In life at times we often remember our failures more and tend to forget our successes. In 2012 I started the season with a dnf (did not finish) at Mountain Mist 50k and then ended the season with a dnf at Rocket City Marathon, both of which were goal races. It would be easy to have these two performances cast a dark cloud over my entire year; but then I realized that in between I ran 45 races in 10 months, winning 20 times and finishing 2nd overall 10 more times. Were these the most competitive races in town? Certainly not all of them, but it still took lacing up the shoes and beating some decent runners in those races. During that stretch I managed 7 consecutive overall wins on 6 consecutive weekends in April and May. In fact, I placed in the top 6 in all but one race (Cotton Row) against 14,102 other runners, though I did drop out of two of the three most competitive races I ran during the year. Within my age group, I was first overall 39 times and never lower than 3rd among other male 35-39 year olds. The numbers look good, but...
I started the season poorly and ended it even worse as I was plagued with injuries in the last 4 months during marathon training. While I am still receiving treatment, the diagnosis is far from exact; a combination of plantar fasciitis along with unspecified nerve issues in my right leg slowed my times, despite the most diligent and focused marathon training period I have ever completed. While the heat, humidity and wind were unfavorable in early December, it was pain in every single stop that forced an early exit at Rocket City Marathon. It will be difficult to forget these failures, significantly harder to forget the slower race times and a rough road to recover from injury, but I will try to look back at 2012 and remember the times where I gave it everything I had.
I am excited to start training again as I have some big goals for 2013 for these two feet.
I started the season poorly and ended it even worse as I was plagued with injuries in the last 4 months during marathon training. While I am still receiving treatment, the diagnosis is far from exact; a combination of plantar fasciitis along with unspecified nerve issues in my right leg slowed my times, despite the most diligent and focused marathon training period I have ever completed. While the heat, humidity and wind were unfavorable in early December, it was pain in every single stop that forced an early exit at Rocket City Marathon. It will be difficult to forget these failures, significantly harder to forget the slower race times and a rough road to recover from injury, but I will try to look back at 2012 and remember the times where I gave it everything I had.
I am excited to start training again as I have some big goals for 2013 for these two feet.
Started the season with a dnf (did not finish) at Mountain Mist 50k and then ended the season with a dnf at Rocket City Marathon, both of which were goal races.
Mountain Mist 50km
Finished 3rd overall in the (post mountain mist) Taco Challenge, finishing 17 tacos, though I claim that I had 18 and may have eaten the paper on the 18th.
Some of the crew went to I love Sushi afterward; I puked 8 times.
Managed to break 11 minutes in the 2 mile at Winter Winds, earning a 4th place overall finish, before running 23:15 in the 4 mile race, also earning a 4th place overall finish.
Winter Winds 2 mile
3rd Annual Bushwhacker Run (although we have run some form of the course for 4 years), this year twas a 28 mile version running from the sea (Tennessee River) to the Mountains (Monte Sano and then down to Fritz's house) with a great crew of guys.
Over the cliff on Green Mountain
5 weary hikers
Ran Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon (41.8 miles, 21,100' of elevation change) in 11 hours 9 minutes 58 seconds in March with Tim Pitts. Read more about this adventure on my blog.
Climbing up to the north rim
Breath taking views to the south
At the south rim when the day was over
Ran the 2nd fastest time ever at McKay Hollow Madness 25km 2:06:08 in March after barely being able to walk with illness all week leading into the race. Full story here on my blog.
Crossing Sonofabitch Ditch
6th overall finish at Oak Barrel half marathon
Whiskey Hill always wins
Ran quarter mile splits of 1:14, 1:18, 1:19 and 1:10 at the NCAC Flash Mile, just barely missing the sub 5 minute mile on a hilly course by twelve one-hundredths of a second. Full story here on my blog.
NCAC Flash Mile
Won both of my hometown (Iron Mountain/Kingsford) races with wins at the Norway Spring Classic 10k and the Lake Antoine Classic 5 miler.
Norway Spring Classic 10km
Lake Antoine Classic 5 mile
Ran the 2nd fastest time ever at Twisted Ankle Trail Half Marathon - 1:37:38 in May
Coming down off of the Pinhoti Trail and into the finish
25lbs of trail mix as an award; sweet.
Set the course standard at the Everest 8-miler 48:47 in June ("Only three hills"). Course map found here.
"winners"
2nd overall at Guntersville Midnight Run 8k in 28:50 and then 1st overall at Big 5k in 17:27 the next morning (just hours later on a few hours of sleep)
Big 5km finish at Bridge Street
First attempt at the hill challenge of Peavine Falls on the 4th of July in Birmingham at Oak Mountain.
Peavine Falls Starting line on a hot day
Set fastest known time for the 40.4 mile Greenstone Ridge Trail on Isle Royale in Lake Superior, running unsupported from Washington Creek Trail to Hidden Lake Trail on July 10, 2012 in 8:47:36.90. Read the full story here on my blog.
Rolling into the finish
Posing with my Dad at the end
Memoribilia from the trip
Earned Huntsville Track Club Open Male Gran Prix Series Runner Up for the 4th year in a row (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Final points race of the season at Monte Sano Road Races
In Seattle for a work assignment, my girlfriend Rachel and I headed west toward the Cascade Mountains for some hiking.
Full story here on my blog.
Day 1: Snow Lake: 3 miles from the trailhead at 3,100' to the peak at 4,400' and then down to the lake for a round trip of 6 miles for a net climb of 1,300'.
First sight of Snow Lake
Snow Lake waterfall
Day 2: Mount Si: 4 miles from the trailhead at 850' to the peak at 3,900' for a round trip of 8 miles with a net climb of 3,150'.
The top of the Haystack reaches 4,167'
Rachel and her Runners World Rave Run Moment
Day 3: Mailbox Peak: 3 miles from the trailhead at 826' to the peak at 4,926' for a round trip of 6 miles with a net climb of 4,100'.
Complete white out before I left
An example of the grade of the climb looking across the avalanche chute
Day 4: Mount Defiance: 5 miles from the trail head at 2,200' to the peak at 5,584' for a round trip of 10 miles with a net climb of 3384' climb.
First view of Mount Defiance, still 2,000' of climbing to go
Reflections in Mason Lake
Crossing a grassy meadow at 5,000'
So blessed to be able to reach such heights
Overall winner at Southern Tennessee Plunge (Winchester, TN) and Magic City (Birmingham, AL) half marathons, both on windy days.
Tennessee Plunge Half Marathon
Magic City Half before meeting Ruben Stoddard
Set the course record at Pill HIll Redux 10km in 38:59 but did not break the "unofficial" course record that I set last year in training of 37:55.
Pill Hill Redux III finishline
Posing for an inaction shot at the track while Gregg Gelmis tested out a new lens for an upcoming race.
October Track
Slowest time ever at the Huntsville Half Marathon, running an injury plagued 1:19:16 and realizing that my foot issues are more serious than previously thought.
Huntsville Half finish with Tim Vinson
Final race of the year, a dnf at Rocket City Marathon.
