I was all set to write about my kick-ass goal for 2017 when I realized I haven’t wrapped 2016 yet. So, here is a little reflection about this crazy year and the adventures that came with it.
On January 18th, I created the 2016 Cyclo-Runner-Husband Challenge. The declared goals were to run 1,000 miles, ride 4,500 miles and spend lots of time with Sherry eating great food and drinking vintage wine. In the end, I only made 2 of the 3 goals but I'm fine with that.
It was the cycling goal that fell by the wayside. I’ve ridden further that that in a year before so it didn’t feel new. I did have some great adventures such as climbing Mont Ventoux in France for the third time. However, as I started the final marathon training I really enjoyed focusing on running and taking a break from the bike. So, that’s what I did. My last ride was on September 24th. I did managed to ride 2,500 miles for the year, which I feel is respectable number.
I can proudly say I conquered the running goal in a big way that included running my first marathon. A lot of people thought the marathon was the goal but that’s not the case. The original goal was just to run 1,000 miles. It wasn’t until March that I decided if I was running that far in a year I might as well try my first marathon. Perhaps the coolest part was that I went over 1,000 miles for the year during the marathon. For some reason that just felt appropriate.
How does one go about running a 1,000 miles in a year. To begin with, that’s less than 20 miles a week so it’s pretty manageable. I tried to keep things fresh by discovering new routes in the process I discovered numerous trails along the creeks in Santa Rosa where I live. I also took my running shoes on all my business trips and vacations this year. In addition to local runs, I also logged runs in Southern California, Las Vegas, Boston, San Francisco, Paris and in numerous villages in the south of France.
To help with motivation, I participated in quite a few events. Including the marathon, I finished two separate runs in front of the California state capitol building. I also ran in the Sonoma vineyards, along the Pacific Ocean, and in the Marin Headlands with its gorgeous views of San Francisco.
The other motivation was to run the year with a friend. We had signed up for the run the year challenge, which is a combined total of 2,016 miles in 366 days (thank you Leap Year). We absolutely nailed it with a combined total of just under 2,050 miles. This morning we celebrated by doing the final run of 2016 together.
How did I do on the husband front? For the real answer you would probably need to ask Sherry. However, if it is based on fun adventures with food and wine, I can safely say mission accomplished. The biggest part of this adventure were the 15 days we spent in France as we ate and drank our way through the towns of Avignon, Uzès, Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Roussillion, Arles, and Paris.
That was my 2016. All-in-all, it was a pretty damn good year. It was refreshing to take a break from cycling and focus on running. I will continue to run and I have my eyes on a couple of half marathons. However, I can tell you now that in 2017, Lee Alderman - the Cyclist, will be back in full force. I can’t wait to see where it leads.
Ciao!
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