2012 - Start Off Where I Left Off

Hopes are that 2012 will be as exciting a year as 2011 was in terms of running. Last year, I started out the first weekend of the year running a double marathon in Mississippi and Alabama.

This year, I will run the Goofy Challenge in Disney World as well as the 5K the day before.I am not sure if there is an unofficial name for doing all 3 races, I call it the Goof Plus. So basically this is how it works, on Friday morning, I am running the Disney 5K with my daughter. Saturday morning, I will run the Disney Half Marathon, then on Sunday morning, I will run the Disney Marathon. Not quite as many miles as a double marathon, 10 miles short, but I will get 4 total medals, not 2.

I am lucky enough to have my brother and his wife in town while we are gone to watch the house and hopefully shovel any snow that may come. I won't get to see him long, maybe a half a day, but he saves on hotel for a week.

Only 2 weeks after the Goof Plus, I will be running the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon here in Milwaukee. It will be a long weekend working the race for 4 days and then running the full on Sunday. No expectations on any time there for sure, just run it and have fun.

As far as the rest of the year, here is what may happen. Mike, Paul and I are contemplating doing another Marathon double in March by running in Washington DC as well as Virginia Beach, VA. We only get to add 1 state (Virginia) but if you are going to do all 50 states, might as well do DC as well.

In late March/early April is the Trailbreaker Marathon in Waukesha, WI. It is close to home, relatively cheap and works well for a training run. I have run this one the past 4 years, it is not a very good marathon but like I said, close to home and cheap.

In May, I would like to get some friends and go to Door County, WI to run the Door County Half Marathon. I ran this once and it is such a beautiful place to run and a great course. Plus is makes for a perfect weekend getaway. If I don't run that one, I have wanted to run the Lake Geneva Euro Cross Race for years. This is a 21 miles run around Lake Geneva on the lakeshore path. Not easy but sounds fun.

In June, I think I have been invited to join a Ragnar Relay Ultra team. This race is a relay race from Madison, WI, through Milwaukee and then down to Chicago. I would be on a team of only 6 runners so we would average about 33 miles per runner in 3 separate double legs. Very tiring I hear but tons of fun. I have some other friends already on a team and it will be fun to track each other along the way with calls and texts.

There are a few smaller races I am sure I will do (Gary's Gallop 5K, The Great Milwaukee Race, etc) and will most likely add a state or 2 more to my list as there are still a few states close enough to drive to (Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska, South Dakota).

It is too early for me to really know if I will try to run more miles in 2012 than 2011 or if I will run another record number of miles in a month. But I will run many miles and try to enjoy as many of them as I can.

I am planning the 4th annual Kids Marathon (with a new name this year) and will most likely coach on my daughters Track team as well as her Cross Country team. I hope to run with a lot of friends again and hopefully run with a new friends as well. I hope to encourage you to run better this year and enjoy yourself while pounding out the miles. I even may organize a new 5K race with a friend of mine. We have a unique idea that I will share with you later.

So I raise a glass to 2011 and say good-bye and raise another to 2012 and hope for the best. I hope it is a great year for all of you. Here is to lots of PR's and lots of races completed. Here is to running with friends and running alone in peace and quiet.

It is off to The Happiest Place on Earth in a couple days.

Keep on Running!!!

2011 Year in Preview

I have gone on a 2 runs so far this year and in brand new shoes as well. Today it was also in my brand new running tights because it was 16F outside. I bought the same shoes as before, Saucony Kinvara. I really like these shoes and they work well for me so I will continue to use them.

So what is in store for 2011? I do have a few races I am already signed up for as well as many I want to run. I want to continue to keep my mileage up as it seems to work for me. I ran just over 1600 miles last year so if I don't have to take a break for for the tendinitis in my knee or any other issues that may arise, I may try to reach 1700 miles this year with lots during the summer.

Here is what I am already signed up for, the year starts out very fast:

January 8th is the Mississippi Blue Marathon in Jackson, MS with Paul & Mike.
January 9th is the First Light Marathon in Mobile, AL also with Mike and Paul. I know it is crazy to try 2 marathons on consecutive days but I did it 2 years ago with Paul and we get to mark off 2 states when we are done.

January 23rd is the InStep Icebreaker Indoor Marathon in Milwaukee, WI. It will be after only 2 weeks rest after the MS/AL double but I love this marathon. Definitely one of my favorites and I have done all of them so far. There is nothing like running a marathon when there is possibly a snow storm outside.

In March I will possibly run the Trailbreaker Marathon in Waukesha, WI again as a training run. I don't ever really have plans to "race" this one but it is cheap and close to home and I can get a full marathon into my total while running a training run.

In April, I will most likely run the Gary's Gallop 5K again. A friend of mine is the race director and he puts on a really nice race. Plus there is a 1 lap around the track free kids race my girls like to run and they get a ribbon for participating.

In May I have lots of choices. I could run the Door County Half Marathon, my favorite half marathon to date. I may also run the Lake Geneva Euro Cross Race around the lake. This is run the same time the full and half marathons are run but this is on a trail the goes along the entire shore line of the lake and is about 21 miles long.

In May, I could run the Wisconsin Marathon, LaCrosse Marathon, Eau Claire Marathon, or Green Bay Marathon, all in Wisconsin and all on my list to do someday.

I don't have many plans of longer races in the summer as I want to build up endurance with lots of miles. I will possibly do quite a few shorter races, maybe 5K for speed. I will also be planning the 3rd annual WELS Kids Marathon over the later spring and summer. I may do the Full Moon Half Marathon in August again too. I liked that one.

In the fall, I will plan on 2 full marathons again. Some I have my eye on are the Souix Falls Marathon in South Dakota, the Louisville Marathon, the Des Moines Marathon in Iowa, and the Columbus Marathon in Ohio.

I am contemplating a return to Nashville for the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon. This is a great marathon and if I can swing it, I will go back.

I am also going to volunteer my time as the cross country coach for the girls at my daughters school if they will have me.

I know this is actually in 2012, but in the very first week. I am trying to save up to take the girls to Disney World and while there, I will run the Goofy Challenge and the girls may run the Disney World 5K.

So that is all I know for now. Plans are always changing so keep tuned it to see what ends up happening.

Happy Running to all of you!