2019 Year-end Review / 2020 Preview

I'll start by saying that my 2019 began with a whimper and finished with a bang! I had been really lonely, sad, and too much in my head for so much of the holidays a year ago. I was not running enough, and I was drinking a bit too much. I felt my dating life was a big fizzle (dating at 51 is not fun at all!), and I just didn't have any direction. It didn't help that it seemed to rain every single day! How could it rain AND be cold for that many days??

But I managed to start off the year meal prepping with healthy, whole food plant-based fare, and I signed up for, not one, but two, marathons! I also started going to therapy. These three things helped me pull myself out of my funk. Well, those plus the support of some very dear friends.

To jump right to the punchline, I have eaten well for almost the whole year, I ran 4 marathons, including two that qualified me to run Boston next Spring, and I reined in the drinking quite a bit. Therapy did its magic, and I made several new friends. Dating for the year was a mixed bag, but I'm pleased to say that I'm no longer lonely. And I sailed through this year's holidays feeling so calm, confident, and at peace. I'm looking forward to what's in store for 2020.

On the food front, I didn't take a photo every week, but I did manage to capture 12 pics throughout the year of my crappy fridge, which was fortunately well-stocked with healthy, tasty treats. For all the beauty of plant-based meal prepping like a boss, I owe a huge thanks to Kristen at www.hellonutritarian.com. She is simply amazing. If you think my pics look good, let me just say that hers were featured on the front page of the Living section of the Wall Street Journal. To say I have fridge envy is to put it mildly! She has asked me to help test recipes for an upcoming project. Ummm....yes please!!!

I have been eating this way for almost three years now, although I sometimes go "off-script" a bit, especially when my training volume is very high and I'd rather nap than stand for a full afternoon in the kitchen. Also, I sometimes get crazy-hungry to the point where my rational mind takes a hiatus and I instead and compelled to eat entire mounds of fries and ketchup at all costs!

If you have questions about any of this, I welcome them! It took me years to come around to seeing this is the way to go for health and longevity. It's a process, for sure.

So now on to running...

At the end of last year, I posted this on FB:

Running mileage stats:
2018: 1783, 34.3/wk, 0 marathons
2017: 657, 12.6/wk, 1 marathon
2016: 1324, 25.5/wk, 4 marathons
2015: 1738, 33.4/wk, 1 marathon
2014: 1581, 30.4/wk, 3 marathons
2013: 2563, 49.3/wk, 3 marathons
2012: 2231, 42.9/wk, 2 marathons

2019 goal 2340, 45/wk, 3 marathons

Well, folks, I'm pleased to say I beat my goal!  Instead of 2340 miles, I ran 2437. Instead of 3 marathons, I ran 4!

And just for the record, these are the ones I ran:

Tallahassee Marathon 2/3

Snickers Marathon 3/2

Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon 9/14

Rocket City Marathon 12/14

I have race reports at least for the last two. And here is my latest "wall of bling" pic...

The first rack is for "odd-distance" races (5ks, 10ks, 15ks, 10-milers, triathlons, trail races, and awards). The second rack is for marathons, and the 3rd rack if for half marathons. Close-ups of each rack are below.

Marathons: in order of when I ran them. The medals seem to be getting larger!

Half marathons: All out of room here. May have to start doubling up!

Hodge-podge collection

The year 2019 was a very good year for running! And I already have big plans for 2020. First of all, I'd like to beat my all-time annual mileage record of 2563 back in 2013. Second, I plan to run 5 marathons (and have already paid for 4 out of 5).

They are:

Myrtle Beach Marathon 3/7

Boston Marathon 4/20

San Francisco Marathon 7/26

Baltimore Marathon 10/17

New York City Marathon 11/1

Four out of five of these will be new states, bringing me to a total of 11 states by the end of next year. They include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Utah, Virginia, plus next year's races of California, Maryland, New York, and South Carolina.

I would love to break my marathon PR of 3:30:01, but I am not sure if I think that is in the cards. I'll more cautiously set a goal of breaking 3:40 which is two minutes faster than I ran in September.

Here's to a great start to the year and the decade! I look forward to starting off this year healthier, stronger, and happier than I was last year!!