My Goals for Detroit

I don’t usually talk about the time goals I have for races. For some races I have no time goal in mind. Sometimes it’s just that I’d like a PR, but most of the time I just want to have fun. With how often I am racing and with the many different distances I am training for it is sometimes difficult to have a certain goal for each and every race. This year for Detroit, though, I am determined… this girl’s got goals.

My last marathon was my best marathon yet, even despite some mishaps in my training (bad weather, illness and injury). I feel like my training for this marathon is the best I have ever done. I’ve been consistent about building my mileage, I’ve trained at consistent paces, and I have kept up with my cross training better than ever before. Granted there is ALWAYS room for improvement (that’s why I keep running these freakin’ things) but I am feeling pretty darn good about what I am doing.

So I am ready to actually put it out to the world what my goals are for the 2018 Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon. DRUMROLL PLEASE…

• “A” GOAL: The goal that I don’t think is impossible but it would be the hardest to reach… I would like to finish Detroit at a 13 minute per mile pace, which would give me an overall time of 5:40:50.625. Yes, that exact. ;)
• “B” GOAL: A goal that is a little more likely, but not necessarily a safe and easy one. 5:50:00. This would be almost a 10 minute PR. The reason I chose this is because during my last marathon, I waited 10 minutes in line for a porta potty, so I think I could safely reach this goal if my training continues the way it is.
• “C” GOAL: Get an overall PR and beat my best marathon time: 5:59:27, 13:43/mile
• “D” GOAL: Get a course PR… beat my last Detroit Marathon time: 6:11:42, 14:11/mile

So how am I going to get to these goals? I’m going to stick to my training plan (for those who are curious I am following Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 marathon training plan with some adjustments to the days on which I do each workout – I try to only run 2 days in a row at most to avoid fatigue, burnout, and injury). I’m going to keep up with my mileage, strength training, and my cross training. I’m going to clean up my diet and hydrate well. I’m going to run this by myself, for myself. I’m going to run Detroit better than any other race I have ran. Watch me.