2014 Running Review

Mileage Total: 3413
Weekly Mileage Average: 65.6
Elevation Gain: 174,505 ft (all-time best)
Days Ran: 344/365
Highest Mileage Week of the Year: 88
Races: 11
Racing Pictures: LINK

2014 Races:
11/29- Green Bank Turkey Trot, 16:10 (1st Place/CR)
11/15- Canary in the Cave Trail 25K+, 2:08:28 (5th Place)
10/12- Run for the Hills Trail Half Marathon, 1:22:30 (1st Place/CR)
10/11- Sticks and Stones Trail 15K, 60:53 (1st Place/CR)
9/14- Helvetia Mountain Trail Run, 36:55 (1st Place)
8/30- CDR 15-Miler, 1:30:52 (2nd Place/$450)
8/2- Linwood Trail Race, 32:34 (1st Place/CR)
7/13- Seashore Trail Half Marathon, 1:30:43 (3rd Place)
6/22- Eastern Divide Trail 50K, 4:29:10 (2nd Place/$150)
6/14- Elkins 7K (4.39), 23:21 (1st Place/CR/$200) 
5/17- Dirty Dog Trail 15K, 64:09 (1st Place)
3/16- Wrightsville Beach Marathon, 2:39:31 (2nd Place/$300) 

Yearly Mileage Totals:

2014: 3413 *Elevation all-time high of 174,505 feet
2013: 3255

2012: 3971 *2nd Best Marathon (2:30:49)

2011: 4239 *All-time high mileage

2010: 3822

2009: 4147 *PR's CDR(1:22:23), Marathon(2:29:34), Half Marathon (1:07:48)

2008: 3275 *Road 5K PR (15:08) and Parkersburg PR (1:09:53)

2007: 3286 *PR 8K (24:34)

2006: 3625

2005: 3206

2004: 3028

2003: 2170

2002: 3662

2000-01 (18months): 3667

2014 was an adjusting year for me as it was my first year as a full-time teacher and living in Pocahontas County. Training wise I really hit a strong stretch of training during the January through March time frame as I was planning to race the 2014 Boston Marathon. For a confidence boost before Boston, I headed to Wrightsville Beach to run a test marathon. Things went relatively smooth and easy with the test but afterwards it might have been too close to Boston (month before) and I pulled the plug on Boston due to fear I was not recovered. This turned out to be a good thing as it sort of helped me finally make the transition to some trail racing. My goal was to get my feet wet and learn how to race on the trails and I think I accomplished that. I learned I'm very strong on forest road type surfaces and climbing but have a lot to learn on anything technical or single track. The goal going into 2015 is to try and follow the same method I did last year and shoot for a road race or two over the first few months and than covert over to the trails and ultras for the rest of the year. Unlike last year I want to have a few major goal races to shoot towards with lots of hard training races thrown in between. The great thing with trail racing is that getting out there more often is the best way to learn how to better race on the trails. It doesn't mean they are all-out races but just a great way to get in hard training in fun(sometimes beautiful) settings across the state/region! 

 *I still hold out hope for at least one more shot a road marathon PR. The strength I'm gaining from the trail racing and mountain running I do in training could be the missing link to getting me closer to 2:25. My 2:29 marathon PR is one I'm proud of but knowing it included bathroom stops and maybe as much as 3-minutes lost off the course makes me want to erase it!