and tentatively looking to do a 50 miler in the Fall. That’s quite a jump from last year and I absolutely want to avoid over-training and injuries. Given my issues last year I’ve gone back to the drawing board and decided to focus on some basics including strength training.
I’ve been fairly successful over the last couple months sticking with consistent “at home” strength training. I picked up a copy of You Are Your Own Gym just to get some additional ideas since I absolutely loathe going to a gym/health club. The workouts I do are generally 30 minutes or less but I’ve definitely noticed an improvement. I’m convinced maintaining a steady strength training regimen as I ramp up my mileage is a must.
As I start a new training cycle I’m also trying out a new approach to my workout planning. I still want to have my big picture, distance running goal, but I want to take the week to week planning in smaller chunks. I’m a planner by nature, however… since I don’t have years of experience under my belt I want to scale back significantly on trying to nail down details of running X amount of mileage in Y type of run every Z weeks. I know roughly where I need to be with my weekly and long run mileage, so I’m going to break my training into four week chunks. I’ll plan out the relevant strength training and mileage/pace ramp up for each section, then evaluate as I go.
Everything Else
In addition to the training, I plan to keep these occasional blog updates rolling. At the very least they help keep me honest about what I’m doing and how I’m progressing. I also have a couple more gear reviews in my “drafts” folder that need to be wrapped up. And now I’m off to prepare for my first actual race of 2011: a little 5k to start the year off right. Happy New Year!
