Running Goals for 2010

I may have posted on this before and if I did it's either ultra brain or old age catching up to me (granted I really can't have ultra brain as I am not running long enough right now so that means it must be the second option).

As January comes to an end and hopefully the death spiral of winter begins, I figured I should review the goals I set for myself for the year as I have a lot of work ahead of me to meet them.

2010 Goals

1. Run 1500 miles
2. Beat December
3. Complete Afton 50k
4. Stay healthy
5. Add 3 states or run 3 50 milers
   
6. Run a race on the Superior trail
   
7. Improved core and fitness

2010 Goals Explanation

1. Run 1500 miles would be an all time high and it should be doable if I stay healthy, last year I missed by 2 miles, enough said.
   
2. Beat December means run more in December, I have only averaged 60 miles in that month, my lowest month of the year.
3. Complete Afton 50k, I dropped last year with an injury, so I must complete it, I have done it before and I really do like the course, ok maybe not that 10 mile stretch along the river, oops I mean that 1 mile stretch but it seems like 10 to me.
   
4. Stay Healthy - key to the year and every year of running, last year I was a bit dinged up and May, June and July weren't as much fun as I hoped but I healed and finished out ok.
   
5. Add 3 states or 3 50 milers - I modified this goal from states to 50's as this makes more sense for me and my family for this year.
   
6. Run a race on the Superior trail - I plan to run the Superior 50 and the question is do I do a training run on it or do I just take it all in on race day? Knowing me, I will do option 2 as surprises are nice.
   
7. Improved core and fitness - When you get older this is important, granted it's important when you are younger. If I do this, 4 should happen as well as all of my other goals. So I may need to keep this right in front of my eyes for most of the year.
   

I look forward to the races I have mapped out and although I would love to add a few more I may not.

One race that might make a bit of sense to add is Twin Cities marathon. I have done it 9 times, but the last time I ran it (2005) I dropped out. It fits into the schedule between Superior and Surf the Murph so it does make sense. I do need to close out the chapter on that last TCM race, kind of like Afton for this year. The funny thing about TCM is that it's the only marathon I have ever dropped from, I wonder if that is because it's local, on that note Afton is the only 50k I have dropped from so all three of my DNF's are local. Granted the first time at TCM and probably last year at Afton I shouldn't have started and the second time at TCM, I would have finished out if not for all the people. I am kind of shy and didn't want to run/walk/throw-up around the crowds.

Something to ponder as the year unfolds, not the 2005 TCM but running the 2010 TCM, after all it is the most beautiful urban marathon in the world and registration opens on February 2nd.