2023 Goals

By | December 27, 2022

As I alluded to in Chasing 1K, my 2022 goals were a very mixed bag. Linking up with Kim and Zenaida to look at the year that was and the year that is still to come.

2022 Goals:

  • Find a fun destination race.  CHECK. Juneau Half Marathon was amazing, a total whim and a little bit of old me as the trip came up in about a week when I discovered the Juneau half and decided why not?!? I’d wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking for a destination race.
  • Run 1,000 miles. I’m not sure if this is doable, since I’m not sure what the return to work is going to look like, but it’s worth shooting for.   At a minimum, I want to keep up the consistency in running four days a week. I won’t be disappointed if I keep up consistency but come in slightly shy on mileage. M/W/Th/Sat works for me in non-Sunday race weeks, but no reason they have to be the exact plan for 2022. What I found this fall was running with my laptop led to poor form, so hoping I won’t need that on all my office days. Check by the skin of my teeth. As I write this on December 26, I’m at 999.09 miles. I had a really strong first half of the year and then had to ease off due to, life/IT Band flare/work. We’re in the office two days a week, and I don’t love running with my laptop. While I mostly maintained the M/W/Th/Sa schedule and protected my running time, my mileage dropped off. But I’m calling this a win. I never came anywhere near a thousand when in the office year round and I’m curious to see whether I can repeat this with fewer Halfs next year.
  • Peloton Annual Challenge: 10K minutes. I’m going to come in around 9K this year, and … Nope. Not even close, because the below also fell apart. I’m repeating both of these for 2023 because they’re something I should do. I ended up coming in under 7K. Oops.
  • Daily Peloton Strength Classes: as I mentioned, I love my daily Peloton activity. It’s time to up this to be a daily strength class. Nope. Lost my daily streak in April because I was tired and forgot to start a class even though I was foam rolling in the hotel gym. Yes, still vividly remember this eight months later. I then missed some random days here and there. Some of the fall of was legit with a focus on PT, but some was just laziness.
  • Maintain #3for1 challengeNope, but this needs to happen per the two above.
  • Have a solid Central Park and Brooklyn Half.  Sort of. Central Park was the challenge I knew it would be because I was undertrained and injured and the hills suck. Despite a heel issue that hit later in February, I rebounded for April. Brooklyn is a good luck charm and it was a really good race. Overall I’m pleased.

All in all, it was a decent year. Check that, good year. I’m kind of disappointed in that goals I didn’t meet were within my control, but I also know I did a LOT this year and we’re only human.

2023 Goals

Repeat from 2022:

  • Daily strength classes
  • #3for1 challenge
  • 10K Peloton minutes
  • Find a fun destination race. Sounds like a worthwhile annual goal. No distance requirements.

New:

  • Race all distances from the 5K to the Half. No, I promise there’s no surprise Marathon hiding in this goal. More than having the time, you have to have the interest and I do not have it in me for 2023. But this ladder sounds like a fun and attainable goal. It’s actually harder than it sounds because there aren’t that many 5Ks and some of the NYRR 5Ms are now 4M.  For the 5K I could do only one lap on a Governors Island race, but that feels like cheating even though a 5K is offered as a race distance. It also feels too hard/far for a 5K. Linked are the ones I’m registered for as of December 2022.
    • 5K
    • Gridiron  4M. Walking this with a friend on her injury comeback run. Does that count as racing? Probably not, but there are a bunch of 4Ms so not worried about this.
    • 5M
    • 10K
    • 15K/10M – I’m in the Cherry Blossom 10M and will almost certainly do Ted Corbett.
    • NYC Half
  • Complete the Matt Wilpers Half Marathon training challenge. I love his programs and feel like they work for me. Because they’re tailored to the participant, they’re not unreasonable the way some off the shelf ones are, even as much as I love Hal Higdon. While the NYC Half is a challenging course due to the Manhattan Bridge and the ramp from the FDR, I ran it well in 2019 and would like to again.
  • Course record for the Cherry Blossom 10. It will never be a PR because there’s no environment in which I put away the phone when there are cherry blossoms all around. That wouldn’t be fun. So the Bronx 10M, whose course isn’t pretty, can stay a PR and I’ll chase my 2018 time.
  • Fall half. That was a silent goal for 2022, and one I was looking for when I found Juneau. July in Juneau was weather wise a fall half, and I (wisely) decided no more distance after 3 Halfs in seven months. I like a goal keeping me motivated in summer, and fall racing is the best. This may or may not be the destination race.
  • 1,050 miles. I don’t think 1,100 is doable, but I want to do a little more than I did this year. I’ve made this my #GoTheDist goal as I have pivoted from tracking steps.  It was a good goal for a long time, but it’s time to change.
  • Read more. I fell way off this year and I miss it.

It sounds like a lot, but they’re all pieces of the same goal: become a stronger runner. Do your goals have a theme?

 

15 thoughts on “2023 Goals

  1. Kim G

    You have some really fun goals for 2023. I especially like the race all the distances goal!

    One way I’m able to maintain the #3for31 challenge each year is by being flexible with how I get in the miles. Sometimes it’s all running, all working, or a mix of walking and running.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I know working is typo for walking, but that also made me chuckle because I love it when I can pair a walk with a call, etc. And yes, flexibility and grace is key. It’s not possible to do it all daily and I know I want to walk more.

      Reply
  2. Shathiso

    This line resonates with me so much – “I’m kind of disappointed in that goals I didn’t meet were within my control, but I also know I did a LOT this year and we’re only human”. When I look at my goals, I think “They were all possible” but then I remember everything I did do outside of running, and think, “It’s okay”. Can’t wait to see what you do in 2023 — looking forward to you chasing a 10mile PB! That’s one of my favourite distances! I think I will chase a PR in that one too – to keep you company!

    Reply
  3. Darlene Cardillo

    I’m with Shathiso. That quote resonates.

    I had goals that I jdropped just because. All were doable but I lost interest in trying to do it all!

    I have zero big goals for 2023 -just more of the same. Of course unless I decide to run NYCM. (Please talk me out of it lol)

    My PR was Governor’s Is 5k. It’s perfect for a 5k PR due to its flatness. The mIni could be your 10k. I do agree that it’s fun to run all distances.

    You need to come to Albany for a fall race. Labor Day weekend?

    Looking forward to some NYC meet-ups. March and May races so far but I do plan to attend the Van Gogh show at the Met this summer too..

    Reply
  4. Debbie

    Great goals for 2023! I love the idea of doing a destination race each year. Fingers crossed that we can finally meet when you’re here in April for the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler!

    Reply
  5. Kimberly Hatting

    I like that you want to do races in all distances; variety is the spice of life, right? 😉 While I’m able to do a #dailyPeloton, my minutes take a hit in the summer due to all of my outdoor cycling (no, I have ZERO interest in cuing-up a class to listen to while I’m riding outside). I’m alright with that, though, because I’m doing what I love and I don’t “need” the Pelo minutes to validate anything. I’m excited to see you in DC in April, under all the cherry blossoms!

    Reply
  6. Catrina

    Did you get those 0.91miles done, Cari?! Well done on reaching 1’000 miles!!!
    You have very balanced goals with running, strength training and reading. Actually, reading should be on my list as well, because that has been suffering a bit with me too.
    Looking forward to seeing those cherry blossom photos in spring!

    Reply
  7. Zenaida Arroyo

    Those are all great goals for 2023! I do love the one about doing a race from a 5K to a half marathon. There is a 5k the day before the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile. I might sign up for it too. I would also like to hit 10k Peloton minutes but forgot to add it to my list of goals. What is the Matt Wilpers Half Marathon training challenge?

    Reply
  8. Zenaida Arroyo

    Those are all great goals for 2023! I do love the one about doing a race from a 5K to a half marathon. There is a 5k the day before the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile. I might sign up for it too. I would also like to hit 10k Peloton minutes but forgot to add it to my list of goals. What is the Matt Wilpers Half Marathon training challenge?

    Reply
  9. Wendy

    You really had a fantastic year of running. I love that you will hit your goal of 1000 miles this year! I wish I was able to join you for Cherry Blossom in the spring. I’m not sure about what the year will bring for me. Stay tuned!

    Happy New Year!

    Reply
  10. Michelle

    I love the idea of racing all the distances! You’ve got some great goals – I’m still pondering mine, but I know we have a similar theme – become a stronger runner 🙂

    Reply
  11. Liz Dexter

    Nice goals! I want to run more than 9 miles in one go this year (apparently my furthest single run in 2022!) which I should achieve training with Claire for her half in the spring. I’d like to get back to being able to knock out 10 miles comfortably, which seems achievable. Do more peleton app stretching and yoga and get my weights out again. And for RED January, keep my average daily steps at 10,000 (doesn’t matter if every day isn’t 10,000 as time gets in the way!). Best of luck and see you along the way!

    Reply
  12. Marcia

    My head is spinning after reading all of your goals. I admire your zeal for running all the races and distances. I’ll live vicariously thru you! Haha! I totally agree that even if you didn’t meet your goal specifically, as long as you had fun reaching for it, that’s a huge win! Can’t wait to hear where the destination race will be this year!

    Reply
  13. Coco

    Love your race every distance goal — that’s a fun idea!

    I crushed you in Peloton minutes, but you crushed me in running miles!

    Reply

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