My 2023 "Year in Running" Summary! 🏃

The year 2023 is wrapped up!

I went for one last run of the year with Pippin on New Year's Eve. It's hard to believe I've only known this awesome running dog since the beginning of this year. It felt appropriate to do my last run of the year with him.

My total mileage for the year 2023 ended up being 1621.6!

So over 100 miles more than last year, although not the most mileage I've ever had.

(Here is a link to last year's summary.)

This year's mileage breaks out to 31.1 miles per week. I ran a total of 170 days of the year, meaning each run averages out to 9.53 miles.

This was my 10th year of using the Marty Jerome running log book!

Of course, I've been running a lot longer than I've been using this log book, as I started running in Junior High School in 1998.

However, this full decade of using the same paper log has yielded some interesting data.

Indulge me for a moment, while I list my yearly mileages for the last decade:

• 2014 - 1861 miles
• 2015 - 1876 miles
• 2016 - 2172 miles
• 2017 - 1750 miles
• 2018 - 1127 miles
• 2019 - 934 miles
• 2020 - 1212 miles
• 2021 - 1816 miles
• 2022 - 1515 miles
• 2023 - 1621 miles

Giving me a ten-year grand total of 15,884 miles. So, my mileage this year was just slightly above the overall average.

But that doesn't tell the whole story, either. In this decade, my average run distance has trended mostly upwards. Meaning, when I do get out to run, I tend to run further.

Of note is that I have always done weightlifting and cross-training as well. Some low mileage years, I've done more weight training instead.

Running is a lifetime journey for me, and I hope that my cumulative strength from the last decade will serve me well in my future endeavors.

Which is the perfect segway to talk about 2023's goals and achievements.

2023 - Goals Accomplished

My goals, as detailed in last year's summary, included doing bi-monthly speedwork and completing a 50-mile mountain run. Doing the speedwork brought me to a strong point, peaking during the summer - which gave me the fitness to push through my 50-mile.

I am happy that I was able to actually complete the 50-mile goal this year, although it was extremely challenging for me. (Here's a link to the story about it.)

The 50-mile goal run was on Labor Day, but I completed several other ultra-length runs in training throughout the year, including a practice Pikes Peak Marathon and two 50k loops on High Drive and Gold Camp Road.

2024 - Big Plans Ahead

Now that I have the 50 miler with significant elevation under my belt, I hope to run a 100k race in 2024 as my primary goal. While I haven't decided on a race yet, I'm considering a few later in the year, including the Red Rock Canyon 100k in Nevada.

I also hope that 2024 will be my first time to go Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon.

With those big goals in my sights, I also plan to keep up on doing speedwork at least every-other-week, and at least one long run every month with significant elevation gain.

***

Another year in the books, and a good one it was! Thanks to all my friends who joined me out on the trails in 2023!!! What a blast.

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope to see you out on the trails - in 2024!

***