2013 in review: I'll call that a SAVE

Not that I really had much to do with the saving; I was just spared any further mishaps after a rough spring, and the training plan I went with over the summer seems to have really clicked with me. Lots of interval training, part of the sub 3:30 marathon prep plan designed by Jeff Gaudette: I hope to do similar next summer, but with more biking than I managed in 2013.

February and March I was sick a lot, something close to pneumonia, but by May I was picking up again, and the summer went well -- enough that I was able to coast a bit after October's marathon and end up here with the following happy results:

Solid marathon time (despite blowing up and walking intermittently after mile 22 or so) in the Mohawk Hudson, my seventh attempt at the distance: 3:19:09, placing 100th overall, 85th male, and 12th in my division (M45-49).
[Next marathon I'll be up with the old folk in the over-50s divisions -- oh yeah, time to score some high places again!]

PR in BoF 10K -- 41:15, good enough for 3rd in my division, earning me a cheque for $35!

PR in 6 mile -- 36:47 (Nov. 30, 2013 - Talking Turkey, Holyoke) = 6:08s pace

PR in 5K -- 18:22 (Dec. 8, 2013 - Hot Chocolate, Northampton) = 5:55s
[this was 19th overall in "adjusted" times, earning me a gift voucher for $30 at NoHo Running Co.!]

PR in distance -- managed 28 miles in a bit under 3:47, or 9 out of 10 laps in Seth's FatAss 50k at Forest Park in Springfield, December 14th; it was a *wicked* cold, grey day, icy wind and snowing, and I only decided to run it a few days before the event.

Several other good races, including:
July 6  the awesome Charmouth Challenge ("scenery with a sting"だって）while I was back in Dorset -- placed 18th, 4th in M40-49 division on my first official FRA Fell Race (BM) 8 mile course;

June 16  the always spectacular Mt Greylock Trail Half Marathon, with Sylvia and Saki along for a hike and company: placed 32nd, coming in at 2:10:53 (room for improvement, but that'll have to wait till 2015, as I'll be in Hokkaidô, I hope, in 2014);

May 5  the bloody Seven Sisters, for which I was *totally* unprepared after my miserable winter/spring, but I wanted to run it just to yell defiance into the abyss: took a serious tumble, and ended up with scars, but completed it running in 98th place, 2:43:04. Maybe I'll get a better result in 2014, if I'm not doing the Holyoke Marathon instead...

In short: beginning 2014 with the sense I've still got more speed AND distance to tap, if I can stay mostly healthy and injury free. With that in mind, I'd better eat something and go to bed!