2012 Running & Racing Recap

Total mileage for 2012: 2166.8 miles
Total time spent running: 376 hours, 21 minutes

240 runs this year, 9.03 miles per run average, 1:34:04 average time, 10:25 pace



Monthly Mileage



Weekly Mileage

This is my highest mileage year ever, but only a little higher than 2011. I started out the year with 6 months of solid, high mileage (for me) running leading up to the VT100 in July. I was averaging more than 200 miles per month, everything was going well and I was feeling great. Even though I had a great race in Vermont I was pretty stupid about my recovery, too much hard racing too soon after the 100 miler and it all came crashing down at the Bruiser in September. I struggled to try and train for the Stone Cat 50 in November and in the end dropped down the the marathon. Following the marathon I took two weeks off from running and then a very cautious low mileage return with less than 80 miles for the whole month of November (about 1/3 of that mileage was in one run).

In December, when I found out that I got into the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100, I made a cautious return to training and started to ramp up the mileage again. During this last week of December I logged just over 50 miles, the first time I've done this in a training week since before the VT100. Looking ahead I know that I need to be very careful with how I train for Massanutten and will probably do a lot less racing this winter/spring and just focus on base building and long runs.

Recap of 2012 races: 2 road, 3 snowshoe, 13 trail, 5 ultra, 3 fat ass 50k's, 7 PR's

Hangover Classic 10k
distance: 6.2 miles
time: 39:46 PR
pace: 6:27
place: 41/422 - 9.7%
With no speed work leading up to this race, no taper and very little road running in general I wasn't feeling particularly fast, but I did feel good. Surprised to get a PR, the only logical reason for this is that the course was short.

GAC Fat Ass 50k
distance: 31 miles
time: 4:25:10 PR
pace: 8:33
place: 13/80 - 16%
Good early season test of fitness and endurance. No snow meant fast conditions. Gradual increase of pace over first three laps, then minimal slow down in the last two. Overall pretty consistent.

Bradbury Squall
distance: 3.5 miles
time: 33:00 PR
pace: 9:25
place: 4/40 - 10%
The only race of the series that had decent snow so this was hard work for sure, and fun to race strategically. Really happy with how things went especially following the previous days 3 hour snowy trail run.

Bradbury White Out
distance: 4.1 miles
time: 32:32
pace: 7:56
place: 4/45 - 8.8%
New course on the east side, hard packed snow and ice meant fast conditions. Hard work racing other Trail Monsters but very happy with the result.

Mockingbird Lane Fat Ass 50k
distance: 31 miles
time: 5:32:01
pace: 10:42
place: N/A
Tough conditions, as usual, but managed to keep the pace pretty consistent thoughout.

Bradbury Blizzard
distance: 5 miles
time: 39:17
pace: 7:51
place: 2/37 - 5.4%
New course on the east side, hard packed snow and ice, snowshoes not even needed. Hard work racing other Trail Monsters but very happy with the result, second place overall thanks to Jeremy being out of town.

One More Fat Ass for Sunshine
distance: 30.5 miles
time: 4:45:21
pace: 9:21
place: 3/5 - 60%
Overall a good run despite some major stomach problems.

Merrimack River 10 Miler
distance: 10 miles
time: 1:12:17 PR
pace: 7:13
place: 22/240 - 9.1%
Following a broken little toe the week before the race and a 20 miler mid-week I wasn't sure what to expect but I did feel pretty good. Very happy to get a course PR.

Muddy Moose
distance: 14 miles
time: 1:50:09 PR
pace: 7:52
place: 16/94 - 17%
Felt great for this race since I was tapering for the Peak 50, psyched to get a 10 minute course PR!

Peak 50
distance: 53.5 miles (?)
time: 12:20:08
pace: 13:50
place: 7/25 finishers /59 starters - 11.8%
Crazy, brutal race course. Felt good for the first 30, suffered off and on for the last 20+. Uncertain about placing because intelligible results were never published.

Pineland 5k Canicross
distance: 3.1 miles
time: 21:38
pace: 6:57
place: 7/96 - 7.2%
Two weeks after the Peak 50 and a very hot/humid day so took it easy for my sake and Kip's, except for the first downhill mile in which Kip pulled me along at a 5:37 pace.

Bradbury Scuffle
distance: 6 miles
time: 47:05
pace: 7:50
place: 17/171 - 9.9%
Supposedly racing at 90% effort since this was the week before the VT100, felt great, very comfortable race. Easily could have PR'd if I'd put in 100% effort.

Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run
distance: 100 miles
time: 21:04:36 PR
pace: 12:38
place: 48/218/290 - 16.5%
Definitely the highlight of the year for me, extremely happy with how I ran this race and with the result. Grateful for all the support from Emma, my parents and the TMR crew.

Bradbury Mountain Breaker
distance: 9 miles
time: 1:25:04
pace: 9:27
place: 34/144 - 23.6%
Two weeks after the VT100 it probably wasn't a good idea to even start this race. Another hot day so took it realtively easy the whole way. Pleased with the result considering my recovery from VT.

Ragged Mountain Run Around
distance: 9 miles
time: 1:22:12
pace: 9:08
place: 7/34 - 20.5%
Still too soon to be doing another mountain race, but I couldn't resist. Very fun event and much happier with how the race went compared to the Breaker.

Steve Day 5k
distance: 3.1 miles
time: 20:26
pace: 6:35
place: 7/201 - 3.4%
Finally starting to feel more recovered so put in a hard effort but my legs weren't used to trying to run fast on the road.

Bradbury Bruiser
distance: 12 miles
time: 1:49:10
pace: 9:05
place: 33/156 - 21%
I should have been in good shape for a fast race but strained my achilles a few miles in and then had both calves cramp badly on the O-Trail. Definitely the worst race of the year for me and a major injury setback. In hindsight it's clear that I was really stupid about my recovery from the VT100.

Stone Cat Marathon
distance: 26.2 miles
time: 3:44:03 PR
pace: 8:33
place: 16/210 - 7.6%
Had signed up for the 50 miler but due to achilles/calf issues couldn't get the training in. I really wasn't even well trained for the marathon but managed to get my head into the race and push myself to a new course PR. (Official results added a 15 minute penalty because I was registered for the 50 miler.)


Apart from the ups and downs of racing, most of the 376 hours I spent running this year were a lot of fun. I covered many enjoyable miles with Emma, our dogs and many good friends old and new. What none of these numbers show is the strength of the bond made through sharing the joys and struggles of running with other like-minded people. Time well spent. I'm looking forward to the miles and friendships of 2013.