Midpack Gear: Running recap 12/31/16 (blah blah on top, year in review DC running photos at end)

Not many running regrets for the year past. I managed to avoid running-related injury (though I did get felled by a couple of cold viruses aggravated by lack of rest days in April and again in October).

I kept a marathon-or-longer annual streak going for the fifth consecutive year. It was the first year since 2012 that I didn't run multiple marathon or longer races. My body thanks me for the break.

I ran a copious number of shorter races. No PRs, but came close enough in the half and 5K that I didn't feel I came up to short.

1 34K
1 20 miler
1 metric marathon (26.2 K)
8 half marathons
2 20Ks
1 10 miler
2 10Ks
2 8Ks
8 5Ks (raced)

I developed a relationship with parkrunning, running 20 of them at Fletcher's Cove, Roosevelt Island, and College Park. (I narrowly missed making one at Crissy Field - maybe next year).

I beat my mileage totals for 2015 and 2014.

- 2016: 1733
- 2015: 1722
- 2014: 1716
- 2013: 2135
- 2012: 1222

Goals for 2017:

- Stay healthy. There's a fine line at any age, but definitely once you get into your 50s, between running as much as you want and as much as your body can handle. I think an average of around 150 miles per month is about as much as I can handle month in month out.

- Keep my 100 miles per month minimum going. I missed out in April of '16 when I got a bad cold, but have done it in 55 of the last 57 months. It means more rest days when feeling like a bug is coming on to prevent a full blown illness digging in.

- More down weeks, and not just after long races. I need to mix in low mileage stretches (20-25 mpw) now and then, especially in the heat of summer, to prevent getting over-fatigued going into fall.

- More trails. I'm just not willing to put in the intensity to bring down my road racing times, so I have to get my jollies out through longer distance races. I prefer 20-50K distances (my pain and boredom tolerance runs out after about six hours) but maybe this will be the year I go longer just to do it. I always find an excuse not to do a 50 miler, but the time is probably right.

And looking forward to hitting 10,000 all-time miles on Strava! Halfway around the world will have to wait till 2018.

Thanks for reading, and for helping keeping me honest and motivated. Peace love and understanding for everyone in 2017.

And: this post would suck without photos.