This past year has been a really memorable one in terms of running.  I set my sights on the Berlin Half Marathon in April — my first race since breaking my kneecap in the fall of 2010. I trained for the distance during a very cold and icy winter, and did very little speed work.  I had absolutely no expectations in terms of time; I just wanted to gain my running confidence back.  And I did just that, coming within seconds of my half marathon PR.  I felt strong the entire race, and was excited to be back on track.

I wanted to keep riding my runner’s high and tackle the Hannover Half Marathon just six weeks later, but some nagging injuries from Berlin meant that I had to cancel and act as a cheerleader during that race instead.

I tried not to be too discouraged, and instead worked on my strength and spent the summer training for the Bremen 10K.  This time I used the 3plus2 training plan, which had me doing intensive runs three times a week (i.e., speed, tempo, and distance) plus two cross-training sessions.  Although the runs were much more intensive, my overall weekly mileage stayed reasonable, my fitness levels actually increased, and I stayed injury free.  In short, I hit my first sub-1:00 10K ever, shaving 5 minutes off of my PR.

Enjoying my new PR and increased confidence in my running in 2012, I’ve put a lot of energy into thinking about my running goals for 2013.  My BIG dream is to finally run a sub-2-hour half marathon.  With my PR hovering around 2:13, I’m not sure that I can make it happen in only one training cycle — so I’m going to dedicate myself to at least two half marathons this year and see what I’m capable of accomplishing!

I’m spending March and April in Oslo and I’m going to try to finish my dissertation in 2013 too, so the timing is a bit trickier than normal.  But I think I’ve finally decided on my two key races for the year — the Hamburg Half Marathon in June to celebrate my 36th birthday, and the Bremen Half in October.  My training plan this time around will incorporate a few runs over 13 miles, so I’m planning on using the BIG 25 Berlin Half Marathon in May as one of my long runs and to practice my fueling strategy.

I have no illusions about how much work this is going to be, but I’m convinced that I owe it to myself to try.  My training for Hamburg will officially start in mid-February, so in the meantime I’m working on my strength and trying to maintain my mileage.  I’ve noticed a bit of a drop in my running motivation the last few weeks, so I’m taking that as a sign that I need a mental break from the pressure of putting in specific mileage.  In the new year I’ll have to pick it up a bit, but I think building my base back up won’t be a problem.  I’m so excited to see what 2013 has in store!

How has 2012 been for you?  What are your fitness goals for 2013?