2009 running year in review

my last run for 2009 is in officially in the books (a slushy 6.6 miles) and brought my total for the year up to 2,459 miles. that's just over a 100 miles short of last year's 2,571.1 miles - but i'm still pleased with the total. of the 2,459 miles, 879.8 of them were run at races. i ran a total of 67 races (10 more than the 57 in 2008).

here are my 2009 stats:

2,459.0 total miles
879.8 race miles

67 races

ultras: 6
marathons: 6

15k - 30k: 18
stair climb to 9 miles: 37

the mix of races is very different from 2008. i ran 12 ultras last year and cut that number in half for 2009. the number of shorter races grew as i focused on rebuilding speed (tellingly, the most frequently raced distance was the 5k - both road and xc - with 13 races).

it was a year that had many high points. i won a 5k race, "where the wild things run" - it's been a few years since i last won a 5k! i came in 2nd at the pioneer memorial 100 mile trek over the labor day weekend. i took 3rd at the sybil ludington 50k. and my 4 b.u.s (broadway ultra society) races netted me 5th place overall in the grand prix - and 1st place in my age group.

aside from running in races, i volunteered at 4 races throughout the year. even more fun than volunteering was coaching the world lung foundation running team (w/emmy as co-coach). we trained for the nyc half marathon last summer and our team's group runs in central park often doubled as great social events!

but the running high of the year involved neither racing, nor volunteering. proud dad warning - pacing katie to her 5k pr at the scarsdale fall foliage run last october was the singular best moment of my 2009. not only did she shave over 2+ minutes from her previous best - but a week later we ran the same distance, as a training run, a minute faster still!

the only low of the year was missing out on the boston marathon - argh! every time i think of my 5 year streak dead in the water, i wince. but, on the upside - i ran a new bq at the maine marathon this fall (my fastest marathon time in almost 3 years)! not to be closed out again - i uncharacteristically (for me) registered for 2010 (very) early :D