Goals for '09

First and foremost, the goal is to simply get out the door and train consistently. After graduating from Heidelberg in December of '07 the past calendar year has been dismal in terms of training. I've had my chance to rest up mentally and physically from four and a half challenging years at the 'Berg - it's time to get back on the horse!

There will be two goals this winter/spring:

1) to slowly build mileage and gain fitness for a sub-1:12 half-marathon debut at Toledo in April and...

2) to finally break 15 in the 5k on the track. The plan is to hop in what has become quite the hot late-season race at Allegheny in May and get that monkey off my back once and for all so I can head into the summer with confidence transitioning into what I anticipate to be the most focused block of training of my life. Which leads me to my ultimate goal...

3) to hop in a few open/collegiate 8k's (training through) to cure my XC fix en route to a successful fall marathon -the penultimate race and focus of '09. 2:27:59 or faster is the current goal, but expect that to fluxuate according to training as the year rolls on.

4) the 2009 USATF Club Cross Country Nationals will be an incredibly competitive and fun close to what I hope to be a memorable year of running. My somewhat lofty goal is for the Orb not only to field a team, but to finish in the top-15 overall. I actually believe it's possible if we train the way we're capable and stay healthy.

My non-performance-related wish for the club is that it continues to grow and become more and more organized. I would really like to push for the first of what might become an annual pre-USATF time-trial to decide "A-Team" status at Club Nats; perhaps two weeks or so out from the Championships.

Most of all, I just want to enjoy the journey.

Here's to 2009!


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