So, I'm trying to better account for my goal progress as the year goes on. Below, I've copy/pasted the goals I set for myself in 2016 with how I'm doing at the quarter-point.
2016 Goals
1) Run 1000 miles: I'm sure my mileage will drop this year. No marathon training plus a kid that I want to spend as much time with as I can will mean the time I put into running will go down. I don't know if this goal is going to be super easy, super hard, or just right. So I'm going to go with just right and wing it.
297 miles through the end of March at a 7:58 pace. I'm on track for just under 1200 miles and are 44 miles ahead of the rate I'd need to get 1000. The biggest thing I've been surprised about is the pace. I've been doing a lot more regular speed work, but even my long runs have been dropping.
2) 20 minute 5k: I've had this goal in the back of my head for a long time. It has been a long time since I've specifically trained for a 5k. I plan on making 2016 the year of the 5k. I'll probably run a half (Thanksgiving), but I'm not going to make it a centerpiece of my running year.
I've already run more 5ks this year (3) than last year (2). Two of them are my two fastest 5ks ever, but still 10 seconds slower than the 20 minute goal. This is in reach, but will take more effort to get.
3) Peachtree Subseed Qualifier: I doubt I can accomplish this prior to registration in March, so I'll probably stick in A Wave this year. However, if I can get the 20min 5k, this should follow along with it (subseed qual time last year was 20:14 for the 5k, 9 seconds faster than my time at Braves).
If wave qualifications stay about the same, my Hearts and Soles times SHOULD qualify me for the subseed wave for 2016 (WOOO!) Last year, the cutoff was a 20:14 and I ran 20:10. There's not a lot of room for error, but goal (possibly) accomplished.
4) Top 1000 Peachtree. This was a goal I threw in a couple months before Peachtree last year. I ended up around 1200th I believe. I would have had to run about 30 seconds faster to get there. I'll have to do more faster runs this year on actual hills, not just speed work at the river.
Nothing to report here, but I was seconds off of a 10k PR during one of my speed workouts at Ocee park, which I didn't even realize until after we were done. That included all warmup and in-between-interval times. Progress.
5) Run all of the ATC Grand Prix races...: This is more of a logistical goal than anything else. Hopefully I can make the All Comers meet work out.
Still on track here, though there has only been two so far due to Peachtree City getting cancelled.
6) ...and finish top 3 in my age group for the Grand Prix: This will be a lot harder. For those unfamiliar with the Grand Prix, you get 10 points for showing up at an event, 100 for winning your AG, 80 for second, yadda yadda. I snagged 80 points at Resolution run and there are 4 or 5 more races that I can realistically expect to get into the top 5. Third place last year was 360 points. If there are 12 events, I will currently have 190 points (80 from Resolution + 110 from the other races), so I'll need to scrape together at least 150 bonus points from placement.
...and more on that. PTC was one of the races I was counting on 40-60 points in Grand Prix standing points. I'm in 4th right now, but there are a lot more races to go and a lot of fast runners out there. I still like my chances if I can snag participation points everywhere, but this one will be close.
