Early, Hopeful, Determined Goal

These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you. - Jay-Z, "Empire State of Mind"

Clearly this song has a special place on my current running play list.  There are a few songs that make me speed up, even if I'm trying to run an easy few miles, and this is one of them.

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I am absolutely a goal-oriented person, without a doubt.  I thrive on deadlines, often producing my best work when there's a time crunch I'm facing.  Goals give us purpose and direction, they help focus our efforts.  When I was training for Boston, I had a goal to finish the marathon in one relatively complete piece, and I succeeded in doing that.  I read recently that most first-time marathoners share that same goal, because it is such a huge feat, that most hope but aren't totally sure they can tackle it.  When they do, however, their next goal is to improve upon their speed, and that is what I'm looking to do when I run through the Boroughs of New York City in November.

Time Goal

My official time for Boston was 5:39:57, which is an average of around 13 minute miles.  I was running injured, and it was hot.  That's not even to mention that fact that I had so looked forward to this day, I wanted to take everything in and not rush this once-in-a-lifetime experience.  I'm proud of my Boston time, proud of the training I put into every single mile, and proud of how I ran that race.  Nothing will ever top that race, no matter how much time I can shave off of my future marathons, but my goal cannot be to finish anymore.  Been There, Run That.  

Gift following Boston Marathon

Runners like numbers, and I've been looking at my running numbers lately to see where I am.  My longest run has been 8 miles since Boston, and I was able to average 8:30 miles.  I know I have speed, especially in the shorter mileage runs, but I'm still testing my speed ability to for significant distances.  I need a goal, though.  I need something to aim for, so when I'm doing runs at race pace during training, I know what I'm working toward.  It's lofty, and I'm not sure I can pull it off, but my goal for finishing the NYC Marathon is somewhere around 4 hours.  That would have me averaging just over 9 minute miles.  I remember talking to my friend Dan about time, and he'd told me about a marathon that he'd run and his goal was 4 hours.  When he missed it by a tiny amount and felt defeated, he said he'd wished he hadn't put such a concrete number in his mind, because a few minutes after 4 hours is still amazing.  So, I'm taking his wisdom and not setting concrete goal, but a general ballpark goal.

Right now, at this particular point in my life, I'm struggling a bit with my own self-worth, questioning aspects of myself that I see as tarnished and broken.  I'm creating a standard for running that, though I will work hard to achieve, has the ability to either make or break that self-image.  Friends and family, fellow runners, I'm asking for your support.  Every message and text, every email and "Like" adds to my confidence and pushes me to work that much harder.  Running is a solo physical effort, but it is a team sport when you factor in those around you, cheering you on.

Week one starts...now!

 - Kelly