Notes
Last year I said 2014 had some ups and downs and I wanted to make 2015 more consistent. Well... that didn't happen. I ran fewer miles overall and I had quite a few aches and pains to work through, including some that put me out of commission for some stretches.
But you know what? Looking back, I still consider it an enjoyable and even productive year of running. True, it wasn't full of blazing times or PRs, but I have many races that I'm proud of, and I think I've learned a lot about moderation and making sensible choices. In many ways I feel I've improved compared to 2014, and perhaps most importantly I'm ending the year on what definitely feels to be an upward trend. I've met new, interesting, knowledgeable people, I've run some fun, unique, and exciting courses, and I'm looking forward to increasing my breadth of experiences in 2016.
I certainly have some times I'll be chasing in 2016, but I'm going to continue to enjoy the ride and avoid fixation. Slow and steady baby, keep on keeping on!
Now, just for fun:
THE BAD
-Floppin Flounder (5k - 17:05) - Tough weather but still a crappy time on the roads, just barely holding off 3rd.
-Moms' Run (5k - 17:23) - Ran to win on a humid day but should have still given more effort (or... should have seen a faster time for the effort I *did* give)
-Komen Race for the Cure (5k - 17:02) - Again ran for the win but there was no reason to have been slower than 2014
-James Island Connector (10k - 35:49) - Challenging course but was unexpectedly a lot slower than 2014 with no good excuse
-Capital District Classic (5k - 16:25) - Some travel the week before certainly interfered with fitness, but I never engaged myself in this race
THE INDIFFERENT
-DI Thirsty Thursday Series (5k - 17:22, 17:39, 17:31, 16:53) - Crazy heat and twisting trails made these slow, but these were more just a fun way to get some quality in and get the competitive juices flowing again
-Firecracker 4 Miler (4mi - 22:44) - Raced on a whim, tough racing weather, trails, wasn't in great shape, but at least ran a smart race
-Charlie Post Classic (15k - 54:09) - Paced well for the first time racing >10k, but not an impressive time
-Mullet Haul (5mi - 28:13) - Dominated this one on a sloppy course, and while I know I was in better shape than it would suggest, it's tough to get excited about this result.
-Crowfield Plantation ("5k" - 16:21) - I suspect this was short, but I also should have run more aggressively
THE GOOD
-CRBR (10k - 34:02) - Definitely the best shape I was in this year and the one I'm most proud of (not to mention the one that got me the most attention around work!)
-Save the Light HM (HM - 1:15:40) - A rare pleasant surprise... I think I ran a near-perfect race for my fitness then, especially for my first attempt racing the distance
-Nexton Cocoa Cup (5k - 16:30) - Went in with low expectations and walked away feeling optimistic, especially with such a long x-training period not long before
-Magnet Mile (1mi - 4:46) - With very little focus on fast stuff in the middle of summer slogging, was happy to throw down actually one of my fastest miles
-SPAC (6k - 20:22) - Almost want this in "indifferent" with the slow time but ultimately ran smart and aggressively for the shape I was in and walked away from this weekend satisfied