2008 review, 2009 wishes

Just reread my last year's year-end post and see that 2008 sucked, compared to 2007. Bring on 2009! Total mileage this year was 2722 (3195 last year), so I appear to be the only person on the planet who ran less. I hit 1000 during the Chippewa Moraine 50K, so I was on pace for 4000.

Best race: Trail Mix 50K, by default. I won. Then I got injured two weeks later.
Worst race: Lots of choices, but I DNF'ed at Voyageur and Sawtooth. Sawtooth hurt more - a lot more.
Worst injury: Lots of choices: three fractures, a dislocation, seven sprains... but it'd have to be the hand, as it still isn't right and apparently won't be 100% ever.

Personally, it was a hard year as well. I lost some very good friends - I cried after Trail Mix and FANS, part of the grieving process. On the positive side, I made more friends than I lost, including some who'll probably be dogged by me on trails for decades.

I spent most of the year saying, "I can still salvage something!" I raced just over 400 miles in 16 races. That's 16 marathons! And I won one of them! I won my age class in the Fab 5 Fifties series and nearly won my MNTRS age class as well. I won my age class in a 5K just to show I have some range. And I did it running with broken bones all year.

Still, what sticks in my mind when I think of the year is what I did for others. Joining friends as they did their long runs, volunteering at races (and remembering to bring ice to Glacial Trail - saved someone's ass!), getting some others' ideas put into motion (there will be an introduction to trail running class put on by UMTR next year), getting some media attention for local trail runners, getting runners connected to each other through this blog; these are the high points of the year for me. It continues; I just sent messages to runners I know doing the Across the Years races - they get put into mailboxes for them right there! - and wouldn't you know it, Christian Griffith is doing the 72 hour.

I'm not making big plans for 2009 until I get healthy (then I plan to kick asses and take names). The one goal is to finish 100 miles and I'll probably do it at FANS; if not there, Lean Horse. First, I need to drop the 17 lbs. I gained since May - so my New Year's resolution is the standard one, even though I've never dieted in my life.

One of the things I noticed is that I spent the year trying too hard to have fun at races when I should've been resting. If you're trying, it's not fun. So, there should be less silliness this year and, I hope, less falling.

I have an odd feeling that my training runs this year will be non-UMTR sponsored races. The Pine Line Trail Marathon, Lake Geneva Trail Marathon, 1/2-Voyageur Trail Marathon, Grand Island Trail Marathon and Walker North Country Marathon all appeal to me. So does crewing at Badwater...

For those wondering about my reading list, I just polished off Mortimer Adler's Great Books list.