2023 Goals/Targets

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120098781#Comment_120098781

Looking back on these it was a pretty successful year. The 5k goal was always a bit optimistic. Closest I got was 16:24 although I do feel that I could have gotten closer to 16:00 had I not missed both the Bob Heffernan and Bohermeen 5ks for various random reasons. I was in my best shape around that time but never found the right race. I had hoped to give it a good lash at Jingle Bells but I started too far back and never really got going. One for next year.

The marathon and 10k targets were probably somewhat softer. I ended up running sub 35 twice, in Dunboyne and Clonee, while I managed 2:38 in Berlin on a day when pretty much everything went right.

Goals 4&5 didn't really happen. Maybe next year!

Sunny Dayz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120103342#Comment_120103342

An update for the year:

I wasn't targeting PB's in the 5km or 10k. But I was hoping to get a couple of them raced to to get more of an idea of my race pace for those distances. Fastest 5km this year was 25:53 and another done in 25:56. Felt I didn't get a proper crack at 10km - Ros Run in 55:42 and a very hot Mini marathon in 56:02. Would have liked them closer to the 55:00 min mark.

5 mile was of course Raheny finally for my pb and under 45mins - 44:49.

10 mile was Clonown (Athlone) in 1:34 - pb. Happy to dip under 1:35 on a fairly warm day.

Half marathon - Mullingar was my target race this year for the half distance. Not a great day with the weather and stomach issues. It was still a pb (just about) of 2:07:32 but I'd have liked it much nearer to 2:05.

And the marathon!! This really was my focus for the full year. I used the 5km, 10km and half races in March to get my paces for the year. No more racing once Clonown 10mile was done in June, any races after that weren't raced but still ran at a good steady pace. Really quite pleased with how my training for the marathon, I feel I did put in the work for it and Tarmonbarry was a great training exercise for the main event. Official marathon time 4:38:23. Overall I was happy with how my race went, it was a pretty good first marathon, a lot of learning from it.

Haven't hit my mileage target for the year - currently on 1,400km which is still my highest ever but work took over since the marathon.

Dubh Geannain

My journey deviated somewhat from the original plan at the start of the year as I seemed to develop an inability to make track races from the summer on. Other goals made themselves known also so I'm going to be super generous to myself here.

End of year update

1. Break 1,500 PB (4:26) - Equalled it by running another 4:26. Going to give myself a half point for that.

2. Sub 2:08 800m - No races. National Masters didn't fit into the social calendar and so the 800 as an event got lost in obscurity this year as I didn't attend any other track races after my 3:26 for the 1500 back in July. Nil points!

3. 9:40 3k (9:46) - No races. Although I ran a 10:17 2 mile which had 9:37 3 k in there. Half a point 😂

4. Break 5k PB (16:31) - 16:14 at Bob Heffernan 5k.

5. Higher mileage than 2022. Passed it last week.

6. Sub 35 10k in a TT or race. 34:57 in a TT.

7. Stick with EIM for at least 6 months. Remained the core of my training for the year as long tedious slow runs (and slow recovery runs for the most part) became a thing of the past. Had the odd social slow run.

So that's 5/7.

Then I look at other things that I probably should have included at the start of the year... 10 mile PB (58:48), a few age category wins in some races like the Clonliffe 2 mile, County 1,500, County Masters 4x100 😁 and some other coloured medals in other events.

Club wise we won the County 5k and 10 mile championships, the County Masters XC, the Novice XC. And the big one, the County Senior XC for only the second time in the clubs history with myself being the youngest! on the senior team (i.e. we were all Masters) and I think that might just shade it as being the high point of the year for me. So final score: 10,000/7

Best wishes for the New Year everyone.

kd82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120098876#Comment_120098876

Well done all on the above. Great to read over everyone's achievements.

I'm still enjoying running and upped it a bit from last year by a few 100k. Had a few blips this year missing a few weeks with illness and a 6 week summer block but still enjoying things.

2023 started well and I managed a PB in 5m (Raheny) and 10m (Trim) early in the year.

#4 I had two half marathons were I didn't manage to PB. Bohermeen, I was sick after Trim 10m so that was expected. Ratoath, was in good shape to go for it but really suffered on the day in the heat and limped home.

5k/10k - I tore a hamstring in the summer so never got in 5k/10k shape and decided to go for the marathon after that as something to focus on.

It was never on the plan in Jan but delighted to finish Dublin and was a big achievement for the 2nd half of the year.

I'd a bit of covid in late November so I'm just trying to rebuild a bit now and give Raheny, Trim, Dunboyne 10k a rattle in the Spring.

Enjoy the break everyone and hopefully you get some nice crisp wintery miles in.

Billy_the_Kid

Plan to get through 2,000km for the year. Was about 1,400km for 2023.

py

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120103787#Comment_120103787

A quick review of last year. Plantar fasciitis put a wrecking ball to my year. I got just over 1,800Kms done. I managed to get a PB at 5Km (21:18) and at the marathon (4:06:36). I would have been disappointed with that at 1st January 2023 but at 31st December I was thrilled given the injury struggles I had. Roll on 2024.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120143655#Comment_120143655

Hmm, a mixed bag in terms of these goals.

Didn't manage any more XC races, although I was thwarted by one BHAA race being cancelled/postponed the day before.

I did manage the 10 mile PB: one of my best results ever, a 69:58 in Dungarvan at the John Treacy 10. Also managed a 10k PB a few weeks later, so a good year on the PB front.

No PB in Berlin, a little short at 3:19:59 but delighted to go under 3:20 in the rapidly warming conditions.

A bit short of the target mileage - finished year out on 3,339 kms. Got a bit lazy after running two marathons in Sept/Oct.

Failed to beat @Lazare, nor surprisingly. The challenge was a bit tongue in cheek, although I nearly caught him on the line at the Raheny Open Mile.

At this stage, any year that continues to be injury free is good (haven't had much more than the odd niggle in 10 years now, touch wood). And to have a couple of PBs in there is a bonus. Looking forward to another decent year in 2024.

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120154797#Comment_120154797

A bit of a mixed bag for me.

I managed to get the 5k PB down to 20:17.

The 10k went down to 42:50

The HM went to 1:39:50

I didn't run any 5 or 10 miles.

I did the Cork marathon which I blew up with cramp about 10k out in so limped home on 4:02 so disappointed with that one.

My year ended in August with an injury, Osteitis Pubis to be exact. I'm still recovering at the moment so that part has been really frustrating, hope to get back in the next month or so all going well. I'd also hoped to break 2000km for the year but got frustrating stuck on 1970km.

CR 7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360810#Comment_120360810

Didn't get the 5k, think I only raced one or two since March, and both without tapering in the middle of heavy weeks of marathon training. Got it down to 16:02, so that will go in as a 2024 target again.

Only ran one more half, and missed out by a few minutes on the target. Will try this one again for 2024 too.

Got the sub 3hours in Cork in June (2:50).

Got the 2:4X in Valencia in December (2:42)

I did become more structured with my training through the 2 marathon training blocks, and I think I got to both start lines feeling more prepared than I have at races for a long time.

Overall I'm very happy with 2023.