Yesterday marked my first formal training run for the Cherry Blossom Race — a relatively short 25 minutes in which I managed to cover 2.2 miles. Today’s run number 2, was a longer 40 minutes, covering 3.56 miles. The weather for both runs was delightful, especially for late November. Yesterday was in the upper 50’s, while today’s was a bit cooler at 47 and breezy. I’m enjoying the weather while it lasts — soon enough the conditions will be rather more unpleasant. Click on the title to read more, including my goals for the 2018 race.
Since I first began running, my goal has always been improvement — I’m very much competing against myself. Sometimes, that’s easier than others. While 2017 started out well, the balance of the year hasn’t gone quite as well. You’ll find that happens — things happen, and perhaps we’ll talk about how to address those challenges at some point. In any event, my first Cherry Blossom Race was in 2016 (my plans to run in 2015 were foiled by a bad stress fracture). I completed that inaugural run in 1:51:39. This year’s race showed considerable improvement — I cut my time to 1:47:39. (Much credit to my coaches from Potomac River Running, but more about that in another post.)
For 2018, I’ve set myself a range of goals. I’d like to think that with some work, I can shave another four minutes off my time — that would bring me down to 1:43:39. For personal reasons, I’d really like to get under 1:40. Another four minutes off my time would bring me down to 1:39:39 — literally and figuratively a stretch goal. At the low end, I’d like to at least match my time from this year; anything less is a bust.
To do all of this requires some achieving some other goals — chiefly weight loss. When I first started working out, I was incredibly overweight. Over time, I managed to lose well over 100 pounds. Over the last year or so, I’ve regained some of that weight and my overall fitness has declined. Losing the weight and restoring endurance, strength, and speed will require an aggressive training plan. More about that in another post.
