running year 2010: the year of hot pink

well yeah.  I guess 2010 should be better known for my running apparel and accessory choices rather than actual running performances.  Obviously, I’m not too happy with how 2010 went.

I guess I will revisit what I wrote at the end of last year to be my 2010 goals and how I did….

So I’m a little hesitant to make concrete goals right now for 2010.  Except for the obvious-getting this (sh)IT band healed and to become a real runner again.  I do hope to run a half-marathon in May…and intend to get my revenge on the marathon distance in October, but those are not set in stone just yet.  I guess most of all, I really need to figure out what went wrong last year and make sure it doesn’t happen again.  Additionally, once I am healed enough to do speedwork, I intend to seek out a new group to do speedwork with…I think it’s pretty obvious I can’t-or shouldn’t-be doing this on my own.  And I know I can benefit from the guidance that coached workouts can give.  So will need to research that…

Well the (sh)IT band did get healed and thankfully stayed quiet ever since.  And I ran the Brooklyn Half in May.  And actually completed a marathon.  And found a different group to do speedwork with-even though I like the people a lot, I’m still not convinced it’s the perfect fit for me.

Why?  Well in a way, I feel like I took a step backwards this year.  Take a look at my season bests this year versus last year:

	2009	2010
5K	22:25	22:48
5M	36:49	37:36
10K	47:27*	47:53
Half-marathon	1:37:36	1:42:27

*My 10K split in the Philly distance run was 46:29-so that unofficially would be my best 10K time in 2009.

And I thought 2010 started off well…with an unexpected 8-second PR in the 4-miler and a halfway decent time in the Brooklyn Half.  But after that…the 2nd half of the year seemed to go downhill.  And I really don’t know if I can blame it on the heat.  Even in a way, I don’t feel my marathon time was much of an improvement-a 3:43 time on a flat course (Chicago) I think was actually a lesser performance than my 3:44 in NYC, as NYC was a (notoriously) much harder course.

Plus mentally, I still don’t feel like I’ve “recovered” from my DNF at MCM 2009…like it’s going to haunt me forever.  Like I forever have scarlet letters on my chest saying “quitter.”  Even though I didn’t quit my marathon this year, even with the weather being what it was, the damage from 2009 has still been done and I can’t take it back.  It seems, from what I’ve seen others say, that a DNF is nothing but weakness, regardless of the circumstances.

So.  Next year.  Unfortunately I can’t make any goals for 2011 right now, as all my racing plans are in flux until I find out what the deal is with the Boston 2012 qualifying standards (hopefully they will be true to their word and let us know in January?)  As whether or not my time will still be good in 2012 affects how I will train, what races I will do in 2011, etc.  And probably still will be on the search for better coaching…still felt in a way like I was going about this on my own.  Either way, I know I desperately need to GET FASTER.  I am so sick of being slow…I’d love to get my “easy” pace to at least 8:30s so I don’t have to worry about being dropped on group runs…tired of always having to run solo.

And once again, I have no idea how to go about any of this…