Tentative 2014 Race Schedule

Ten days after the Richmond Marathon, my legs are enjoying the recovery, but my mind is already beginning to get a little restless in anticipation of my next race.  Unfortunately, there are none in the immediate future.   So, while filling this recovery space with trips to the dentist, trying not to fall of the roof while putting up Christmas lights, and trying desperately to get my diet back on track - I've started arranging my 2014 Race Schedule, to give me a little direction and motivation.  Here's what I have tentatively so far ...

March 2	Little Rock Marathon	Little Rock, Arkansas
April 26	Garmin Half Marathon	Olathe, Kansas
June 22	Estes Park Marathon	Estes Park, Colorado
August 30	Pocatello Marathon	Pocatello, Idaho
September 22	Omaha Half Marathon	Omaha, Nebraska
October 11	Hartford Marathon	Hartford, Connecticut
October 12	Newport Marathon	Newport, Rhode Island
November 1	Indianapolis Monumental Marathon	Indianapolis, Indiana

The Garmin and Omaha Half Marathons will be PR attempts.  I want to run a 1:25 an automatically qualify for the NYC Marathon so I don't have to mess with the lottery system.  Pocatello and Indianapolis Monumental will be my 3:00  marathon attempts.  I've put Pocatello on the schedule the last couple of years, but then took it off, so we'll see.  This will be my second run at Indianapolis Monumental, and also Little Rock, but I love both of those races, plus Indy is flat and fast.  Also, Hartford & Newport will by my second back-to-back marathons, the first was Kansas City & Des Moines a few years ago.  With the help of my "Race Every Weekend Wife", we'll undoubtedly sprinkle in a few 5 & 10K's, but this will pretty much be the basis of design.

There were a couple of other States we wanted to check off this year like Michigan, Oregon, and a couple of other East Coast trips, but we're not made of money so unfortunately those will have to wait.   The problem is this, the blue shaded States are the ones I've completed.  I've used up almost all of the States within driving distance, and from here on out, most of the trips will include air travel and much more expense.  So the second half of the U.S. will probably go a little slower than the first.

My 1:25 and 3:00 marathons times are really ambitious considering my PR's are 1:28:03 and 3:10:39 respectively.  But turning 45 next month, and the great running year I had in 2013 has really lit a fire inside me so hopefully I can stay injury free and keep it going. I don't know how many "speedy years" I have left.
... be great today!