A look back at 2017 and a look ahead to 2018

A tale of the feet ... where they took me in 2017 and where I hope they take me in 2018.

Yes, I do have black toenails ... I think every runner does.

2017 was a good running year. Here are the stats:

I ran 226 times for 1662.3 miles (most ever by 100+ miles), 138.5 miles/month, 31.97 miles/week, 7.64 miles/run.
198 road runs for 1465.36 miles, 7.4 miles/run.
28 trail runs (4 were trail shoes on the road) for 196.96 miles, 7.03 miles/run.
I took 3 snowshoe walks, 7.37 miles, 2.46 miles/walk.
I biked 10 times, 179.19 miles, 17.9 miles/ride.
I took 2,023,154 steps from June 27th to December 31st or 10,761 steps/day, according to my Pebble 2 HR smartwatch.

Here are the 2017 race stats:

I ran 36 races: 25 races were on the road, 224.25 miles, 8.97 miles/race; 11 races were on trail, 103.5 miles, 9.41 miles/race for a total of 327.75 racing miles.

Notable 2017 races:
1. Ran my third 4 Season Challenge (52.4 version)
2. Ran 5 out of the 6 Dirt Cheap races (missed 1 due to a Ricoh company picnic)
3. Ran/walked 40 laps of Mind the Ducks in May
4. Survived 41.64 miles of the Many on the Genny in June
5. Ran my fifth Boilermaker 15K in July
6. Ran Summerfest 12K in September (a lifetime PR)
7. Survived a hot day in October during the Empire State Marathon
8. Finished my ninth Dirt Cheap Stage Race
9. Broke 22 minutes in the Grocery Run 5K
10. Finished 4th in the 2017 GRTC Rochester Runner of the Year M 55-59 age group

What's ahead for 2018? I have signed up for 11 races already: the Freezeroo series (5 left), the 4 Season Challenge (52.4 version), Mind the Ducks in May and the Empire State Marathon in October.

I am still thinking about a return to Many on the Genny. My darling wife, Christine, is decidedly against this idea. I guess she didn't like worrying about me at the finish hour after long hour while I walked the last 20 miles. Some would say I bit off more than I could chew when I signed up for that race. But ... I did go out too hard and paid the price. But ... I did press on and finished what I started. I could have bailed at Check Point 5 or 6 ... but I found it within myself to forge ahead step after step until there were no more steps left to take. I learned a lot about myself during that race.

Same may say ... why run, why race? Well ... I like running and I like racing. It's hard to describe but I like being in control of body while I am running ... whether it's running easy during the week or running harder during a race. I like running races to see what that clock will reveal when I get there. It's just fun!