Setting Goals for 2014

I started off 2013 with some lofty goals.  400 miles and 2 half marathons.  I didn't get nearly where I wanted to, and it would be easy to blame it all on my broken foot in July.  You can see the huge dip in my runs, I only ended up with just under 300 miles (in addition to my Nike Fuel below, I had a few runs on RunKeeper, which just didn't do it for me).

What I did accomplish was a few REALLY important things.

1. My average pace went down by 45 seconds/mile.  That's huge.  Really, I traded distance for speed.
2. I ran a number of races by myself, proving that running is here to stay for me, and not just "a thing I do with some friends every now and then", and most importantly,
3. I made and kept a commitment while healing my foot fracture that being healthy and STRONG was my number one priority.  

What that means in day to day life is that I either run, bike or do strength training five days a week.  This has made a huge difference in how I feel every day, and my overall strength level.

So as I start 2014, that is my 1st priority...5 days a week.  I am shooting for 2 halfs again this year, and I am shooting for 450 miles.  

2014 is the year of consistency and focus.  And no excuses.

What are your goals for 2014?

I am the Reticent Runner

I am 43 years old, and have been running since December of 2011. Running has changed my life in amazing ways. These are the stories of my running journey. I hope you can identify. I would love to hear from you.

My Ironwoman cousin Amy (left) and me (right) pre-race.

Last Saturday was the ING Hartford Marathon (and half marathon, and 5k). I signed up for the half marathon in July, one short week before I took an epic fall in the parking garage stairwell at work and fractured my foot. You might think that means I didn’t get to run last Saturday. But you would be mistaken. I didn’t run the half, like I planned, but I ran the 5k, and beat my personal best time by 15 seconds.

Race day in Hartford in front of the Capitol

So goes my life as a runner. Wild ups and downs. Within the first month of running (well, I was walk- running using the Couch to 5k app on my phone) I ended up with runners knee and started the first of what would be multiple rounds of physical therapy.


What’s most important to me about last Saturday isn’t that my time was good, but that I ran at all, 12 short weeks after having broken my foot. What’s important, is that I did what the doctor told me to do, I didn’t give up, and I clawed my way back to running in the shortest possible recovery time. With no pain. Amen. This from a person who truly believed they “couldn’t” run.

Post race smiles! with medals!

I’m a mother, a wife, I have a (big) full time job, and I have other hobbies besides running. But honestly, running is what keeps me sane. It’s the time when all the noise of my daily life (my 1st world problems) disappears, and I begin to see the possibility of all the things I could accomplish. If I can persist through the nagging voice in my head that says “STOP RUNNING NOW”, I can, in my mind, literally do ANYTHING.


I have learned to take time for myself. I have learned that my family’s growth and health depend on my growth and health. I can’t give much when I’m feeling weak and broken.

This is my journey. I am so glad to share it with you.


My time for the 5k last Saturday was 30:50, around a 9:57/mile, a huge breakthrough (to average under the 10 minute mile). My next official race is a 6.66 miler called “The Devil Made Me Do It” on October 27. The pictures for that one should be great.