Reflections on 2013... Prepping for 2014!

As 2013 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on my year in racing, and planning my schedule for the New Year.

My 2013 racing season began successfully as I PR'd at the 8K, 10K, 10 Mile, and Half Marathon distances. The season ended on a low, as I was disappointed in my performance in the 2013 Chicago Triathlon, as well as the 2013 Chicago Marathon.  

I did not successfully PR at these races (my real goals for the year), and I spent time beating myself over what went wrong:  Did I not train enough? Was I too cocky from my previous performances? Did I put too much pressure on myself?

(As you may have noticed, I neglected to post a race report form the Chicago Marathon, mostly due to my disappointment in the result. However, I can be proud of the fact I raised almost $1000 for the Anti-Cruelty Society.  Thank you supporters!)

After some reflection, I realized that circumstances outside of my control were at play (extreme heat during the Triathlon, and unusual stomach cramping during the Marathon), and I cannot let those unfortunate blips overshadow what was an amazing year for me.  I ran times that I have only dreamed about running again since high school in 2013 and I need to keep this momentum going to reach these goals in 2014!

Creating goals for the 2014 season has gotten me excited for the upcoming season, and reaffirmed my dedication to running and triathlons.

To hold myself accountable, my goals for 2014 are as follows (from least important to most important):

• PR (again) at the Shamrock Shuffle 8K - This is my favorite race of the year, and I love competing in it!
• Compete in an early season Sprint Triathlon (June-ish)  - I hope this will better prepare me for the Chicago Triathlon in August.
• Break 4:00 hrs in a Marathon - I am capable of this.  My time in the Big Ten 10K proved I was strong enough to be well under this time.  I am in the lottery for the New York City marathon.  If I don't receive a lottery spot, I will race Chicago again (assuming I can register in time), or Detroit: my first marathon (and PR to date).
• PR in the Chicago Triathlon - This is the real monkey on my back.  After my first year racing, I don't think I have performed to my potential (particularly in the run portion).  I have the strength and experience to break 3:00 hours.  I will this year.

Happy 2014!  I am looking forward to reaching all of these goals with you!

Stay tuned as I finalize my race schedule, and begin training for 2014!

Injury Update! Compression Saves the Day!

A few weeks back I suffered a light hamstring/glute injury at the BTN Big 10K.  In 2009, issues with my hamstring/glute resulted in 4 month of physical therapy and prevented me from starting the Chicago Marathon.

Hoping to avoid a second DNS at the race, I am taking the rehab of my leg seriously.  In my last post, I shared a few of my favorite stretches/exercises to work the glute.  While these have helped, some nagging pain in my leg still remains.

While at Fleet Feet picking up a new pair of running shoes, I decided to invest in some compression shorts. Over the past few years, the use of compression socks and shorts while running has been the new trend.  I have not had much luck using the socks DURING a run (though I have felt the benefits when using them after a long run or hard race).

But they come in pretty cool colors!

I had a 16 mile run on the schedule last weekend, and was determined to at least make it to double digit mileage after my failure the previous week.  Willing to try anything, I decided to give compression shorts a go.

Enter, the CW-X Pro Compression shorts:

Clearly, I am not this model

 And, of course, new shoes (well, new pair of my current Nike Flyknits):

The color sort of looks like "Fruity Pebble Throw-up"

Saturday morning came, time to test the new gear.  I woke up determined run 7 miles, preferably 10, and cap the run at 12 if I felt really good (the previous week I had 15 on the schedule and didn't make it past 2).

Almost immediately I could tell that my run was going to go well.  I stopped every 3 miles to stretch my glute, and avoided hills that may stress the leg.  The compression shorts definitely stabilized my muscles, and I felt a lot better then I had the previous weekend.

Early morning runs aren't so bad with these types of views!

 At mile 6.5 I stopped at a Fleet Feet Hydration Station, and debated whether I should stop at 10 or stretch the run to 12.  I decided I felt good enough to go for 12.  While my leg flared up around mile 9.5 (apparently I should have been a little more cautious), I managed to finish the full 12 feeling strong.

He didn't run with me, but enjoyed hanging out on the porch afterwards!

I'm still not feeling 100%, but I am encouraged by my recovery progress, thanks to the rehab exercises and the additional help of the compression shorts! I also used them this week on a bike/run brick run, and found them to be comfortable on the bike.

In 10 days I will be racing my 4th Chicago Triathlon International Distance race!  While my target race for this fall is the Chicago Marathon (I am raising money for the Anti-Cruelty Society ), the Chicago Triathlon has become one of my favorite races each year.  I hope that I will recover well enough to continue the streak of personal records this season.