GT350H

Following the lead of Eric Charette and Joey Butler, I've compiled a Year in Review for 2008.
Highlights include:

• Finishing 2nd overall in the Huntsville Track Club's Masters Division Grand Prix behind only Jon Elmore
• Winning 4 races overall - Boaz Hospice 5K, Fairview Spring and Fall 5K's, and Wayne County TN Run for Life 5K
• In the fall, finally broke 19 minutes on a 5K twice - 18:56 in the Liz Hurley 5K and 18:57.8 in the Hartselle All Saints 5K
• Ran 34 races total, finishing first in age group 21 times, first Master 8 times, top 3 in age group 30 times
• Total distance -1291.31 miles - despite only running less than 7 miles in December

Lowlights include:

• Making a wrong turn in the McKay Hollow 1/2 Marathon and finishing 8 minutes slower than the previous year
• Missing the Scholarship 8K because of a sore back - this may have cost me overall 1st place in the Grand Prix standings
• Not breaking 40 minutes for a 10k - closest was 40:45 in Elkmont in late fall
• Injuring my hip in early November just when I was hitting my peak for the year causing my mileage to dwindle to practically zero for the last 6 weeks of the year
• Leading the Lexington Pump & Run 5K at the 2 mile mark only to get passed by two runners in the last mile

I really have to thank my training partners including Carl Smith for all the Tuesday hill/speed workouts, Eric and Joey for the long runs and "smackdowns", and all the Race Directors who take the time and effort (along with their volunteers) for putting on the races I participated in. Also thanks to Suzanne and Dink Taylor at Fleet Feet for thier contributions to the Huntsville running community.

If I can get this hip thing healed, I plan on training for the Mountain Mist 50K coming up just over a year from now and making a concerted effort to get back under 40 for 10Ks and under 19 for 5Ks consistently.