January 2025 Races

I raced 4 times this January, with my schedule looking this:

1. Wednesday, January 1st- Millennium Mile: Londonderry, NH

2. Thursday, January 9th- NYRR Night at the Races 3K: New York, NY (Armory)

3. Saturday, January 11th- Joe Kleinerman 10K: New York, NY

4. Friday, January 24th- Riverhawk Invite 3K: Boston, MA (Track at New Balance)

Building this schedule I wanted to balance getting in races while also leaving enough time for marathon training. January might not be the best month for road races in the Northeast, but Boston and New York City have the best indoor tracks in the world. All of these were familiar venues as this would be my third time at Millennium, 2nd at Night at the Races and Riverhawk, and Joe Kleinerman was a NYRR event in Central Park. 

I signed up for Millennium a few weeks before - it was an easy decision: being on a Wednesday it wouldn't disrupt marathon training at all with my long run on Saturday, and it's a well organized cheap event. Good rustbuster opportunity. 

The NYC double sounded fun and Andrew was in. Signed up for Joe Kleinerman a ways out as the NYRR races sell out immediately. I figured I could use the 3K as a fitness check to see if attempting further indoor races was worth it. 

Riverhawk was a later decision contingent on success in NYC. I had also considered another meet at the Track at New Balance the prior weekend but opted against it as Riverhawk fit in better with my marathon training schedule. 

Millennium Mile

First up was Millennium. This was my 3rd consecutive year doing the race. Here is a table summarizing my placements, times from the last two years. In 2023 and 2024, this was my opening race as I hadn't raced since the fall and took time off after those races.

I was a little disappointed in 2023. This race has about 80' of net downhill and I thought I'd be able to break 4:30 but was okay with it as it was a rustbuster. In 2024 I went in zero expectations and was happy to perform close to my 2023 result with a lot less time to prepare. 

I had two things going for me in 2025: 

1) I had already raced. This wouldn't be my opening race of the season as I had run the 4x1600 5 days prior in 4:29. I wouldn't be quite as rusty and the race likely wouldn't hurt as much. 

2) I had a longer turnaround compared to 2024's race, meaning more time to train and get fit. 

I saw no reason I couldn't be under 4:30 for this one. I probably underperformed a little in 2023 and with a 4:29 1600m under my belt, the standard had to be raised for this year. 

It felt significantly colder than last year, although minimal wind. Similar to last year I warmed up with Andrew, did not feel great, and went a little too late having to rush to the line somewhat. Only got in 2 strides or so. Unlike last year, it was very easy to get a spot on the front line as everyone who lined up early politely stood back this time. Last year the start was quite chaotic but I felt much more at ease being able to line up in the front without any hands on me. Worth noting that last year's low 4:10s runners didn't return to the race, although I did recognize Aaron Lucci who I believe was 3rd in that race and 2nd the prior year, well ahead of me. I figured with the weaker field I could potentially nab 3rd and $50 but since I don't have the most reliable kick in shorter road races, I thought the most likely scenario was getting outkicked for money.

I wanted to go out controlled, but found myself just off the leaders right away and just hung there. No one went out that fast for the quarter mile and this year the race director was on a bike on the side filming us and yelled out the bonuses for each quarter mile. If you were first at each quarter mile and held onto win, you'd probably get $300 I believe. I was in about 5th and went out pretty hard in about 60-61 seconds if the markers are correct. Within contact of the leaders but not right there. It was snowing/raining but fairly light. Some guy surged for the quarter mile bonus just ahead of Lucci. 

Went through half mile in 2:07 according to the markers, which was definitely faster than last year. I remained intact but not close enough to let the leaders know I was there. I don't remember feeling all that uncomfortable at point. Once again, these guys surged and I remained steady. 

This was probably the most downhill quarter mile and a good spot to make a move. I accelerated slightly and moved into 3rd as another runner matched me and passed me. I thought Lucci would have another move and was surprised to come up on him, although he remained in the lead for the third quarter. 

I didn't think it was smart to wait until the last 200m, so I'd have to make a move now. The other guy seemed to be thinking the same thing. I may have briefly taken the lead as we both passed Lucci who was fading slightly, but it only lasted a few seconds as he pulled ahead. His move seemed definitive and I went more on the defensive, trying to figure out where Lucci was and try to hold onto second. With 200m to go I realized he hadn't put much ground on me and I was in slipstream. I had no intentions of trying to outkick and was again trying to keep an eye on whether I would be passed for 2nd. With under 100 I realized this guy did not have any other gears and I could actually go for the win. I passed pretty much with 50m to go which at that point I knew if I pulled ahead I would win and had just enough to cross the tape in first. 

Interesting scenario post-race: I was listed 2nd in the result which I assumed was an error. Turns out while I crossed the line first and won the race, the other runner didn't start on the line and beat me on chip time. While clearly he was better than me today, being on the line in a race like this is crucial and that mistake cost him the race. I got $150 for the win, and a mug so that was pretty cool. Ended up running 4:24, a slow time for the win but good time for me with an 8 second course PR. Definitely really happy with this one and executed really well. I was expecting to be faster and place higher, but wasn't expecting a 4:24 and certainly not the win. Kind of shock to me to get the win here. Results.

After experiencing about the worst chest discomfort of my life (just sat in the car for 10 minute in agony before it got better) did 7 miles cooldown with Andrew and headed home. Good start to the year!

NYC Races

Next up was the NYC double. The downside to running so well at Millennium was it put pressure on this meet. For a random late night meet, I now had to take it very seriously and perform. I take all races seriously, but I'd really have to lock in as this race could determine whether I go for a 3K PR later this month. 

I figured I should be able to run in the 8:45-8:50 range. This might be a little aggressive considering I've never run a 3K opener faster than 8:56, but my rationale was that last year I ran 4:33 at Millennium and 9:01 in the 3K at this meet 3 days later. This year I ran 9 seconds faster at Millennium - about 16 seconds for 3K. That would equal 8:45, and I'd have 8 days between races versus 3 last year. One issue with track versus road is pacing can be highly dependent on the heat you get in. Race goes out too fast or too slow the first 1K, the damage might be done already (either too much fatigue early or too much time to make up). 

I thought if I could run under 8:50 or pretty close, then it would be possible to take a PR attempt 1-2 weeks later with confidence. Well over 8:50 would mean a 10+ second improvement between meets which just might not be realistic. I definitely wanted to prove to myself that Millennium wasn't a fluke and I could run consistently well when it matters. 

Took the train down late morning and had a lot of time to kill as I wasn't racing until 9:05PM. I hate racing that late but sometimes those are the time windows. I actually think this was the latest I've ever raced. A few question marks on the warm-up: hamstring tightness/discomfort from doing some single leg squats the day before to improve knee pain, and the achilles discomfort I've been having for a few weeks now. Fortunately the hamstring felt much better at the completion of the workout, I felt the achilles on strides and early in the races but it definitely did not impact the outcome. 

Lined up on the track and got out really poorly, I'm terrible at gun starts/reactions and not an aggressive runner. My plan today was simple - 35s per lap/2:55 per 1K = 8:45 3K. The numbers come out nicely for that and there's no need for difficult math while racing. Got out decently in the 3rd to 5th range pretty quickly and went 35.3 for the first lap which was decently but it slowed to 71.6 through 400, barely sub-9 pace. Some guy moved ahead as he clearly wasn't okay with that pace. I had to put in a decent surge and quick lap to get up with him (34.4), but had the huge benefit of him pacing. Next two laps were 34.8 and 35.3 for 2:56.3 through 1K. A touch slow but pretty solid. The first 1K in a 3K should be pretty relaxed, but this was already feeling quite hard. I prepared myself to suffer and also fully expected that this pace would not be sustainable and I'd probably end up barely breaking 9. 

I had to break up the race mentally because I could not handle the idea of running this pace for 10 more laps. 35.4, 35.4, 35.7 for the next 3 laps going through the 1600m in 4:43. Not bad, but again slightly off goal pace and would need a negative split even for a sub-8:50. Next get through 2K in one piece. 35.1, 35.5 for 5:53 high through 2K. As much as I benefited from sitting on this guy and letting him do all the work, I had to make a move at some point especially to still have a chance of sub-8:50. I decided I would go with 3 to go. 35.2, 35.1. I was hanging on and definitely not ready to make a move. Okay, I'll go with 400m to go. 35.1. 7:39 through 2600. Still felt like I didn't have the gear to pass. I did some mental calculations and my goal was break 8:50. I finally tried to make a move going into one to go but he surged and I couldn't accelerate enough to pass. Ended up being right on him but never passing. 8:46.22 at finish, closed in 66.8 (32.8 final 200m). Results.

Definitely a really good performance, had some pressure on this race and 100% got it done. That one definitely hurt, but can't recall too many indoor 3Ks that felt comfortable. I benefitted enormously from running selfishly behind the leader and essentially got a perfectly paced race while getting to stay out of trouble pretty much the entire time. Which poses a slight challenge for the next one as there's a good chance I won't get that again. But certainly worth it to give the PR attempt a go. My fastest 3K opener by 10 full seconds and #2 time I've run. In short events like these, having a kick makes a huge difference. For example, my other 8:46 from 2023, I went through 2800 in about 8:10. But I had nothing in the tank and could only manage a 36 (a 34 or faster would have been a PR). Today I went through in 8:13, 3 seconds slower, but ran faster overall as my last lap was much faster. If I only had a 36 last lap today, I would have run an 8:49 (still good, but definitely nowhere near as good). 

Fast forward to Saturday morning. Achilles really bothered me on the pre-race but fortunately was only minimally uncomfortable for the race. Joe Kleinerman 10K in Central Park. Fortunately not much wind at all but pretty chilly at 27F for the start. Thought I had a lot of time but took a while to find the bag check, and then bag check line was ridiculously long. Had to rush the warm-up and it was really stressful trying to organize my race gear quickly. I was also really cold after stripping down and didn't warm-up until about 2 miles into the race. This race wasn't terribly important for me, but figured I'd shoot for the 5:20 range or so. Didn't think much about goal time. 

The race was much bigger than I anticipated and getting into the corrals was a challenge, but fortunately I was able to push up to the front. Like last time, Andrew and I were put in the second corral which pretty annoying as I'd finish ahead of 90% of people in the first corral. It had snowed slightly during the morning and I was concerned about slick surfaces as well as having an open course and people in the way, but these weren't big issues. The road was a little slippery from being wet. 

I went out pretty hard and my watch displayed 5:00 pace or better through the 1K. This course was rolling hills on the signature central park with about 300' of elevation gain. We hit the first hill towards the end of the mile and pace instantly plummeted to 5:50/6:00s. I didn't know where the hills were nor did I pay attention to the grade and started to think my day was over, especially after running the first mile in 5:18 despite running so much of that at sub-5 pace. Through 5K was pretty uncomfortable with some good rollers and it seemed like every time I looked at my watch I was running over 5:30 pace. I fully expected this one to be a dud with so much to run. Yet I still ran 5:18/5:12 for miles 2 and 3 and through 5K in 16:24. I only needed a 16:40 return to PR and 16:35 for a sub-33. The race was back on in my mind. 

This race had prize money for the top 5, and I thought I could probably get top 5, although I knew I'd be ineligible for prize money as you have to be an NYRR member at time of registration. I still kept my mind on the places. 1st and 2nd were gone quickly, but 3rd to 5th remained pretty close as I passed into 6th near the 5K mark. Much of the race felt like a hard tempo as there was little to differentiate on the course, being on the same winding and rolling road the entire time. I went through Mile 4 in a 5:17 and just over my official 4 mile PR. Hit a substantial hill at 4.5 and felt like I was shutting down and would have nothing for the final. Also got passed here, moving back to 7th. 5:18 for Mile 5. Last mile was pretty flat/slight downhill and this time when I looked at my watch the pace was usually decent (sub-5:10). Around the 5.7 mile mark, 3 to 6th all remained within 100 meters or so, especially 4th to 6th and I started to accelerate and make my move. Seemingly everyone else made their move at the same time. I had slowly watched 6th place close in on the money and fully expected to blow by 4th and 5th. Yet everyone had a strong finish today and we all finished in the position we were in at mile 5. I didn't lose much ground, but wasn't gaining either.

I had forgot about time entirely and passed through 300m to go at 32:30 or so - I knew a PR was gone and I'd probably be around 33:30. Except I checked my watch and saw it approaching 32 minutes and realized I had read/processed the clock info wrong. Sprinted it in for a 25 second PR and 7th place finish of 32:40. 16:16 final 5K. Another good run. 5:03 close, almost certainly my fastest last mile in a 10K. Paced this one really well even though it didn't feel like at the time. Results. 

Riverhawk Invite

Two weeks came and went quickly and now it was time for a 3K PR attempt. This was the first time in recent memory I felt confident that I could actually do it. I've had this PR for 8 years, meaning a lot of disappointing races over the distance. In 2023, I thought I had a shot (twice) but couldn't quite get it done. 

I felt pressure for the last 3K, but a significant amount for this one. Future attempts at the 3K this season would likely take away from marathon training. This felt like a PR or bust situation. If I didn't do it today, there's a good chance I'd have to wait until next year and probably think about that for a long time. 

I was super nervous for this one. I estimated I'd race at 3:30PM based off the time schedule and arrived in Boston around 2:05PM. I realized I immediately had to go warm-up as I'd be racing at 3:05PM due to running ahead of schedule, and even worse putting 23 people in one heat. This pretty much guaranteed I would not have a clean race like last week and a high likelihood of dealing with a lot of traffic and non-ideal pacing. I think I was the only unattached athlete in my heat which was intimidating racing against college athletes. I had to rush to get over to the track, get spikes on and then quickly we were up. I felt sluggish on the warm-up and really did not want to be there racing a high-pressure 3K against 22 college runners. 

I wanted to approximately run 2:54s for an 8:42. Unlike 8:45/2:55s this comes out a lot less cleanly meaning more challenging lap calculation. I knew it was approximately 69s 400s and sub-4:40 through the 1600m. I knew there was definitely the potential that this race would go out really fast and with 23 people, I figured it was best to just out the back and judge the pace/splits from there. Even if I wanted to go fast, the two people next to me stuck their elbows out immediately so it would be impossible or painful to get out well. I went out in near last as I was hitting about 35 seconds 200s. I did some cheers from old UNH teammates which was nice to have. I ran a few laps at the back before it seemed a little too slow and gradually moved up, which was a challenge in this massive pack. Hit the 1K in 2:55, slightly slow but very much still in it. I got about mid-pack when there was significant elbowing and pushing going between runners in lane 1, so I stayed in lane 2 for some of the passes. Probably 1-2 laps of running in lane 2 to try to stay out of trouble, but there was occasionally someone would cut in front of me or maybe I'd do something similar. Went through the 1600m in about 4:40 and regained a position in lane 1. Probably in 8th place or so at this point.

The leaders made their move and all of sudden it was probably 2 seconds faster per lap which was too much for me to handle. I remained in striking distance but got gapped quickly and had to grind out some laps in no man's land. The pace did get a bit quicker hitting 2K in 5:48. I was able to reattach myself to a chase pack with about 4 to go, and started making some small moves with 3 to go. I hit 800 to go around 6:23, noting I'd need about a 2:20 for a PR and couldn't let up. 400 to go was maybe 7:31 or 7:32. I didn't process the splits until I hit 200 to go in 8:04. I realized I was going to PR as I only needed a 39 second last lap. In fact, I had a pretty good shot at sub-8:40. That thought didn't last long as I felt a hand push me forward. At that level of exertion, I couldn't stay upright and fell on the track on my knees and used my hands to stop the fall, and quickly got back up and continue running. This felt like slow motion. When I got back up, I had lost all my momentum and my legs felt extremely heavy. I was also in a mental panic as it felt I had a PR locked up and I had no idea what would happen. Last 150m felt brutal, just willing my legs to go as I got passed by 7-8 runners. I looked up at the board in fear the final 50m, fortunately I did get there before it hit 8:44.

8:41.64 for exactly a 3 second PR. Results. I was processing this one for a while. I finally took down an 8-year old that I tried many times and failed to beat. But it felt completely overshadowed by the fact I very nearly ran an 8:37 or 8:38, but the fall took that way. I was shook up a bit physically as my knees were scraped up and hands bruised. I also didn't feel great about a Vermont runner telling me "F**k you" after the race. Kind of confused what that's about given I'm pretty sure I didn't push any one and I was in lane 1 when fell. I feel like any pushing during the race is largely the fault of the race organizers or whoever decided to put 23 people in the heat. When the heats get overstuffed, people are going to get pushed and fall. 

It's hard to write a post-race recap on this. Huge positive of getting the PR, huge negative of nearly having a huge race but coming up just short and settling for a great one with a major flaw instead. I feel being unable to run a PR for 8 years was eating at me somewhat and now this race will haunt me instead. Only way to get rid of that feeling is to go out and break 8:40, but at this point I'd really like to focus on the marathon and there's no guarantee that if I simply start another 3K I'll run a similar race. Just super frustrating. I waited 8 years for this moment and can't even derive any satisfaction from it. 

Weekly Log: January 13 to 19

Marathon training.

Monday: 9 Miles- West Greenwich, RI

Overgrown Tillinghast. 

Tuesday: 10 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Windy charlestown roads with Dad. 

Wednesday: 12 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Burlingame campground loop workout- did a past staple of 8x2/2 shooting for the usual 5:20/6:00 respective paces. I ended up averaging 5:18/6:02 so not bad, but nothing special either. Kind of just maintenance/decent.

Thursday: 12 Miles- Exeter, RI

Arcadia Mt. Tom - Breakheart loop.

Friday: 10 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Burlingame VG + Burlingame trail loop.

Saturday: 20 Miles- Charlestown, RI

First 20 of the block. 7 miles warm-up, then 3-2-1 mile tempo on mile rest, cooldown to 20. From the campground and Watchaug Pond road loop, which I'll be doing a lot of the marathon work on for this block. I felt awful on the warm-up, already quite weak but fortunately not an issue with the workout.

Workout went well. Splits:

3 miles on - 5:35 pace/5:25 GAP (Klondike + Charles + beginning of Buckeye Brook)

1 mile off - 6:15 pace/6:27 GAP (Buckeye Brook down)

2 miles on - 5:26 pace/5:11 GAP (Buckeye Brook up + Kings Factory down)

1 mile off - 6:20 pace/6:08 GAP (Kings Factory rolling)

1 mile on - 5:06 pace/5:09 GAP (Kings Factory/Prosser downhill)

Don't remember feeling especially fatigued on the cooldown. Fitness is definitely coming along well.

Sunday: 10 Miles- Exeter, RI

Arcadia dirt road loop. 

Weekly Total: 84 Miles

Weekly Highlight: Saturday LR workout.

Weekly Lowlight: ?

Movies Watched: There's Something About Mary, The Social Network

NYC Double- Weekly Log: January 6 to 12

Similar to last year, running a double race weekend in New York City. Slightly different, repeating the NYRR Night at the Races #2 3K at the Armory on Thursday night, but this time taking a day of rest after and running the Joe Kleinerman 10K in Central Park. After a great run at a Millennium Mile, there was a little bit of pressure on this 3K. I figured I would need at least a sub-8:50 or close to feel that a PR attempt at the 3K in a few weeks would be worth it. Joe Kleinerman was really just to maximize race attempts and do a fun double, didn't feel high expectations on that one. 

Monday: 0 Miles

Day off. Tried to get the achilles a little better as it was bothering me on Sunday's run. 

Tuesday: 12 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Bigger Burlingame loop (add on Burlingame trail + North camp onto VG). Enjoyed this one and felt pretty good.

Wednesday: 8 Miles- Hopkinton, RI

Summit + Blitzkrieg dirt road (Arcadia) loop with Dad, pre-race. I had some inner knee discomfort and some achilles weakness, a little concerning going into the race. 

With the knee discomfort, I tried some exercises to reduce that. Did some one leg squats which seemed to help quite a bit but then I could feel the micro-tears in my hamstring as I hadn't done that in a while and instantly regretted it. I thought I had just killed my race but fortunately ended up shaking that out by race time and not only didn't affect me, but never had that knee pain again. 

Thursday: 8 Miles- New York, NY

Late night 3K race in New York City. Last year I raced about 8:40PM, this year about 9:05PM. Absolutely hate the waiting around all day, but not being able to do much with a race on deck. The race went really well, ran 8:46 which was about best case scenario. This is by far my fastest 3K opener (I think previous was 8:56) and super encouraging because 1) I had done zero track workouts this season, and 2) it was the closest I had come to PRing since I set it in 2017.

Friday: 8 Miles- New York, NY

Central Park loop with Andrew. Race went well, but achilles took a hit and it felt pretty weak and uncomfortable on this. Was definitely a little concerned for the race. 

World Marathon Majors Medals for 2024

Saturday: 12 Miles- New York, NY

2nd race. Cold and pre-race was a bit of a mess (very long bag check line), but successful double. Surprised myself with 32:40, my first sub-33. About 30-40 seconds faster than I was expecting on a decently hill course. Definitely a really successful NYC visit. Achilles wasn't too bad either, although I had some foot pain walking around the city later in the day.

Interesting Birds

Sunday: 16 Miles- Richmond, RI

Arcadia dirt roads long, same as 2 weeks ago but with Andrew. Recovery pace, went a little slow. No foot or achilles pain which was good, but I bonked hard with a mile to go and started to seeing spots. I realized I accidentally dropped my gel while going #2 earlier so had to gut out the last mile on fumes. 

Weekly Total: 65 Miles

Weekly Highlight: 2nd fastest 3K I've run and a 10K PR. Very successful race weekend in NYC.

Weekly Lowlight: Recurring/chronic achilles issues. Hasn't caused any major issues yet, but is always a a concern.

Movies Watched: Minari, Operation Fortune, Society of the Snow

Millennium Mile- Weekly Log: December 30 to January 5

Racing the Millennium Mile for the 3rd year in a row to open 2025. Going with a little more confidence this year as I had a little more time to run compared to 2024 and this wasn't my opening race of the season. 

Monday: 8 Miles- Westerly, RI

Watch Hill loop from home. Quite warm in the mid-50s. 

Tuesday: 8 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Pre-race Ninigret with Dad.

Wednesday: 10 Miles- Londonderry, NH

Millennium Mile. Race went really well- well under my goal of 4:30, but I also won surprisingly. Weaker field than last few years. May or may not write a separate recap, thinking I'll recap January races in one post.

Horrible chest burn/pain post race, then cooled down 6 miles with Andrew.

Thursday: 12 Miles- Exeter, RI

THE Arcadia Loop with Dad.

Friday: 8 Miles- Charlestown, RI

VG.

Saturday: 18 Miles- Charlestown, RI

Long run with Andrew from campground. Been pretty cold lately, seemingly more so than past January. This one was 29 but with 12mph winds. Freezing is about my shorts threshold and I risk getting quite cold when wearing shorts under that temp. I was a little worried about this one. We warmed up 7 miles down through East-West beach roads and adding on some of the OAB neighborhood hills.

I think I went long sleeves, gloves, hat, shorts. Today was 5M tempo on the 10M "round watchaug pond" loop. Basically the road perimeter of watchaug pond, which has 600' of elevation gain. Since I'll no longer have easy access to regular hilly runs in California, I'll need to find hills elsewhere and this loop is a good rolling hills simulator. So I'll be doing most of my long run workouts here.

Temp/wind wasn't much of an issue as the trees block a lot of the wind here. However, I've had a recent problem with my toes in my right shoe going numb occasionally and that happened today. It's only happened in cold weather so hopefully it's only a seasonal problem. Tempo went well- average 5:47 which translates to 5:33 GAP. Last mile was a bit tough finishing on Buckeye Brook hill (200' climb in one mile) and having to poop. Bonked a little on the cooldown but didn't have too much left. Didn't feel too bad at all for first long run.

Sunday: 12 Miles- Bedford, MA

Went to the greatest place in the world pre-run

Met up with Forest for a run, hadn't seen him since the UNH days (May '22). Showed him the Battle road/minuteman trail plus some other connecting bike paths. I was having some achilles discomfort in this one.

Weekly Total: 77 Miles

Weekly Highlight: Millennium Mile win.

Weekly Lowlight: Continued Achilles discomfort.

Movies Watched: Coming to America, Die Hard, The Holdovers, Inside Out 2

2024 in Review

2024 was my best year of running. I maybe didn't have any big breakthroughs like some of the high school years, but this was the first year ever where I ran really well in all three of my target races. 2023 was a strong year that I built off of, but I didn't run especially well in 3 of 4 of my target races in 2023. Performing when it mattered most was something I had struggled with since 2016, and I finally got it right in every season in 2024. Like 2023, I was pretty consistent throughout the year and didn't have many bad races. I had one major hiccup in the form of a calf injury in late May/early June that hurt my training for San Francisco and caused me to bail on some goal races. I also did not have great races in the half marathon. But largely, this was a very successful year. 

Goal Review

Sub-1:10 Half Marathon: FAIL. I don't have any excuses for this one. I performed consistently well over every other distance, but just could not get it done in my half marathon races this year. Definitely a disappointment of 2024. I'll recycle this goal and have it for 2025 and I think I learned some things that will help me in the future.

30 Highpoints: FAIL. Pretty close as I hit 29. I was confident I'd meet this one but changed the drive back to go through Arkansas for a more desirable driving route, which took off the Kansas and Oklahoma highpoints. There was the possibility of picking up Arizona's highpoint but I only had so many weekends and opted to explore national parks instead.

Go to more CA national parks: PASS. Well, I may have failed the others, but I passed this one with flying colors as I went to 7 of the 9 California Parks in 2024 and have been to all of them at some point. 

A measly 1/3 on goal success, but only the first one really matters and the others were more arbitrary. I had successes in other distances but I didn't have specific goals for them at the beginning of the year so that's not reflected here.

Race Ranking

The 2024 ranking of my 25 races. Like 2023, I was fairly consistent and the majority of races were at least a B- or better. Note these are scaled rankings - an early season result will be judged less harshly than a late season/goal race.

25. Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon- February 25 in Las Vegas, NV

Result: 11th Place, 1:13:35

This was my worst race of the 2020s, and a massive disappointment and failure. I had high momentum and confidence going into this one coming off a 1:10 half marathon in November on a tough course and having the best long runs of my life the prior two weeks. This was a flat course and likely stacked field and sub-1:10 was there for the taking. Instead my legs were totally cooked and I couldn't even manage that pace for two miles. I couldn't run a respectable pace in the second half, pretty much gave up and only finished the race because I needed to pick up my bag. This is probably one of the biggest missed opportunities of my running career as this had the potential to be the biggest race of my life. 

Grade: F

24. Thanksgiving Day 5K- November 28th in San Diego, CA

Result: 8th, 16:27

On paper, this is probably one of my worst results ever. Even on bad days, I had usually managed to slip under 16. Being close to 16:30 in a 5K is almost hard to comprehend. This comes with the qualifier that my body had nothing after the 50K. Very poor result, but hardly any expectations or importance to this one.

Grade: D

23. Great Bear 5K- May 19th in Needham, MA

Result: 27th, 15:51

15:51 isn't bad, but I should have been capable of far better that day. I ran a good, not great race for 2.5 miles and then had absolutely nothing over the final kilometer and one of the worst final 200s I've ever run. Even if I held the effort through the finish, it still wouldn't have been anything special and this was one of the rare occasions in 2024 I just did not show up with my A game. 

Grade: C

22. Vancouver Half Marathon- June 23rd in Vancouver, BC

Result: 2nd, 1:11:29

Like Las Vegas, I felt good about my chances at a sub-1:10 but struggled early and wasn't close. I had some poor splits in the middle of the races and the entire thing felt really hard, which isn't good given I was running marathon pace in some sections. However, this one was a lot better than Vegas as not only did I run two minutes faster, but I ran hard throughout, never gave up in one of the mentally hardest races of the year for me, and was able to win a close battle for 2nd place. But at the end of the day this race was disappointing and a missed opportunity. 

Grade: C

21. Steve Scott Invite (5K)- April 26th in Irvine, CA

Result: 19th, 15:47

After a decent 5K opener two weeks prior in 15:45, I was really expecting to be able to break 15:30 here. Instead I took a step backwards and ran two seconds slower, effectively ending my track season as I did not have the qualifying time to compete at the next. Unlike a well paced race two weeks prior in Long Beach, I struggled from 1K here and faded quite a bit after a mile. Did enough to save it from being a disaster in the last mile, but this result made me feel like I should have even toed the start line. 

Grade: C

20. Millennium Mile- January 1st in Londonderry, NH

Result: 7th, 4:33

This race really served as a rustbuster/workout effort for me. I went close to all out but was racing two more times that week and decided not to kick it in. Totally fine for one of the least important races of the year, but I can't give it any better than a B-.

Grade: B-

19. Three Sisters Skyline Half Marathon- September 21st in Sisters, OR

Result: 2nd, 1:20:47

This wasn't a bad run, but I felt I could have competed better for the win. I failed to cover a big move a few miles into the race and burnt a lot of energy chasing the leader. My entire second half I was tired and fading quite a bit. Again, not a bad effort, but so much room for improvement.

Grade: B-

18. NYRR Night at the Races #2 (3K)- January 4th in New York, NY

Result: 11th, 9:01

Was not in great shape for this one and did a mostly decent job of making the right moves. Local runner Sam Alexander did much of the leading for this race and made some good moves. I caught up to him and was barely on sub-9 pace through 2K, but felt quite terrible and let the pace slip significantly. I kicked the last lap but it was too late and I didn't break 9. Acceptable for an early season effort but mistakes I don't want to be making down the road. 

Grade: B-

17. Run the Ridge 10K- August 17th in Laragh, Ireland

Result: 2nd, 39:59

Total rustbuster/low key effort, but some big mistakes in this one. Misjudged the field and didn't even stick to my own plan, going too hard too early and then not having an answer when I got passed. Mile 2 and 3 uphill effort was totally lackluster and I probably packed it in a little bit instead of trying to fight. I was about 20 seconds off the win and probably could have cut that gap down to 5-10 seconds had I run smarter and been a little tougher. Good downhill though, just not quite mentally focused.

Grade: B-

16. Kodiak 23K- October 12th in Big Bear Lake, CA

Result: 3rd, 1:48:28

This performance had major pros and cons. The good was that I placed 3rd/podiumed at my first ever UTMB race. I moved up mid race to take 3rd and closed well to get on the podium. This wasn't a particularly competitive edition but UTMB races are among the best in the world so getting 3rd felt pretty good. That said, I didn't run all that well. I struggled significantly in my first race at altitude and some of the uphill splits were not impressive. I managed to run the final downhill pretty well, but many of the miles felt like they could have been much faster with proper acclimation.

Grade: B-

15. USATF-NE Night at the Track (4x1600m)- December 27th in Boston, MA

Result: 2nd team, 19:01, my split 4:29

Finished off the year with my first relay race in about 6 years. I got the job done, leading off in first and achieving my non-ambitious goal of sub-4:30. But it was pretty close and this was incredibly sloppy execution, going out really hard behind a high schooler and running slow in the middle before a mediocre kick. A fine result for a race that meant little.

Grade: B

14. Moab Trail Half Marathon- November 2nd in Moab, UT

Result: 38th, 1:39:06

This was a solid effort in a loaded field. I didn't do anything particularly poor but then anything not a lot of race was particularly impressive either. Good throughout and a respectable result, but ultimately largely forgettable and unremarkable.

Grade: B

13. Chris Rhinne Invite (1500m)- April 19th in Riverside, CA

Result: 9th, 4:11

This was not the time I wanted (sub-4:10) but I handled a poor start fairly well. The race got out slow and I was boxed in, but I went to the front, controlled the pace, and had a good kick in 64 to hold for the win. Just need to work on that start so I could have been in a better position to take over if needed.

Grade: B

12. Beach Invite (5K)- April 12th in Long Beach, CA

Result: 23rd, 15:45

I was coming into this one with low fitness and expectations with not much training under me post-Los Angeles marathon, but thought if I could start at a decent fitness level around 15:45 I could potentially run close to a PR at the end of the month/early. I ran a smart, controlled and well paced effort to hit that target dead-on. Can't fault anything I did that day, just didn't get into good enough shape or execute the following races as well. This was a good early season run but at the same time 15:45 on the track really isn't impressive at all when I ran 10+ seconds faster on the roads.

Grade: B

11. Portland Half Marathon- October 6th in Portland, OR

Result: 21st, 1:12:59

Having done zero of the long tempo work I did in previous marathon blocks, I knew it was unrealistic to expect to be anywhere near a PR. I ran this race fairly consistently and strong, and this was a solid result for where I was in training. Had a bonus of closing sub-5:10, which is my fastest last mile in a half marathon.

Grade: B+

10. Surf City 5K- February 4th in Huntington Beach, CA

Result: 1st, 15:36

I was hoping to run a little bit faster than this on a very fast course, but 15:36 was pretty good given I led gun to tape and was a solo effort. 

Grade: B+

9. Pass Mountain 25K- November 9th in Mesa, AZ

Result: 1st, 1:47:44

Went in and beat a decent field. Almost an "A" race but struggled big time in the final third, spraining my ankle, dealing with blister pain and just generally fading. Opened up a big lead, and was happy with the way I was able to hold on after dealing with a lot of challenges. I only won by 18 seconds, so it felt good to win a close race as the vast majority of my wins are ones where I won by a significant amount but could not win a close race.

Grade: B+

8. Wagner Invite (Mile)- January 5th in New York, NY

Result: 12th, 4:28

This was a strong, disciplined run coming off fatigue racing a 3K the prior night and Millennium Mile 4 days before. 4:28 was not only a good time for week 1 of 2024 but I ran it well tactically, moving up slowly in the heat from dead last to closing in a 64 to nab 2nd at the line.

Grade: B+

7. Headlands 27K - September 15th in Mill Valley, CA

Result: 46th, 2:28:19

Most competitive trail race I've done. Not perfect, definitely faded a bit and wasn't stellar on the switchbacks but overall held my own and did well relative to those around me. I was good on the ups and downs, especially steep uphills here and got a great UTMB index rating for this race. I think there is room for improvement on courses like this but definitely had a good day.

Grade: A-

6. Golden Gate Spartan Trail 50K- November 23rd in San Francisco, CA

Result: 4th, 4:27:57

This was a good run and I felt I held up really well over 50K and 4+ hours of running. Room for improvement in the final third but ran the vast majority of the course and never had any serious blowups while steadily moving up. Huge improvement in my aid station management from Quebec as I was stopped for less than 3 minutes in this race. Still have a long way to go in ultra running, but this was a good step forward.

Grade: A-

5. Point Mugu Trail Run- October 26th in Malibu, CA

Result: 1st, 1:28:15

This one was simple - went hard from the gun and never looked back. Surprised myself with how fast I ran certain trails and kept an even and strong effort and ups and downs alike. Over a full half marathon distance, there were very few sections where I felt I could have gone quite a bit faster which is rare for a trail race. Generally one of my self-criticisms about my trail racing ability is I don't always do a great job maintaining the same intensity on trails as I do on roads (as in I get complacent and slow down), but most of the race I hit close to the best of my ability here. Definitely really pleased with that one as an overall effort, my best trail of the year.

Grade: A

4. Will Rogers 10K- July 4th in Los Angeles, CA

Result: 2nd, 33:05

My expectations weren't particularly high for this one -  the course had 450' of elevation gain, a lot of 10K and I hadn't been running or racing particularly well all season. Absolutely surprised myself with an 18 second PR and without question my strongest race over the distance. It was also great to perform well over some big ups and downs. Definitely a confidence booster and I think it opens the door for sub-32 in the future.

Grade: A

3. Santa Monica 5K- September 8th in Santa Monica, CA

Result: 4th, 15:33

I've written in some entries here about how I surprised myself in races, but this was the most shocking good race result of the year. I had zero PR expectations having almost nothing under my belt and just a few weeks of base fitness. I thought breaking 16 would be hard enough. I executed an excellent race, slowly winding it up and closing in a 4:45 to run a 2 second PR. 

Grade: A+

2. Los Angeles Marathon- March 17th in Los Angeles, CA

Result: 23rd, 2:32:35

My two most important races of the year were early on with Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas and Los Angeles marathon. This would probably be my best opportunities of the year to run a good half marathon and marathon, and were both really important as I could break 1:10 for the first time and felt like I needed a good marathon after a 2:39 in Honolulu. The pressure for Los Angeles went up significantly after I completely bombed Las Vegas. Bombing Los Angeles as well would be a really tough pill to swallow and might completely change the trajectory of the year. Fortunately, I completely delivered that day and ran a 2:32:35. The execution was definitely sloppy with a 3.5 minute positive split and hanging on for dear life the final 10K, but I got it done with a 7 minute PR and could go into the rest of 2024 with confidence knowing my overall training plan was still working well. 

Grade: A+

1. San Francisco Marathon- July 28th in San Francisco, CA

Result: 4th, 2:32:32

Like Los Angeles, I arrived in San Francisco with uncertainty. I had a troubled training block with an injury and a lot of missed training/disruption. For the most part, my racing wasn't very impressive or confidence building. I lowered my expectations and was not expecting a PR. Instead I just got under with a 3 second PR. A notable difference between here and LA is I held on much better and was barely fading at the end, a good indicator of increased strength over blocks and builds confidence towards future marathons.

Grade: A+ 

20/25 of my races were a B- or better (80%), which highlights that I had a good consistent year. The number of races in A and B was actually pretty similar to 2023, but I think my best efforts of 2024 were better. It's worth noting that my focus race for each season ranked 1st, 2nd and 6th in 2024 compared to 1st, 11th and 24th in 2023. Other than a total blunder in Las Vegas, I did a much better job with timing and racing well when it counts the most compared to 2023. 

Season by Season Breakdown

Unlike some other years, my seasons can easily be broken down into 3 for 2024 as I had goal races and took time off after each of them. My target races for these seasons were the Los Angeles Marathon, San Francisco Marathon, and Golden Gate Spartan Trail 50K. Two road marathon blocks and then trail racing in the fall. 

1. Los Angeles Marathon (January to March)

Los Angeles was a short block with a quick turnaround from Honolulu. I would only need a 12 week block to prepare for this one. I was a little worried about not having enough time to get fit, but figured having a full 16 week block and marathon behind me would help quite a bit. Los Angeles would be a huge race for me and definitely the biggest event of 2024. I absolutely felt I had something to prove and there was significant pressure on this since I only managed a 2:39 in Honolulu.

January was relatively quiet as I started with a few short races in NH and NY - decent efforts but nothing to write home about. I shifted to marathon training quickly but didn't get the ball rolling until the end of the month with a good 20 mile workout.

February was a critical month with two races- a 5K and then a big half marathon. I wanted to break 1:10 in the half in Las Vegas and felt really confident in my ability to do so. The 5K was solid, and then the most important stretch of training went phenomenally well as I had the best long runs and workouts of my life heading into Las Vegas. I hit every single workout exactly as I wanted and felt really confident in the late season races. Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas was a huge blowup and disappointment as I ran 1:13, my worst race in years. Suddenly, I didn't feel so confident about Los Angeles. 

I was pretty anxious the final weeks of the marathon as it was evident that I had overtrained. The question was whether I would be fresh for the marathon or if I had already blown it. I felt flat every single day leading up the marathon and every workout felt forced. Yet, somehow it was just enough for race day as I felt fantastic for much of the race and ran under my goal pace. That lasted through 20 miles before struggling quite a bit the last 10K but I ended up running 2:32:35 which definitely hit my 'A' expectations and was really satisfied I got that one done, especially with the overtraining concerns.

2. San Francisco Marathon (April to July)

I had a full 16 week block for San Francisco, which felt nice after only 12 for Los Angeles. My goal was to improve upon what I did at Los Angeles on a harder course, which might mean a 2:30-2:31. However, there was less pressure than Los Angeles as I had already taken off 7 minutes from Honolulu and that was more my focus of the year. San Francisco would be another opportunity to practice the marathon, especially on the tough hills of the course.

The block started off really well. After struggling a little in the first few weeks, I found myself doing really well on early workouts. During April, I tried a short track season to potentially target a 5K PR. These races didn't go poorly, but I wasn't even close as I simply did not have the fitness or base behind to succeed. I shifted my focus fully to the roads going forward with a consecutive 3 race stretch of Great Bear 5K, Ottawa 10K, and Rock 'n' Roll San Diego half, all of which I regarded as PR opportunities. The first few weeks of May went really well as I had some fantastic workouts and long runs. I felt confident heading into these stretches of races which would be a nice fitness check ahead of San Francisco.

Unfortunately, these three races went really poorly. I didn't run very well at Great Bear, but the more notable consequence was having some mild achilles/lower calf discomfort after the race, which worsened after a mid-week workout. I opted to run Ottawa as a workout which was the worst decision I made all year as I pulled my calf horribly. I couldn't run for a few days, got things sorted through a massage but ultimately had to pull out of Rock 'n' Roll San Diego. So 0/3 for desired results in this stretch.

June was a tough month as I had to take things easy for a few weeks because of the calf injury, missing some valuable training. I absolutely bombed my goal long run in mid-June and then didn't run so great at the Vancouver half when I was targeting a PR. My confidence was low at this point and I considered pulling out of San Francisco due to missing some workouts, volume, and not racing at a good level. However, the final 5 weeks went exceptionally well as I hit all my long run workouts and ran a great hilly 10K. I still didn't expect anything big from San Francisco with the overall block not going great, but ended up having an excellent day and got a 3 second PR largely due to not falling apart at all during the race. Was definitely pleased with the overall results from this block considering training and consistency were major issues.

3. Fall Trail Racing (August to November)

After 7 months of hard marathon training (with a break in March/April) and having done zero trail races in over a year, I opted to focus on trails in the fall. I had a smaller class load which would give me the additional opportunity to explore areas of California that I hadn't gone to. Unlike the previous two seasons, there was little pressure on most races and I didn't do much focused training. I did many more long trail races than I typically do, which ended up being enough to get me fit. I did want to run reasonably well at the Golden Gate Spartan Trail 50K.

I kicked off the season in August with a fun low-key trail 10K in Ireland and the result was nothing special on heavy legs from a mountain run two days prior. I then ran the Santa Monica 5K in September and shockingly ran a road PR of 15:33, surprisingly given how little training I had under me but reinforced that having these long blocks behind me is boosting my long-term fitness. I ran well at the Headlands 27K and okay at the Three Sisters Skyline half marathon, the latter being my first race in Oregon.

I returned to Oregon two weeks later to run the Portland Half Marathon, which had some serious organization issues but I ran decent for my fitness in 1:12:59. This result was encouraging but at the same time is a reminder of how much hard work it takes to break 1:11. In October, I also ran the Kodiak 23K, my first UTMB race. I placed well but seriously struggled with the altitude. I finished up the month with a win and good performance at the Point Mugu Half Marathon, but beat my calves quite a bit in the process.

November would be my last full month in California. I had an okay race at the very competitive Moab trail half marathon and a good race at the Pass Mountain 25K. However, after being very healthy for the entirety of this season I was banged up after Pass Mountain as I sprained my ankle for the first time in over 2 years and got the worst blister of my life. It didn't help that I got sick shortly after the race and had some hamstring discomfort the following weeks, but I was able to get these issues under control for the 50K. The 50K went well, although felt really difficult which doesn't raise my confidence for future longer ultras. I decided to jump into a 5K in San Diego on Thanksgiving which went terribly as I wasn't recovered from the 50K at all. Some time off after, then spent the rest of the year rebuilding to base before kicking off training for the Boston marathon.

2024 Running Takeaways

1. I was healthy overall, but not as healthy as 2023. I can't call the year an injured or struggle year as I largely got my training done and got to race in one piece. But it was definitely a bit of a step down from 2023, where I successfully ran every single day. My two serious injuries were pulling my calf in the Ottawa 10K and spraining my ankle in the Pass Mountain 25K. The injuries were similar in severity (happened late in the race/had to limp it in a bit, 1-2 days off, then 1-2 weeks to get it under control) but the timing of Ottawa was poor as I had a race the week after which forced a DNS. Both were probably avoidable, but I took risks that didn't pay off. Health and injury prevention absolutely needs to be more of a focus going forward.

2. Hill Training was excellent in Southern California. Unlike training in Rhode Island or Southern New Hampshire, I racked up significant elevation gain during the week in California. I routinely ran in the 4,000 to 7,000 foot range for total weekly elevation. Not only were the ups and downs enjoyable/scenic but I feel they were one factor that contributed to my successes of the year. Something I'll miss for sure.

3. Ankle health is once again questionable. While I don't feel I'm in as bad of a place for ankle stability as at the end of 2021 or even 2022, things are definitely not perfect after that ankle sprain. While there are zero issues running road or even trail, I'm not sure how things would hold up in a trail race or a long day on technical trails. My right ankle is noticeably bigger than my left even 2 months after the incident which is probably my biggest concern. This wasn't my worst ankle sprain but I can't remember my ankle not looking right for months in the previous ones. Just something I'm going to have to monitor in 2025.

4. Not having to run everyday allowed for proper rest and decreased burnout. In 2023 I ran every day and I think that contributed to a feeling of overtraining in the Honolulu and Los Angeles marathon blocks. I took a few days off each month in 2024 and 4-8 days post season, and I don't think it's a coincidence that I didn't feel burned out heading into San Francisco marathon or Golden Gate Spartan trail 50K (although it's worth noting I didn't train at 100% for either). 

5. I ran great in the marathon and terrible in the half marathon. I had the year I wanted for the marathon, running my best races at the Los Angeles and San Francisco marathons. Conversely, my half marathons were a complete disappointment as I felt I was in excellent shape but didn't even come close to my 2023 times on harder courses. I was largely consistent and the half marathon was one of my few failures of the year.

6. I still haven't figured out track racing. In my second year out of college, I still haven't run very well on the track. I put together a short track season and didn't achieve anything above mediocrity. Like early 2023, I struggled quite a bit with the workouts. Track is a challenge for me and something I'll continue to try at and figure out. It's worth noting this was a short season on a limited base so I don't consider it a failure, it's more disappointing that the years are going in my "track prime" and I'm not one step closer to a sub-15 5K.

7. I had great exploration of the Western US. In 2024, I went to 7 California National Parks, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. This meant a lot of scenic and fantastic trail running and hiking. Doesn't get much better than that. 

Favorite Places Visited in 2024

Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This is an excellent urban park in the middle of Los Angeles. I went to the observatory and zoo once each, but spent most visits running on the large and very hilly dirt road network. Excellent place to train.

Zion National Park, Utah. Perhaps the best views I've ever seen, or at the very least the best in recent memory. The scale of the canyons and rock formations is amazing. 

Vancouver, British Columbia. This is simply a beautiful and clean city, among my favorites that I've visited. Good public transit and parks. Fantastic airport.

Santa Barbara, California. Only went for one run here but definitely the most impressive city I saw in Southern California. Great coastline lined with beaches, old spanish-style architecture and went into the mountains on some cool trails and roads.

San Francisco, California. Two visits here for races, one of my favorite US cities. Really cool culture and the geography is nice with hills throughout the cities and water on 3 sides. So nice to run in the 50s/60s in the summer here while the rest of the country is brutally hot. Good public transport and excellent park system.

Point Mugu State Park, California. Like Griffith, this was a great training ground with an extensive hilly dirt road system. What was better than Griffith was fewer crowds and excellent ocean views. When it isn't overgrown the singletrack is quite nice as well. 

Mount Pinos, Los Padres National Forest. Highest point in Ventura county and surprisingly beautiful. After driving through a yellowish brown super hot landscape, I was not expecting thick pine forests and sweeping views.

Channel Islands National Park, California. Took me a year of living in Thousand Oaks before getting out here. Bit of a hassle, but so worth it. Amazing ocean views throughout running on ridgelines, and had much of the island to myself. Saw some dolphins on the ferry!

Ireland. What a great country, will definitely be back. Rugged mountains, coastline, amazing historical sites and architecture, generally quite clean and safe.

Sequoia National Park, California. Zion gets the edge on scenery, but the trail systems and variety in Sequoia is so impressive. The park has elevations from close to sea level all the way up to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48. Amazing rocky mountains and lakes hiking Mount Langley, but also has massive and varied forests around 6,000'.

Marin Headlands, California. Great spot, extensive and historical trail system with many races going through them. I got to experience a good amount of that between Headlands 27K and Golden Gate Spartan Trail 50K. Not only is it hilly and challenging, but there's quite a bit of variety between the open coastal section and thick redwood forests.

Portland, Oregon. First time to this city and I left with a very positive opinion. Like Vancouver, the public transport and airport were top-notch. The downtown isn't quite as nice as Vancouver but the park system is better with large, hilly and forested parks on the Western side of the city. I also made it out to nearby Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah falls, which offer great scenery.

Yosemite National Park, California. Great to get out here, stunning pine forests and sweeping views above the valley with the picturesque white rock formations and cliffs. Some really nice running in there. Unlike the seasonless coastal SoCal, I ran in crisp fall temps here and they get snow in the winter.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas. Fantastic views from these large peaks in Western Texas, grand sense of scope/scale at the top. 

Baltimore, Maryland. I was not expecting to put Baltimore on this list, but the downtown and inner harbor areas were excellent.

2024 Stats

Total Mileage: 3,472 Miles (Down 128 from 2023)

Highest Week: 92.47 Miles (February 5 to 11)

Lowest Week: 0 Miles (March 18 to 24)

Longest Run: 33 Miles (November 23, PR)

Highest Month: 357 Miles in June

Lowest Month: 219 Miles in March

# of Days Running: 336 Days

# of Days Off from Running: 29 Days

Elevation Gain: 267,846', Huge PR

Most Elevation Gain on a Run: 5,856', November 23rd (Golden Gate Spartan Trail 50K)

# of Mountain Runs: 5 Runs (Way down from previous years, but the mountains in California are much bigger, so many hilly runs)

# of Mountains Summited: 11

Highest Mountain Summited: Mount Langley, 14,032' (PR and first 14 thousand footer)

Longest Running Streak: 34 Days, March 26th to April 28th. Really low by my standards.

Longest Non-Running Streak: 8 Days, March 18 to 25

Coldest Run: 15 degrees - Charlestown, RI (January 22nd)

Hottest Run: 89 degrees - Thousand Oaks, CA (July 11th)

# of Races: 25 (this does not include the Ottawa 10K, which I had decided to target as a workout before the race started)

# of Wins: 3

Terrain Breakdown: 

Road- 11

Trail- 8

Indoor Track- 3

Outdoor Track- 3

# of Countries Run in: 4

United States, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom

Movies Watched: 84 (way down from 118 last year, and likely a personal worst)

Video Games Completed: 5

# of States with Strava Activities: 17

California- 283 Activities (73%)

Rhode Island- 37 Activities (9%)

All Other States- less than 10 activities

Remaining states: NH, NY, CT, NV, UT, MA, OR, AZ, NM, TX, AR, MO, KY, WV, MD

States Run/Hiked In for the First Time: NM, TX, AR, MO, KY, WV (+BC, Ireland)

Top Municipalities with Activities: 

1. Thousand Oaks, CA- 74 Activities

2. Los Angeles, CA- 66 Activities

3. Camarillo, CA- 25 Activities

4. Agoura Hills, CA- 20 Activities

4. Charlestown, RI- 20 Activities

6. Ventura- 11 Activities

6. Malibu (Point Mugu State Park)- 11 Activities

8. South Pasadena- 10 Activities

9. Westerly- 7 Activities

9. Calabasas- 7 Activities

9. Pasadena- 7 Activities

Locations outside Top 10 (Includes National Parks/Forests):

Arizona - Mesa*, Saguaro National Park*

Arkansas- Fort Smith*, Ozark-St. Francis National Forest*

British Columbia- Burnaby*, Vancouver*

California- Big Bear Lake*, Big Sur*, Cambria*, Channel Islands National Park*, Chico*, Concord*, Culver City*, Death Valley National Park*, Fillmore*, Folsom*, Huntington Beach*, Inglewood*, Inyo National Forest*, Irvine, Irwindale*, Joshua Tree National Park*, Laguna Beach*, Lassen Volcanic National Park*, Long Beach*, Los Padres National Forest*, Mill Valley*, Moorpark, Ojai*, Oxnard*, Port Hueneme*, Riverside*, San Diego*, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Barbara*, Santa Clarita*, Santa Monica, Santa Paula*, Sequoia National Park*, Westlake Village*, Yosemite National Park*

Connecticut- Groton, Stonington, Voluntown

Ireland- Dublin*, Howth*, Killarney*, Laragh*, Limerick*

Kentucky- Lexington*, Mammoth Cave National Park*

Massachusetts- Boston, Needham

Maryland- Baltimore*

Missouri- St. Louis*, West Plains*

New Hampshire- Bethlehem, Dublin, Londonderry

New Mexico- Carlsbad*, Carlsbad Caverns National Park*, White Sands National Park*

Nevada- Henderson*, Paradise*, Red Rock Canyon

New York- Little Falls*, New York

Ontario- Ganonoque*, Ottawa*

Oregon- Columbia River Gorge*, Crater Lake National Park*, Klamath Falls*, Portland*, Sisters*

Rhode Island- Exeter, Glocester, Newport, Richmond, South Kingstown

Texas- El Paso*, Guadalupe Mountains National Park*

United Kingdom- Newcastle* (Northern Ireland)

Utah- Arches National Park*, Cedar City*, Moab*, Provo*, Zion National Park*

West Virginia- New River Gorge National Park*, Star City*

*Denotes a municipality I haven't run/hiked in before (on strava)

2024 Heatmaps

Pictorial Highlights

Actually kept one for each month this time. Could have had 6 different photos for August and September each. Likewise, I didn't have much for February.

January: State of Liberty (NY)

February: Mojave Desert Rest Area on I-15 N (CA)

March: Canyon Overlook, Zion National Park (UT)

April: Hollywood Reservoir and Sign (CA)

May: Ottawa and Gatineau (ON/QC)

June: Griffith Park (CA)

July: Golden Gate Bridge (CA)

August: Giant's Causeway (UK)

September: Mount Langley, Sequoia National Park (CA)

October: Yosemite National Park (CA)

November: Red Rock Canyon (NV)

December: Downtown St. Louis (MO)

2025 Goals

1. PR in the 3K. Been shooting for this for a long time. 8:44.64. Doable but not easy either. 

2. Break 1:10 in the Half Marathon. This is what I wanted in 2024 and wasn't even close. I think with a little more experience and backing off a little before this, I should have a shot.

3. Break 2:30 in the Marathon. Probably the #1 goal. Again assuming training goes well and I don't get hurt, I don't see why I couldn't do it.

4. Good Ankle Health. Took a step backwards in 2024 and I have some trail races in the summer that I'd like to do well in. Strong ankles are crucial for success.

5. Race in a New State. I got a lot of new ones for 2024 (Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Nevada), hoping to get at least one. I have a few ideas but nothing concrete.

6. NH 4,000 Footers. Nothing specific, but would like to make some progress on these. I think 5-10 new ones would be a good year.

I'm sure there are some other things I'll shoot for but no other major goals on my mind. Really if I can go under 1:10 and 2:30 it'll be a successful year. Hoping to keep the ball rolling in 2025.