Notes
2017 was... okay. At least compared to 2016 I stayed reasonably healthy through the year, though there were certainly a few rough patches and Achilles issues persist to this day. Performance-wise, the 2017 highs weren't as high as the 2016 highs, but at least the lows weren't as low.
The big thing I'll remember from 2017 is of course the Boston Marathon and the months leading up to it. I ended 2016 on an upward trajectory but I was still pretty clearly in my worst shape in many years. Going into 2017, it was hard to imagine even completing a marathon; a PR seemed impossible. But at least I could run comfortably enough, albeit slowly, so I just started gradually building and building. Eventually I was working in my first workday doubles since graduation and reaching post-collegiate-high mileage. The work started to pay off as I started to run some of my best-ever LRs and long workouts; soon I felt confident in a BQ, then a PR, then a "good considering" time, and then an outright good time. Well, we know how that went in the end, but I contend that being able to even semi-reasonably entertain the idea of a low 2:40 was pretty remarkable knowing where I had been not long before. And yes, BM fell short of my final goals, but I think I ran a very good, tough race still, and not many people got to say they PRed that day.
After that, things got aimless. Maybe I had some post-BM blues; nothing seemed important or noble enough to motivate myself for. I always struggle through summer but I especially couldn't catch hold of any momentum this year it seemed. There were some solid patches but they were usually followed by some pretty sad ones too. Virginia travel didn't help much either, though after I settled in a bit there, I was finally able to find more of a rhythm.
So now here I am once again ending the year on an optimistic note. Training has been steady and my legs are coming along. I'm putting in good work without killing myself. It's going to be an interesting year with the wedding and with a guaranteed new job in less than three months, so my running crystal ball gets a little murky after March. Right now I'm focused on a solid HM in Charleston on 1/13, having some fun at CPC at the end of Jan with some OFBOC folk, a Qing up for BM19 at Hyannis at the end of Feb, and a PR at CRBR. After that, who knows!
So now...
THE BAD
-Lifepoint Race for Life (Feb - 10k - 36:30) - Knew I wasn't in great shape and mostly ran what I expected to run, but this one was a bummer nonetheless. To be fair, there was a lot of wasted energy passing 5kers on a crowded narrow path, but I don't think that cost me enough time to justify calling this anything but disappointing.
-Old Village Harbor 5k (Nov - 5k - 17:18) - After running 17:20 a challenging 35:34 three and two weeks earlier respectively, I thought I'd be knocking on sub-17's door by this point. Conditions were pretty good, course was flat, but I just didn't have it that day.
THE INDIFFERENT
-Race the Landing #4 (Jul - 5k - 17:46) - This one was first and foremost about having fun and I did. The time was much slower than last race but the temp was much worse and I had been spending a lot of time on the elliptical. Not a good performance but certainly not one I put much stock into either.
-SGK Race for the Cure (Oct - 5k - 17:20) - Had a lot of fun with this one and it was fun RACING to a win. The time was better than expected and the race felt good, but it's still hard to get overly excited about it.
-Moms' Run (May - 5k - 17:00) - Pretty solid bounce-back after BM, especially with some pretty light training immediately leading up to it, plus this was my fastest time for this race (although each year was on a different course), but the 17s tend to get a little old.
-TCRR Club Championship (Dec - 7mi - 40:35) - Another loose "race" and one that's a little hard to evaluate as I was treating it more like a workout. I was pleased with it but 40:35 isn't an objectively fast time for me and it's impossible to say what I would have run with a more serious effort.
THE GOOD:
-Race the Landing 5K #3 (Jun - 5k - 16:47) - Another pretty impulsive race that exceeded expectations. Had to run this one solo in some warmer temps (though for June in SC really pretty mild) so was happy to be able to push myself to something respectable.
-James Island Connector Run (Oct - 10k - 35:34) - Objectively not a great time for me, but again exceeded expectations following a few very light months. My effort was well-measured, the race was well-executed, and ran I faster than 2 years earlier when I felt I was in MUCH better shape.
-OFBOC Coast-to-Coast Challenge (Jun - 1mi - 4:46) - Only loosely a race, but I'll count it. Training had been a little spotty since BM and generally included just easy miles, so it was exciting to see I could still run this quickly, even if I had to settle for 3rd in the OFBOC :(
-Catch the Leprechaun 5k (Mar - 5k - 16:35) - Surprise performance, especially for a race on a whim! Had pretty low expectations with my marathon training involving very little running under 5:30 pace and generally including a lot of SLOW easy miles. In retrospect, this may have been the catalyst for getting overly optimistic with my BM goals but that doesn't take away from the performance itself (4th fastest *legit* road 5k)
-Boston Marathon (Apr - Marathon - 2:52:04) - No way this isn't topping the list. Yeah I think I was capable of better and yeah I should have been smarter, but I'm proud that I hung tough in some rough conditions and I'm proud that I came as far as I did with how low I was a few months earlier. I wish I had a little better to show for the training that went into it but at the end of the day it's still one of my proudest races.