Running and Fitness Goals for 2019

2019 is now well underway. So it's time to sit down and write out my fitness and running goals for the year.

Last week, I posted a recap of my 2018 goals (click HERE). From that update, I enter 2019 with a large amount of optimism. Despite some nagging soreness in my legs (which I'll talk about briefly further down), I feel really good. As I wrote in my last post, 2018 was a fairly monumental shift in direction for me. For 2019, I don't have nearly as dramatic of a shift. I'm looking for this year to be an incremental improvement in every single one of the same areas I addressed in 2018.

So, without further ado,here are my goals for 2019:

• Run or bicycle at least 3 days per week, with a minimum 30 mins per session, 2.5 hours per week, 10 hours per month)
• Run 1,200 km, ride 1,000 km
• Eat fruits or vegetables at every meal
• Run a half marathon under 1:40:00

In general, I really want to focus on getting more consistency. I was good with a fairly regular routine this year. But I want to push that a bit more. Ideally, I'd like to get to 4 days per week whenever possible. But I set time and duration goals to account in case I can only manage 3.

Another area is that I want to incorporate a bit more on the bicycle back into my routine. Last year, I focused mostly on running and cut down riding altogether. For 2019, I'm looking to balance them out more. I want running to be my main focus, without a doubt, but I want to have that second option ready to go.

The main reason is that my legs are taking a pounding. I feel sometimes that my calves, shins, or ankles are still recovering from my last run when I set out for a run. So, especially in those cases, I want to use my bicycle. I'm constantly stretching and icing sore legs. So I need to take some of that pressure off. The goal, ultimately, is to build endurance, cardio, and overall fitness. So I need to be more mentally open to alternative methods of achieving that.

The next one is simply because I need to eat better. I like to snack. Tortilla chips and salsa or cheese and crackers are my go-to snacks. So, I'm committing to eating fruits or vegetables at every meal, including snacks.

And my last one is really where my heart is at. I want to run a sub-1:40:00 half marathon. In 2018, I went from 1:51:58 (First Half 2018) down to 1:46:51 (Fall Classic 2018). In 2019, I want to improve and knock those next 7 minutes off. I know it'll take hard work to get there, but I'm ready. I'm no longer building that runner's base for endurance - I have the base. Now I just need to improve on it.

Time to go put in the work and make 2019 something great! 

Recap On My 2018 Fitness Goals

What a year!

2018 was monumental year for me in terms of setting ambitious fitness goals, and achieving most of them!! As with most goals, I changed and modified them throughout the year. As I attained certain levels of my goals, I set increasingly challenging goals for myself. Initially, I was a bit disappointed where I finished the year. However, when I look back at where I started from, in December of 2017, 2018 was a massive successive.

Here's my recap, and a bit of a back-story:

Up until the end of 2017, I had largely gotten my fitness from my bicycle. Not a hard road-rider by any means - I simply enjoyed riding and used my bicycle to commute as often as possible. As my kids got older, and bigger, this became more and more difficult. I have been a casual runner since I turned 30 (7 years ago) - but it was never my primary focus.

Around mid-2017, I started getting serious about running again and slotting it into my regular exercise routine. In September 2017 I wrote THIS POST about refocusing on running. A little later that month, I was thinking about a half marathon (click HERE). And in November 2017, I signed up for one (click HERE).

So here were my goals that I set at the beginning of 2018:

• Run a half marathon
• Run regularly - 3 runs and a minimum 20 km per week
• Run 1,000 km by the end of 2018
• Learn to love running.

And I nailed every single one of those goals!

I didn't run just one half marathon, I ran three (First Half on February 11th, half marathon at the BMO Vancouver on May 10th, and the Fall Classic on November 4th). In addition, I added several shorter races just for fun: 5K at the Scotiabank Vancouver, Under Armour Eastside 10K, and the 8K at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.

I finished my first half marathon (the First Half) in 1 hour and 52 mins. And I improved to just under 1 hour and 47 mins at the Fall Classic. I would have liked to run under 1 hour and 45 mins, but that's going to have to wait until 2019!

Except for a few rare instances (rest weeks or travelling challenges), I managed to run 3 runs per week and averaged over 20 km per week. 

I ran a total of 1,178 km for the year. A massive accomplishment that I am very proud of!

Overall, it was a massive year. Running is now an integral part of my fitness! And barely three weeks into 2019, I have already signed up for three races (Steveston Icebreaker 8K on January 20th,  Vancouver First Half on February 10th, and half marathon at the BMO Vancouver on May 5th), one of which I've already completed.

Most importantly, I loved every second of it - the struggles, the accomplishments, the fitness gains, the lost weight.

So I'm taking a couple of weeks to celebrate everything I accomplished in 2018 and plan out my goals for 2019. Until then, here is my Strava summary of 2018.

Race Report: Fall Classic Half Marathon

The Fall Classic has been the main focus of my  running training since running the BMO Vancouver half marathon back in May. Literally every run was focused on this day.

I had added a couple other races in, such as the Under Armour Eastside 10k (see my race report HERE) and the GoodLife Fitness Victoria half marathon, which I ended up downgrading to the 8k (see my race report HERE), but both of those were intended to slot into my training for the Fall Classic.

My training and build-up to the Fall Classic were somewhat disrupted by the Achilles issue I had throughout the fall. It started in September, just before the Eastside 10k, and has continued through to this day. It is improving, but it is most definitely lingering. I discussed some of the impacts of this on my training HERE in my post about downgrading Victoria from the half to the 8k.

The main impact is that for the past couple months, I have had to limit my long runs and haven't really done any speed work. I've maintained my minimum of three runs per week, but haven't been able to push and test my speed or distance. While I felt really good leading up to race day, I wasn't as prepared as I would have liked to be.

So now that all that context is out of the way, let's talk about race day.

I had a solid sleep the night before the race, made it to bed at a reasonable time. But I woke up with some really uncomfortable stomach issues. So on my way out to the race start, I had to swing into a pharmacy to pick up something to settle my stomach. So, I popped a couple pills and made my way to start my warm up. Parking was relatively easy to find, and I parked in the main lot indicated on the race day instruction card included with my race kit. The lot itself had one entrance and one exit, so it was quite the stop-and-go experience to get in there. But there were plenty of spaces available once we snaked our way up through the parkade.

Once parked, I walked over to the race start/finish area. It was fairly cold out, so I definitely appreciated the indoor space provided for some of the pre-race festivities. After a final washroom trip, I did checked my bag and did my warm-up, about 10 minutes of light running, followed by about 15 minutes of stretching. I have not spent much time at all around the UBC campus, so I actually quite enjoyed the area.

I felt really strong at the start of the race. Probably a little too aggressive and over-confident though. The first 8 km or so are all downhill. Not an intense decline, but definitely enough that it feels easier than it actually is. Once you hit the turnaround, the momentum shifts and you're going back along that slight incline. At about 9.5 km, there is a fairly intense hill up University Blvd. Luckily, it's pretty short, but it's a knacker. After that, there's a fairly nice out and back along the Main Mall. Only challenge is that it puts you deceivingly farther from the finish line than you think you are.

From there, you cross back across, alongside the finish line, past the start line, and do the whole thing over again. This was my first time running a race that repeats a route. In truth, this should have made the distance easier to calculate. However, my head kept messing with me so I was really surprised how much longer the second lap felt than the first lap.

The other aggravating factor for me was that my GPS, somewhere along the way, was putting me about 1 km ahead of where I actually was. I was passing signs that read the distance and my GPS would say that I was significantly farther ahead. I had heard about a potential course change at the last minute due to some construction, so I thought perhaps my GPS was right and the course markings were off.

Whatever the cause, at about 16 km, at the turnaround on SW Marine Dr on my second lap, I paced myself, according to my GPS, at close to the 1:40:00 finish time. I was ecstatic. I was aiming for 1:45:00, and I had been consistently under 5:00/km, so I was pretty sure my math was right.

As I got closer to University Blvd, I checked with another runner on the distance, and his read the same as the signs, meaning my GPS was about 1.3 km ahead. Man, was that defeating. I realized I'd be lucky to hit my 1:45:00 target now. Without obsessing over the math, because I was losing steam, I just kept running. That hill up University Blvd absolutely destroyed me the second time. I lost a  lot of momentum on that sucker.

I struggled to keep moving along the final out and back on Main Mall. It was flat, but like I mentioned above, it felt surprisingly longer the second time around. Luckily, I had a friend meet me at about the 20 km marker. He ran with me about 100 metres and cheered me on. I have to say, I might not have kept running without that encouragement. I was completely defeated and needed that encouragement desperately. So I kept running and finished at 1:46:51.

New half marathon PB (beat my previous PB by 0:01:19)! While I was aiming for 1:45:00, any PB is an achievement that needs to be celebrated!

Overall, I had a great experience. The race itself was fantastic. While the route wasn't as scenic as say the Victoria Marathon, BMO Vancouver, or the First Half, it was definitely a lot of fun. It reminded me of the importance of training though and getting those long runs in. And, as a runner from Richmond, the importance of finding some hills to train on.

I will definitely be back to tackle this one again. As for breaking my 1:45:00, I'm going to look to the fast, flat First Half on February 10, 2019.

Race Report: GoodLife Fitness Victoria - 8k

This write-up is long overdue. Time has actually run away on me these last couple of months. So without further adieu...

As I mentioned in my previous post HERE, where I discussed having to downgrade my registration from the half marathon to the 8k, this was a difficult race for me. Because of a nagging issue with my Achilles, I did not feel comfortable going for the full half marathon. So I felt a lot of disappointment having to settle for the 8k. I know that sounds ridiculous. But that context is important because that was my mindset heading into the weekend.

This was my first destination race. So I was really looking forward to it. Because it was Thanksgiving weekend as well, we had some family come with us to make the trip over to Victoria. And we turned it into a family weekend.

We went over on Saturday morning and caught the 7:00am ferry to the big island (Vancouver Island for those of you unfamiliar with the area). We booked our two nights at the Royal Scot Hotel & Suites which, incidentally, I would highly recommend for a stay in Victoria. First, it was less than a block away from the parliament buildings and the Start/Finish lines for the races. Second, the rates were completely reasonable, especially considering we had a one bedroom suite which gave us plenty of room for my wife and I and our two kids. We had a kitchen, dining room, living room, and separate bedroom to put the kids to bed in.

Once we got to the island and checked into our hotel, we walked over to the race expo to pickup our kits. While I was signed-up for the 8k, my son was also registered for the Kids run (1.25 km). We actually had a great time walking through the expo, sampling the treats and bars (energy and protein) and drinks, and picking up our shirts.

We had the entire rest of the day to explore and walk around the city. One of the best parts of going to Victoria on race weekend (and staying right in the heart of city), is that the road closures were already taking effect. So the entire downtown area was nearly void of cars for the majority of the time we were there. Race organizers were already setting up for much of Saturday. So there was a completely unique vibe to the city. I loved every second of it!!

We had a nice, relaxing family dinner and actually made it to bed early (I always try to be in bed by 10:00 before any race).

On race morning, I got up ahead of everyone else. Because I was running the 8k instead of the half marathon though, my start time was quite a bit later. That gave me a little more time to get ready and go explore. I did my warm-up around the Victoria harbour, which was absolutely gorgeous. The rain was teasing a little bit though so I was also trying to stay dry.

The race itself was fantastic. I enjoyed every second of it. I felt really good on race day. And my Achilles was feeling nearly 100%. So, I set out for an 8k PB. Now, I had never actually raced an 8k before so I didn't really have an official PB marked down. But I knew it was probably close to 37:00.

The 8k route is awesome and has many of the same highlights as the half marathon route. So while I was trying to keep an aggressive (for me) pace, I was also absorbing the scenery around me. Around the mid-point of the 8k route, we join the half marathon and marathon runners (who started about an hour ahead of the 8k). So for those last few KMs, there is a mix of runners from all distances.

Coming through to the finish, it is quite the spectacle. I was truly impressed with the number of people out cheering on the runners along the entire route, and not just near the finish. But there is definitely a substantial crowd at the finish, which is truly the most picturesque of any race I've run: Victoria harbour on the left, parliament buildings on the right. Truly spectacular.

I finished with a time of 35:37, setting my 8k PB. I was incredibly happy with that result, even though my family suggested that they thought I'd be running a lot faster as I passed them about 100 metres from the finish line. I had trouble explaining that I didn't save anything for a sprint at the finish.

I took a few minutes to grab my medal and snacks at the finish corral before heading over to join my son for the Kids Run.


As we were getting ready, my 4 year old daughter decided she would like to run the Kids Run as well. She had never run a race before, so we were a bit unprepared with her in her rain coat and gum boots. But we got her signed up as well.

The Kids Run was also a fantastic event for both kids. My son ran on his own and finished in the top 10 of all kids (which goes up to 12 years old - he's 7). I ran with my daughter, who ran the entire 1.25 km in gum boots without stopping once. We all had a blast. And I was incredibly proud that both my kids are starting to enjoying running for their own benefit and not just to support me.

After the races, we all went back to change and warm up (we had gotten quite wet throughout the morning). And we had the rest of the day to ourselves. We walked around, exploring the city a little bit more. We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner. Spent some quality time with our visiting family members. Enjoy our last night in Victoria.

Monday we packed up and headed out towards the ferry. We spent a quick two hours at the Butchart Gardens (which were spectacular) before heading to catch our ferry back to the mainland.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I would definitely plan to go back and run in Victoria again. Hopefully though, next time I'll be able to run the half marathon.

Race Report: Under Armour Eastside 10k

On a rainy Saturday, September 15th, I ran the Under Armour Eastside 10k (#UAeastside10k). And before I get into any details, I want to say I had a blast running this race. The whole vibe of this race was amazing.

This was my first time running the Eastside 10k. A number of running friends have run it in past years and spoke very highly of it. So this summer, when I was planning out my races for the fall (see my blog post on that topic HERE), I signed up for it.

The whole vibe of the Eastside 10k is awesome. It is a smaller crowd (especially compared to the First Half, BMO Vancouver, and Scotiabank Vancouver events), so it felt more focused as a fun event for runners, rather than just a massive event. There was also a lot less pressure because it was only a 10k (rather than a half marathon - for me, that meant I could just work it into my regular running routine). And I think that mentally was true for the vast majority of the runners. Or maybe I just put more pressure on myself in half marathons because I haven't run as many of them. Either way, this 10k was a blast to run.

In both the pre- and post-race festivities, I ran into many other running friends, both people I knew personally and people I knew from social media and was meeting in person for the first time. I got to meet Ryan Chilibeck (Race Director for Canada Running Series West). Truly, this event draws a great crowd, and mostly dedicated runners too - less of the fringe crowd (very, very, very unlike the Vancouver Sun Run).

One of the other features is the elite field that this race draws. As a running geek, I like to keep up to date on Canada's elite long distance runners. And the elite field was deep at the Eastside 10k. Both the men and the women. My theory on this is that a 10k is easier to slip into a regular training routine. So more of them can attend a fun event like this one. Whereas a half or full marathon takes a lot more planning, so they have to be more selective about which races they choose. Whatever the reason, the elite fields were deep at the Eastside 10k.

In this regard, because of the out and back aspect of the course, especially along the 3-5 km section, many of the elite runners are heading back the other way. It was a great opportunity to see them, cheer them on, and have an idea on how they are doing.

The route itself is really cool. It winds through the most historic area of Vancouver. Starting in Gastown and winding through the Downtown Eastside (#DTES). The buildings in this area are amazing. The scenery fantastic. And the location is not a coincidence - this race is dedicated to raising money for a small group of charities benefiting the less fortunate DTES residents (click HERE for more info). 

For me personally, leading up to the Eastside 10k, I had been struggling with a strained Achilles tendon. It started about a week before the race. I had been really trying to work on my speed in the preceding weeks, so I had a few runs there really pushing my pace. I was also increasing my mileage to prepare for the half marathon at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon. So, I likely just put a bit too much pressure on my tendon there. As a result, I really had to hold back during the race.

I managed a finish time of 46:37, which I am incredibly pleased with and is an official 10k PB! I have run faster 10k on my own, but never in a race (mostly because I haven't run very many 10k races). But I still know that I had another level in the tank.

I took a week off running after the Eastside 10k to let my body heal. 

Overall, a fantastic event. I can't wait to run it again next year! Now looking forward to Victoria (October 7th) and the Fall Classic (November 4th).

Downgrading Race Registration

This week I am faced with a tough decision. In the grand scheme of life, it is pretty minor. But for me, it feels significant.

On Sunday (October 7th), I am registered to run the half marathon at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon. I signed up for this one back in June with the plan of training up over the summer, running the half at Victoria, maintaining that half marathon distance, and running another half at the Fall Classic on November 4th.

And, to make best use of the trip over to Victoria, we made a family weekend out of it. My wife and I are bringing our two kids, accompanied by my mother-in-law and aunt, to spend the weekend in Victoria - it is Thanksgiving after all. Perfect little getaway weekend with a half marathon thrown in.

However, over the past month or so, I have been struggling with a strained Achilles tendon. It started in early September, I think. Not sure why the exact cause was - most likely excessive mileage. I was preparing for the Under Armour Eastside 10k (September 15th) and started to really push my pace. Must have just pushed it a little too hard.

I ran the Eastside 10k, but had to hold back a lot because of my Achilles. I was hoping to blow my 10k PB to shreds, but alas.

I took a week off after that to let my body rest and heal. I saw my family doctor and got his advice. I was worried at that point that it could have been a stress fracture. So I was relieved to hear it was only my Achilles. Only.

The good news? I could keep running. The bad news? I had to ease off on my pace and take it easy.

So for the last couple of weeks, I've been keeping my runs to a light, relaxed pace. I have held my weekday runs to 6-7 km and my Sunday long run to 10-12 km. I spend a lot of time stretching my Achilles out during the day. I ice it every evening. I can run on it with minimal discomfort.

And, so, here we are. This week. 4 days until race day. And I have been wrestling with this decision for weeks. My Achilles feels better. Much better. But it is no where near 100%. It is still quite tight.

I know I could finish the half marathon. But it would definitely not be a PB time. I would be running just to complete it. And, I run a huge risk of re-aggravating it and not being able to run the Fall Classic in another month.

The alternative is I can downgrade to the 8k at Victoria and then begin the build up to, hopefully, be 100% for the Fall Classic.

I have never downgraded before. But this is also my first destination race (is race-cation at word?). So part of me feels that I am cheating and not getting value from the weekend if I downgrade from the half marathon. I could run an 8k anywhere. And, I really had my hopes up to run the half.

So all things considered, and putting my pride aside, I will be running the 8k instead. Playing it safe. It is still an amazing route around the heart of downtown Victoria. And I am looking forward to it immensely. This also means I can finish in time to watch my 7 year-old son race in the 1.25 km kids run.

So this race is for all the runners that have to face that tough decision to downgrade or even pull out of a race altogether.

Upcoming Races: Planning the Rest of 2018

After completing the half marathon at the BMO Vancouver (read my race report HERE), I've started to think about what comes next. I am still coming down from the high after completing something as big as a half marathon, especially at an event as spectacular as the BMO Vancouver.

Ultimately, I want to complete at least one more half marathon in 2018 - that will be three in total for the year. I have my eye set on the Fall Classic on November 4th.

In the interim, I need to decide what to do. I love the race atmosphere and want to keep it up. Having a hard commitment like a race also gives me something to work towards. I have always done better with deadlines, and so when it comes to training or maintaining any type of cadence in my running, having a race in the months ahead logged firmly into my calendar keeps me accountable.

My general plan for the summer is to absolutely destroy my legs, every day. I say this a bit tongue in cheek but also a little bit serious. If I'm not running another half until November, then I don't need to hammer out a rigid training plan until mid-August or even September. If I plan a few 5 km and 10 km races between now and then, I should be able to knock them out as part of my regular training. So my high-level plan for the next 3.5 months is to simply run or ride every single day. No excuses.

I will definitely be completing as many Saturday morning parkruns as my schedule allows (click HERE for my review of the Richmond Olympic parkrun).

And if you have followed this blog, you'll know that my 7-year-old son likes to run with me on occasion. After greeting me at the finish line of my two half marathons this year, he wants to sign up and do a couple races with me. He runs the parkrun with me as often as he can. But he wants the big race experience - a finish line with a big crowd and a medal.

So I started researching 5 km races during the summer that would be ideal for the two of us to do together. He can run a 5 km comfortably and between track and field at school and his soccer team through the spring, his legs are in good shape.

So we are going to race the following races together:

• 5km at the Scotiabank Vancouver on June 24th
• 5km at the Big Superhero Run along the West Dyke in Richmond on August 18th

Both should be a ton of fun. The former being a really big event and the latter being a smaller community event. But both include finisher medals and a crowd cheering us on.

Then, I am going to run the Eastside 10k myself on September 15th. I think this just looks like another awesome event, and I am excited to give it a go. From there, I will settle into a more dedicated build up to the Fall Classic half marathon on November 4th.