As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the journey that 2024 has been. Just a year ago, I had set ambitious plans and shared them in one of the final episodes of The Happy Runner podcast in 2023. While I managed to achieve some of my goals, I also fell short of others. Overall, 2024 was a year filled with both triumphs and challenges, making it a rollercoaster ride of a year.
First of all, let me wish you a Joyful Christmas. I hope you will spend a few peaceful days with the people you love.
2024 Podcast Recap: Not my most consistent year
In late 2023, I faced a setback when I couldn’t maintain a weekly podcast release schedule. This was primarily due to the demands of a new job and the intense marathon training that began in the second half of the year. My goal for 2024 was to regain consistency and return to a weekly podcast release. However, I must admit that I failed to achieve this. I managed to stay consistent for the first half of the year, but as marathon training started, it took a toll on my energy levels.
While marathon training may not be the sole reason for my shortcomings, I acknowledge that I could have done better. Additionally, there were significant personal changes in my life that required more effort than I anticipated. I am not proud of my performance and I recognize the need for improvement in the future. As a podcast with listeners in 63 countries worldwide, I believe I have a responsibility to deliver better and more consistent.
2024 Running Recap: Spring races
In December 2023, I secured a spot in the Valencia Marathon 2024, which became my primary goal for the year. My second objective was to complete a fast spring Half Marathon and participate in the Vltava Run relay race. While I didn’t set specific time goals, my primary focus was on running at my best. Therefore, my training for 2024 commenced in January.
My first race on the calendar was a half marathon in late April. Since the Vltava Run took place just two weeks later, I adjusted my training schedule to accommodate both races and another half marathon in May. My training regimen was progressing well, and by mid-April, I had gained confidence in my ability to run a decent first race.
The half marathon in April went exceptionally well. I meticulously planned my race strategy and executed it flawlessly. In the end, my performance was so impressive that I managed to secure victory in my age group. Overall, it was a remarkable outcome, filled with immense confidence, I recovered from the half marathon and prepared myself for Vltava Run.
Despite all the information I gathered from teammates who had run the race in previous years, I underestimated the entire event. I went out way too fast on my first leg. Somehow, I managed the second leg, but the third one was a struggle. In the end, I crossed the finish line. I could have made different decisions, but as it was my first Vltava Run, I’m still proud of myself. If you want to learn more about the race read the Vltava Run recap.
My body was in a bad state after the race. I believe the Vltava Run took more out of me than any marathon I had run in the past. Since I had another half marathon just two weeks after the race, I made the mistake of not recovering properly. To summarize, after running 16 kilometers of the half marathon, my legs became extremely heavy, and by the 18 kilometer mark, I had cramps. It was a struggle from there on until I reached the finish line.
2024 Running Recap: Autumn Races
I took two weeks off from running and gave my body time to recover. After that, my plan was to gradually resume running and start my Valencia training block fresh. However, just as I began running again, I received an email from the Berlin Marathon informing me that they had an open slot for me. Since it was the 50th edition of the race, it was an easy decision to accept the invitation. I confirmed my participation in Berlin and canceled Valencia.
The reason behind this decision. There are two months between Berlin and Valencia. If the world’s best marathon runners don’t run marathons so close together, why should I subject my body to the stress of running two marathons in such a short period? Therefore, I decided to prioritize running Berlin.
My training plan remained the same as it had been intended for Valencia, except for the time frame, which unfortunately didn’t align with my schedule. In the middle of my training block, I had planned a summer vacation with my daughters on a small island. I took my running shoes with me, but I only managed to do a few short runs early in the morning, which wasn’t ideal.
The other part of my training went almost well. I missed my last two 32k long runs. The first one was due to family obligations, and the second one was because of severe weather conditions. Not ideal. With this in mind, I prepared my race strategy for Berlin Marathon. The plan was good, but my execution not so much. I went out way too fast, and from the 25k mark on, it was tough. More about the race in my Berlin Marathon recap.
Don’t get me wrong. I still enjoyed the race and finished with a decent time. But I could have done better, even with all the ups and downs during my training. Overall, I managed to run a decent half marathon and even a decent marathon. That’s enough to say that 2024 was a good year. It wasn’t perfect, but despite the circumstances, I’m happy with myself.
Berlin Marathon was my last race of the year. I took two weeks off and then gradually started getting back into running. Just a few weeks ago, I began incorporating some more intense workouts into my weekly routine, but I haven’t planned anything specific yet. As for now, I don’t have any races scheduled for next year. So, I’m just trying to be consistent and getting the runs done.
Slowly but surely it’s time to make plans for 2025. I’m not going to write about them in this article. There are some ideas. But firstly I will enjoy Christmas and New Year. I will meet with friends and spend more time with my daughters. And in about a month I will know, what my goals for 2025 will be.
