Lots to be proud of this year as a runner:
- Hit my goal of 1,000 miles for the year, doubling last year’s total
- Let it rip at the San Francisco Marathon, my second one ever, almost matching the per-mile pace of my half marathon PR from two years ago
- Concluded 2 years of service as a co-lead of a run club
I learned a lot — I’m starting to find my way around workouts (tempo runs, faster intervals, and the like), I finally figured out how to sustain 35-50 mpw over a training block with progressive overload and dedicated strength/mobility sessions, and I’m getting better at carving out time to run even during busy periods or travel.
“I’m a runner” is a phrase I’m getting more comfortable saying out loud. I know how much time I’ve given to the sport, on nice days and gloomy ones. I can relate to common experiences (injuries, bonking, bathroom incidents…) that are humorous after some time but varying levels of horrifying at the onset. I firmly believe that I’m nowhere near as fast as I *could* be, but I think that untapped potential is what keeps me excited to lace up the shoes day after day.
I’m not currently signed up for another race. Multiple people have asked me why I am still logging miles without a goal race in mind. I can come up with many reasons — I’ve worked so hard to build consistency and don’t want to break it, I really hate the feeling of “getting back into shape,” and running just feels good. I truly believe that my runs help me release stress and regulate my emotions, as opposed to it merely being an “escape” from reality. (All that said, I do have my eye on a few races in 2025; I will likely stick to shorter races in H1 and maybe attempt 1-3 half or full marathons in H2.)
Let me set two big objectives for next year:
- Turn up the dial on mileage in a controlled manner — I would be happy with 1,500+ miles
- Do more runs with other people. I firmly believe that running, at its best, is a community-driven sport, and I’ve fallen into the trap of prioritizing expediency (solo runs) over building community many times this year
A wiser person than me once wrote: “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Let 2025 be a joyful, fearless one — a year of dream-catching, even if it means embracing a few failures along the way.
clem’s world 