[so, this is three months late, but here it is…]

My 2014 race schedule is based on a phrase that a colleague of mine uses…a lot: “Let’s take it to the next level”

Since I started running in the fall of 2011, I have deliberately and purposefully taken things slow, working at increasing distance and skill of this this thang I’ve come to greatly enjoy.  I also set the goal back then to run at least one race each month, just to keep myself accountable to a training schedule/plan and to continually challenge myself.

2013 was a very solid year for me: one 10K, eleven half marathons, two full marathons, and a 50K (my first one.)  As I was looking at goals for 2014, I thought about sticking with a consistent core of half marathons that surrounded a couple of full marathons.  There was also the pull to run more trail ultamarathons, as well as having also registered for my first multisport (South Bay Duathlon in March.)  Running ultras was an eventual given and, depending upon how South Bay went, I figured that I would incorporate at least one additional duathlon (if not a triathlon) into 2014.  Finally, in 2013, I rode Foxy’s Century and had blast…should I do it again?  On top of all that, and certainly more important, there was the aspect of looking at home commitments (my amazing wife being #1) – oh, and work too.

So many options.  So many considerations.  What to do…and not do?

At the end of the day, I decided to focus exclusively on what I really enjoy: running (after completing March’s duathlon, of course.)  I really enjoyed duathlon and can see myself doing more of them – triathlon at some point, as well.  I also really enjoyed riding Foxy’s Century as it solidified cycling as another sport for me.  All that said, training correctly for duathlon/triathlon/cycling events would involve carving out a substantial amount of time from a run-focused training plan and, realistically, would not enable me to take my running “to the next level” in 2014.

So, with all that considered, this is the schedule I’ve planned for 2014 [updated on 5/9]:

• JAN: Brazen New Year’s Day Half Marathon ✔
• FEB: Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon ✔
• MAR: South Bay Duathlon [International] ✔, Inaugural Livermore Half Marathon ✔
• APR: Big Sur International Marathon
• MAY: Bay to Breakers
• JUN: Big Basin 50K Lake Chabot Trail Half Marathon
• JUL: The San Francisco Marathon
• AUG: Tamalpa Headlands 50K
• SEP: Coastal 50K
• OCT: Skyline to the Sea 50K
• NOV: Morgan Hill Marathon, Silicon Valley Turkey Trot
• DEC: The North Face Endurance Challenge – San Francisco 50K, Brazen New Year’s Eve Half Marathon
• JAN: Brazen New Year’s Day Half Marathon

The count: one 10K, one 12K, six five half marathons, three full marathons, four five 50Ks, and a duathlon.

So, a solid 2014 on tap and, for certain, a pretty challenging second half.  Definitely a year that will be a blast.  Of course, not all these will be run as “A” races.  Some will be preps for the following race (yeah, I’m learning that more and more); but, all will be run with the goal of taking it to the next level in 2014.  I also have one or two TBD events in my back pocket, but those are not definite enough to list… 😀

Giddy-Up!