2024 Second Quarter Review

This is my second quarterly review of the goals I set at the beginning of the year.  I’ve reached one of my goals, and I’ve made progress on most of the others.  I see no reason why I can’t reach all my goals by the end of the year.

Run 3,000 Miles in 2024

Through the first six months of 2024, I ran 1764.55 miles.  I’m well over halfway to my goal.  In fact, I could take a whole month off, and I’d still be on schedule.  If I stay healthy, I should reach this goal easily.

Run at Least 100 Miles in the FANS 24-Hour Run

The FANS 24-Hour Run was on June 1-2.  I ran 100 miles, and I won the state championship for my age group.  Those were the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year.

By race day, I was hoping for more, but I didn’t pace myself well.  I didn’t reach my more ambitious goals, but I managed to at least reach my minimum goal.

Run My 100th Minnesota Marathon

FANS was my 96th marathon or ultra in Minnesota.  To reach 100, I need four more.  I have seven marathons scheduled in July, and all seven of them are in Minnesota.  I expect to reach this goal on the third day of the Summer Camp Series.

Run Marathons in 50 Countries

Already this year, I’ve run marathons in three new countries, bringing my lifetime total to 49.  I just need one more to reach 50.

I expect to run two more international marathons this year, but only one of them will be in a new country.  If all goes well, I’ll get my 50th country this December in Barbados.

Run Outdoors Whenever Possible

So far this year, I’ll done all my running outdoors.  The summer months are easy.  I don’t mind the heat.  The only challenge will be the return of winter weather in December.

Qualify for the National Senior Games

I plan to qualify for the National Senior Games in August, when I compete in the Minnesota Senior Games.  Until then, all I can to is train for them.

Qualifying in the road race events is easy.  Anyone who competes automatically qualifies for nationals.

In the race-walk events, I need to place in the top four in my age group.  There are two race-walk events.  I plan to compete in both of them, but I only need to place in the top four in one of them.  If I qualify in either event at the state level, I can compete in both events in the national games.

Ideally, I’d like to better.  I’d like to place in my age group in one or both of the road race events, and I’d like to win my age group in both of the race-walk events.  That won’t be easy.  Both race-walk events are on the same day.  In the past, I’ve done one or the other, but not both.

While I was training for FANS, I put race-walk training on the back burner.  I was doing a few walking workouts, but my emphasis was on getting comfortable with a brisk pace, rather than going as fast as I can.

Since FANS, I’ve been picking up the pace of my walking workouts.  I recently timed myself at 31:30 for 5K.  I haven’t timed myself on 1500 meters, but I’ve walked a mile in 10:00.

Stay on Schedule to Finish a 5th Circuit of 50 States in 2025

Originally, my goal was to make enough progress toward a fifth circuit of 50 states that I could finish by the middle of 2025.  Since then, I’ve changed my goal to finishing this year.  The hard part was squeezing in a Vermont marathon.

Earlier this year, I ran marathons in Alabama, North Carolina, Arkansas, and West Virginia.  Two weeks ago, I ran one in Vermont.  At this point I just need to finish marathons in Wyoming, Ohio, New Jersey, and Oklahoma.  All of those races are scheduled.  I expect to finish at the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa.