2009 Reflection and 2010 Goals

Year in Review
I make this blog post as this is really the end of the season for me. In December, the season starts up again, where I will be ramping up my mileage and distance in preparation for races early in the New Year. 2009 was an emotional year. The year started off with me being depressed with my knee injury and my running future was very uncertain. However, by the end of 2009, I was racing faster than ever and setting PBs all over the place.
What a year.
2009 would be a year where two things would become my staple: the Sunday long runs and the Tuesday Night Workouts (TNW). Early Sunday mornings - without fail - became the standard time to do the long run, and if I had to, I was dedicated enough to wake up extremely early to get it done. One Sunday in the Summer I did my 3 hour run from 4am to 7am. Not because I wanted to, but because that was the only time I could fit it in. With having a family and a job, finding time for running is difficult, and you have to know that getting in the mileage will not be on any set routine. I was proud of my Sunday mornings this year, and hope that this established trend continues into 2010.
The TNWs also became routined. I was a genuine Prairie Inn Harrier this year, and committed to 90% of the workouts. I went whenever I could, and feel that my speed and my fitness really benefited from these. From now on, I bleed red and black. I loved the TNW and loved what benefits it brought to me. Thank you to my training partners Shane, Gary, Garth, Buddy, Andrew for pushing me to new heights this year.
2009 was also a year of accomplishment. No, I still have not found that elusive 1st place podium that I desire, but I did finish in 2nd...and on more than one occasion. I know that my time will eventually come. However, 2009 would be the year that the 40k Nootka Trail was completed. This would be the final coastal Vancouver Island Trail completion for me. Now I can officially say that Bob Wall and I were the first people ever to have run the 4 major coastal trails of Vancover Island - and that, cannot ever be taken away from us.
2009 would also end up being a year that I would "break out". I didn't know it was happening at the time, but all of a sudden in late August/early September, I was suddenly faster. I don't know how and I don't know why, but the change was noticeable. And not just by me, but also by my training partners. Now, some people out there will certainly ask me "what exactly did you do to get faster?", and for this, I don't have a clear cut answers, but I do have some theories.
See my earlier blog posting on these ideas.
The fall of 2009 was especially impressive for me. The performances went as follows:
Aug. 22nd - 47k JdF Trail Run - Time: 6:01 (24 minute improvement from 2008). 4th place. Sept. 19th - 56k GLW Race - Time: 4:47:55 (24 minute improvement from 2008). 2nd place.
Nov. 1st - Shawnigan 1/2 Marathon - Time: 1:24:17 (Personal Best). 3rd place.
Nov. 11th - 20k Thetis Relay - Time: 1:15:55. 2nd place solo runner.

2010 Goals
I have some lofty goals for the upcoming season. I am running well right now, so my expectations of what I can accomplish has also increased. I am also hoping to complete a few standard 50k ultras, and also one 2010 epic trail run. I have signed up for some events already next year and here are my goals:

5k - sub 18
8k - sub 29:30
10k - sub 38
Half - sub 1:24
Full - sub 3 hours
50k - sub 4 hours

Now, off-season training continues for another 2 weeks, and then I start ramping things up for the racing season in January.