"I should have done better, I could have done better!"

 Typically January and February are non training months-time for reflection, time to take stock in strengths and weaknesses and plan a strategy for the following year. Historically that has meant setting a fall race goal and spending the next seven or so months preparing for that focus event. Then in early spring, often irritable and antsy; I find myself slogging through the miles, "rebuilding my base fitness." After a couple months of that I enter the next phase feeling like I have a long way to go to be fit. Traditionally this is when I ratchet up my training a notch often resulting in a careless injury that slows me down for a couple weeks. Then realizing the year is half over, I reevaluate my approach and finally get down to some productive training throughout summer as my goal race sneaks up on me.The race approaches in a fever pitch, then, blink; its over. I'm happy with what I have accomplished but, something isn't quite right......I have a nagging feeling telling me, "I should have done better, I could have done better!"
 With that nagging still in my head from last fall...... "I should have done better, I could have done better!" I entered 2013 with a totally different strategy. Instead of 1 goal 10 months away I set a number of short term goals using each as a stepping stone to the next. For example in January, February and March the goals where simple, run at least 15 days of each month, slowly increasing miles into March. These goals allowed me the flexibility to focus on base building without stressing when work or weather interfered.During this phase I ran a couple 5k's to test my fitness and registered for an April 1/2 marathon*. In May I plan to volunteer for the Bear Mountain leg of The North Face Endurance Challenge, I did this last year, met some great people and it was a blast being on the other side of the water cup for a day. May's training takes me into June and to Washington DC for the trail marathon of the DC leg of The North Face Endurance Challenge. At the end of July I will head up to the 25th Vermont 100 as a pacer and August is set aside for some time on the Appalachian Trail, I plan to run the New York section, north to Connecticut. Then Septembers training will take me into October where the plan is to run two marathons, one trail one road.
 Ultimately my objective  is to be fit and race ready allowing myself to enjoy the process. I have not spent early spring slogging through the miles, irritable and antsy, so the new approach has been effective . As a runner you earn every mile and every result, I hope these stepping stones improve mine.

*The George Wodicka Hook Half Marathon was my first half marathon, I weighed over 230 lbs, finished in over 21/2 hrs and it took me over a month to recover.

5k PB St. Paddy's Day 2013