2023 - More Running, New Friends, Lots of Trips, and 10 Years of Running Every Day

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"Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present."
-- Bil Keane

Last year's recap was titled "2022 - Tightening Friendships Through Running" and 2023 was definitely more of the same.  Not only did my friend group increase in size, but many of the athletes I have been coaching / advising had a standout year as well.  

Tahoe 200 Training

New Years Day
The year started off with big hopes and big expectations and while it didn't disappoint, it definitely didn't follow the expected path either.  

I started the year off (and the beginning of year 10 of the run streak) with a 31 mile run and would run over 1000 miles in the first 3 months of the year as I trained for the Tahoe 200.  

Unfortunately, Tahoe wasn't meant to be in 2023 as the race was postponed due to the record snow fall.  None the less, I got some really good experience running high mileage and putting in back to back to back 100+ mile weeks for the first time.  I hit a peak week of 115 miles with back to back to back marathons (yes, I am tired just typing that).  

Watuppa 50k Podium

New Friends

Next up, 2023 had some new friends joining our running group.  As I trained Becca, Karalyn, and Lisa for Boston, an unlikely retired professional hockey player and former Bruin's captain Zdeno (Zee) Chara, joined our group.  

Not exactly what we were expecting, but it was fun to change it up.  I had also never worked with a professional athlete before.  It was really cool to see what drives him and watch him make the transition to endurance sports ... and boy did he do it in fashion completing 6 marathons and a ultra in his first year.  

I was also happy to see Karalyn go onto a nearly 5 minute PR at Boston and Lisa with her fastest postpartum marathon to date.  Then all three of them took the podium at the Watuppa 50k.  

Shortly after Boston, we welcomed another runner to the group, Shannon.  Shannon is living Belmont for the year while her husband is at Harvard and low and behold we found someone that runs more miles then me ... like a lot more.  Shannon quickly became a staple within our group and is always ready to run any distance at anytime.  I think she even broke 5000 miles for the year. 

The Whites, A Triathlon, and Lassen National Park

Lassen National Park
Even though Tahoe didn't manifest, May was still a standout month.  After completing the Watuppa 50k, I went on to spend a few days in the White Mountains with the guys (aborted hut traverse due to too much snow), and then ran from Hyannis to Boston with Becca and her friends as fundraiser for the Run to Home Base. 

In June, I did my first triathlon in 11 years and after a trip to Lassen National Park, I got back to business in July and August as I prepped for 3 marathons in 22 days.  

Jackson Hole Marathon

Three Fall Marathons 

First up was Jackson Hole, Wyoming as we completed Becca's 50th state. As Becca's father said, it is amazing that you got 30 people to travel to a destination you can't fly directly to from Boston.

The trip was awesome, almost like a destination wedding, where there was even a rehearsal dinner before the race, speeches, and post race reception.   

Grand Teton National Park
Amy came along for this one and we even got to spend some time in Teton National Park (National Park #10) while we were there.  

The following weekend, I ran the Maine marathon fundraising for NF Northeast.  Becca and Zee joined in the marathon and Karalyn ran the half.  

Maine Marathon

After a week off, I paced Baystate for the 6th time and even helped Zee achieve his first Boston Qualifying mark. 


Neil's First 5k

Becca Pizzi 5k

In August, Neil did his first 5k at Becca's race and then after a long soccer season came back to running in December to finish the year out at the Jingle Bell run, running a 26:49 / 2:42 PR.  

It is so much fun watching him get into running. As much as a I want to push him to go farther and faster, I need to let him determine where he wants running to take him.  

The one big thing that he does see already is how much better a soccer player he is when he is in good shape.  

Other Notable Shout Outs (In addition to what was mentioned above)

  • Becca finished the year with 13 marathons, over 10 minutes of PR, finishing (and winning) her 1st ultra, the 50 states, the world majors, Kona and now stands a 108 marathons
  • Dave, PR'd both Berlin (2:50) and Chicago (2:47) just two weeks apart

By the Numbers

  • Races run:12 (highest since 2019), 4 X 5k, 4 miler, 3 X Marathon, 50k, relay, triathlon, and a running a charity bike ride
  • NH 4000 footers: 5 new, 8 total (now at 44 of 48)
  • Longest run: 43 (Run your Age)
  • Miles Run: 3800 (300 more than last year and 133 more than any other year)
  • Time Running: 549 hours (26 more than last year)
  • Climbing: 211k' (5k less than last year)
  • 10th consecutive year of running every day
  • 9th consecutive year of running my age on my birthday 
  • 7th Coast to Cure NF
  • 6th year directing the Apple Run 5k
  • 5th year directing the Wellington Fun Run 
  • Total Streak Miles: 31,618
  • Total Miles Tracked: 37,399

How Far Did I Get

This year I broke my own record for most miles in a year with a total of 3800. As the crow flies, that gets me all the way down to Lima, Peru.  

 

If I really do get over 4000 miles next year, I might make it all the way to Russia.

A Look Back

2023 was another busy year.  Between parenting, work, and running, it didn't leave time for much else.  While I did race the most since 2019, I didn't have any "big" events or events that took some serious build up to complete. While 3 marathons in 22 days might sound like a lot, I ran three marathons in 3 days during my Tahoe build up. 

This mindset may be due to that fact that my consistency has been so high.  If there are two things that I am the most proud of from 2023 it is definitely completing 10 years of running every day and that after all this time I am still setting a new personal record for the most miles run in a year.  As Shannon says, "I don't need the miles, but I want the miles." I just enjoy running ... a lot.

So as we close out 2023, cheers to all those that set new personal records, whether it be fastest time you have run, the most miles in a week, month, or the entire year.   

Trek Relay for Veterans - Hyannis to Boston
 

Looking Forward to 2024

2024 is already promising to be crazy.  I begin my ramp up for Tahoe with a 50 mile run tomorrow, January 1st. 

My first real test comes on 3/23 when I take on the Mount Mitchell Heart-breaker (50 miles with 12k' climbing) and if all goes to plan, by mid-April, I'll be up to back to back 35s with a 128 mile week. 

Tahoe starts on 6/14.  While I am still scared, I am also super excited to see what happens.  

Post Tahoe, I'll take a little recovery and maybe even cross train before the fall ramp up.  In October, I plan to pace Baystate again and then tackle my first road 50k at Marine Core with a goal of setting a new 50k PR (my old one is 3:58 at the TARC Spring classic in 2014).  

Finally, I am aiming to close out the year with 4000+ miles and complete my 11th year of the run streak. 

The Next 5 years

I came to the realization this year that I am not getting any younger and if I want to tackle some of these epic races and trips, I better start planning more then a year out. Below are list of events and runs, I am aiming to tackle in the next 5 years. 

Additionally, Amy, the kids, and I plan on doing a National Park tour during the summer of 2026 with a route through the Northern US and Southern Canada.  

- Scot 


Jingle Bell 5k


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