2019 RUNNING AND TRIATHLON YEAR IN REVIEW
I had another great year of running and creating memorable moments in 2019. So very thankful that I can still do what I enjoy doing and reflecting back on the memories I made. I have kept track of my running miles since 1989, so I only tally up the number of runs, miles, and time spent running in my stats. Here’s how 2019 went for me with running and triathlon.
JANUARY – Not much to reflect upon here. Most were treadmill runs and nothing out of the ordinary.
- Total Runs: 14
- Average Weekly Miles: 22.4
- Total Hours: 11.8
- Total Miles: 89.5
FEBRUARY – Another winter month to get through and focus on recovery.
- Total Runs: 10
- Average Weekly Miles: 15
- Total Hours: 9
- Total Miles: 60
MARCH – Ironman Chattanooga training begins! I chose to be a little loose with the training this time around starting out by following the “Just Finish” plan but then decided to commit to the competitive plan like usual. I did drop the swimming down considerably, mostly just doing two 45-minute swims per week. The monthly totals for March reflect what miles the beginning stages of the plan prescribes, plus some time off for a trip to Nashville to see some colleges with Rebecca.
- Total Runs: 12
- Average Weekly Miles: 12.1
- Total Hours: 7
- Total Miles: 48.3
APRIL – Weekly training going well, as long as I don’t ruin things for myself. For example – I’m My Own Worst Enemy
- Total Runs: 16
- Average Weekly Miles: 23.8
- Total Hours: 14
- Total Miles: 95
MAY – Still swim/bike/run training and getting into the swing of things.
- Total Runs: 18
- Average Weekly Miles: 24.8
- Total Hours: 13.3
- Total Miles: 99
JUNE – I officially kicked off the racing season this month with a 5K and a sprint triathlon in June. (See below for the race reports.)
- Total Runs: 20
- Average Weekly Miles: 30
- Total Hours: 17.5
- Total Miles: 119
JULY – Time for a vacation and some more racing!
- Total Runs: 20
- Average Weekly Miles: 33
- Total Hours: 19.5
- Total Miles: 130
AUGUST – It got hot just as the training ramped up big time.
- Total Runs: 19
- Average Weekly Miles: 38.4
- Total Hours: 23.4
- Total Miles: 154
SEPTEMBER – September came with the wrapping up of 30-weeks of Ironman training and racing a very hot 2019 Ironman Chattanooga. Even with the heat and all the suffering, it was an epic day.
- Total Runs: 19
- Average Weekly Miles: 36.7
- Total Hours: 22.5
- Total Miles: 146.6
OCTOBER – I debated with myself as to whether I should defer the Chicago Marathon to 2020 seeing that it was two weeks after Ironman Chattanooga, but I committed to it and decided to see if I could parlay all that Ironman training into another Boston Marathon qualifier. I did! But not by much.
- Total Runs: 15
- Average Weekly Miles: 24
- Total Hours: 13.5
- Total Miles: 95.7
NOVEMBER – Looking back at 2018, November 2019 was almost a mirror image in terms of the stats below. I ran a couple of races, which probably did more damage to me than good.
- Total Runs: 13
- Average Weekly Miles: 21
- Total Hours: 12
- Total Miles: 84
DECEMBER – I paid for the four races I did, which ended up causing me some weird leg left leg/knee pain. I never had pain in the rear portion of the leg/knee area before. It wouldn’t hurt during the run really, but afterward, I would have some dull pain that would linger. I would rest it a few days and then feel fine only to go back out and get the same result. I decided to shut down running on December 26th for the rest of the year.
- Total Runs: 12
- Average Weekly Miles: 17.9
- Total Hours: 11
- Total Miles: 71.5
2019 RUNNING TOTALS
- Total Runs: 188
- Average Weekly Miles: 25
- Total Hours: 174.5
- Total Miles: 1193.2
LIFETIME RUNNING TOTALS (31st Year of Running)
- Total Lifetime Runs: 4777 – 154 runs per year average
- Total Lifetime Hours: 3509.5 – 113 hours per year average
- Total Lifetime Miles: 26188 – 844 miles per year average
2019 RACE REPORTS
I had a pretty successful year racing again, getting some more age group and finisher medals to add to my collection. Here are the summaries with a link to the race recaps.
- 2019 Batavia Tri (Sprint): 1:24:47 Official time / 27th Overall / 1st Place 55-59 Male Age Group – 2019 ET Batavia Triathlon Race Report
- 2019 Short Run on a Long Day 5K: 21:31 Official time / 25th Overall / 2nd Place 55-59 Male Age Group – Race Report: 2019 Short Run on a Long Day 5K
- 2019 Manteno Tri (Sprint): 1:04:30 Official time / 17th Overall / 2nd Place 55-59 Male Age Group – Race Report: 2019 Manteno Triathlon
- 2019 Lincoln-Way Foundation Frankfort Half Marathon: 1:38:35 Overall time / 12th Overall / 1st Place 55-59 Male Age Group – Lincoln-Way Foundation Half Marathon Race Report
- 2019 Ironman Chattanooga: 13:37:50 Official time / 486th Overall / 24th Place 55-59 Male Age Group – 2019 Ironman Chattanooga Race Report
- 2019 Chicago Marathon: 3:34:46 Official time / 8487th Overall / 6610th Male / 243rd Male 55-59 Age Group – 2019 Chicago Marathon Race Report
- 2019 Hot Cider Hustle (8-Miles): 57:32 Official time / 9th Overall / 2nd Place M55-59 Age Group – 2019 Hot Cider Hustle 8-Mile Race Report
- 2019 Minocqua Turkey Trot 5K: 21:16 Official time / 13th Overall / 12th Place Male Overall / 1st Place M50-59 Age Group – 2019 Minocqua Turkey Trot 5K
TRIATHLON REVIEW
I think I had a pretty good year with triathlon. Ironman training went well and ended with a very good effort on an extremely hot day in Chattanooga. And I medaled in the other two sprint tri’s that I did, which is always the goal. I’m really looking forward to another year of racing.
SWIM TOTALS: Total Swims: 34 / Total Distance: 69,461 yards (39.5 miles)
BIKE TOTALS: Total Rides: 132 / Total Miles: 3694
GOALS FOR 2020
In May I registered for a race that had piqued my interest. The race is called the “Big Hill Bonk” (read about it here: My First Ultramarathon?) and is in Beloit, Wisconsin in early April 2020. It’s an elimination/last runner standing type race format in which you run a 4.16-mile loop in an hour and keep doing that until only one runner is left. So this run could be my first ultramarathon if I decide to keep going past eight loops. I was training pretty well for it and starting to build some decent weekend long run miles, but the leg/knee injury thing has screwed up my training. I think I will still be able to get to the starting line and get in enough loops to push me over 50K.
I decided to take a year off from running the Chicago Marathon. I have legacy status, so I should be able to sign up again in 2020 for the 2021 race if I want to. My Gunner teammates and I were discussing doing another Ironman in 2020, but I’m not sure how serious everyone is. We’re at the point that we have done the races nearest to us and may to commit to traveling farther to do a different race, or just sign up for one we have already done. A lot of the fun in doing them is experiencing a new race locale. I hear that Ironman is returning to Idaho in 2021, so I definitely have it on my must-do list. If the Gunners shoot for another go-around I will definitely be in. I just have to fit it around getting my youngest off to college. I’m not missing that.
If the Ironman thing doesn’t pan out and I survive the Big Hill Bonk run, I may look to sign up for a 100-mile ultramarathon. I have a local friend who is fond of the Tunnel Hill 100 Miler in southern Illinois, but I have also eyed the Hennepin 100 race out by Sterling, Illinois. We’ll see. Got to get some experience first.
an amazing run 