What is everyone's goal (for those planning on running the mini) for this race?

Obviously we all want to FINISH. Period. But what else are you secretly or openly hoping for?

Me? I looked awhile ago at the results from 2008 and checked the average, it's at 2:23:xx and I decided I want to beat that average, even if it's just by a second. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll be able to...unless I see continued improvements in speed and endurance in the next few months, which I totally intend to.

It'll be very interesting when I actually hit the mileage during my training--that will tell me a lot about my ability to time in that area.

I also want to make sure that I am not SO tired after the race that I can't party the rest of that day. Beers are in the plans.

So, what's your goals?

My goal is to finish under 2 hours. I'm shooting for 1:50 and to run a good solid race. I want to leave everything on the road that day, absolutely everything!!! I want no regrets. I want to train, run within myself but run very hard, accurately hit my splits, and finish the last 2 miles with a flourish.

My training right now is all about distance and endurance. Shortly after the 1st of the year I will be combining that with speed to get ready. I feel I'm a slightly above average athlete and can run pretty fast as it is. I credit that to my former sports days when I played basketball. I just have to build the endurance to go with that speed on a consistent basis. My training will intensify by the end of this year. I want to run the 13.1 before the mini in last than 2 hours as a prep. If I do that, and I'm confident I will, then it will be all about doing it in 1:50.

I'm quite sure you'll be able to pull that off. You definitely have a good MPM average and I think we'll ALL be able to run the race well. Achieving our goals is going to be based on how well we train, though. Let's stay on each other. I don't want any regrets, either, when I cross that finish line.

It'll be very interesting to see how well my 13-14 mile training runs go prior to the race. I think I'll have to start implementing more intense speedwork come the first of the year. I think 3-4 months is sufficient time to gain some reasonable improvements in that department.

I'm a little scared of speedwork after my groin issues. I have to be a little smarter about it. It seems most people hate but I actually like to do speedwork, when it doesnt hurt me.

I can't say I ENJOY speedwork, but I do like having varied workouts so the running week doesn't get stale.

I also know that I NEED the speed workouts. So that helps me do them even if I don't want to. I have to just learn not to push too hard--much like you I am fearful of injury. And running faster is not worth the risk of not running at all.

Well said. Speedwork requires you to work different muscles, and for me being a new runner its a whole new set of muscles.

I haven't decided on a goal time as of yet. Right now my goal is to finish the full 13.1 without having to walk any of it.

Tom, you can definitely do it! At your current fitness level, if you maintain your training and continue to increase your mileage responsibly, you have more than enough time to ensure that you will acheive your goal.

I wish we all ran the same FAST pace so that we could pace each other during the race!!! LOL We could kick each other's butts into gear! Why oh why did I have to be born slow?