Half-Assed Runner

Runs: 12
Miles: 64.01
Races: 1 (6.21 miles)
Outdoors: 5 (35.82 miles)
Indoors: 2 (9.90 miles)
Treadmill: 5 (18.29 miles)
Longest: 11.54 miles

This has been the mildest winter (both temperature and snowfall) I’ve ever experienced in Minnesota.  Consequently, I was able to get in 5 outdoor runs during a month where bitter cold and shit tons of snow generally make this nearly impossible.  I was planning on doing a lot more indoor running and even some cross-country skiing, but the this “winter that wasn’t” lead me to getting outdoors more often than I ever have since I moved to Minnesota.

My 64 miles this month is more than I ran during the first three months of 2011…and only 4 miles less than my total for the first 4 months of 2011.

I started swimming (if you can call it that) as well.  I’m taking lessons, which will hopefully improve my form.  I’ve all but given up on completing a triathlon this year as it will probably take me a solid year of swimming to get comfortable enough to swim 400 yards in open water.  I do think that the cross training is helping a bit with my running.

I ran my first 10K and therefore got a PR at that distance.  No stops.  It’s weird.  Every time I try a new distance (4K, 5 mile, 10K, and 10 mile) I complete the race without stopping.  I have run a dozen 5Ks and only finished TWO without walking.  Meh.

I did get a minor “injury” on my last long run.  For the first time ever I tweaked my right hamstring.  I ran through it and after half a day with a minor limp, I was golden.

I feel good about where I’m at in my running.  I wanted to get some solid mileage in during December – February so that I could start training for the dozen half marathons I have planned this year.  10 miles is probably my maximum distance right now.  I should be able to ramp that up to 15 miles by the time I run my first half marathon in late April.

I don’t expect to put in as many miles in February (shorter month and winter *will* appear at some point).  I am going to shoot for 50 miles with at least one double digit run.