My Fastest Year Yet

Looking back, 2009 stands as the pinnacle of my running career and is my fastest year yet. At 38 years old, I may have technically been just past my peak, but that didn’t stop me from chasing down personal records in every race distance I attempted. That year, I toed the line 12 times—starting with a frosty 5K on New Year’s Day along the lakefront in Chicago and finishing strong with the Chicago Marathon on October 11th. I set PRs in the 5K, 10K, 4 mile, 10 mile, half marathon, and marathon. It was a year where everything clicked—training, nutrition, recovery—and I stayed injury-free from start to finish.

Kicking Off the Year on Ice

I kicked off the year with the New Year’s Day 5K in Chicago. It was icy along the lakefront, so Lynn and I ran it for fun, just trying to stay upright. I finished in 29:27—not fast, but it set the tone for a year filled with purpose.

March Madness and a Half Marathon Tune-Up

The March Madness Half Marathon on March 15th has always been one of my favorite races. That year, I ran it in 1:36:12 (7:20 pace), placing 186th out of 1,000+ and 33rd in my age group. It’s a perfect Boston tune-up—four weeks out and deceptively hilly. I’ll share more stories from that race in a future post.

My First-Ever 10K

On April 5th, I tackled my first 10K—Run Through the Hills in Lake in the Hills, Illinois. I ran 44:20 (7:08 pace), good for 7th in my age group and 21st overall out of 204 runners. A few weeks later, I raced the Premies March of Dimes 5K in 20:24 (6:34 pace), taking 1st in my age group and 4th overall in a small field.

Windy and Gritty in Lake Geneva

May 9th brought the Lake Geneva Half Marathon, a point-to-point race with brutal 25–30 mph headwinds. I finished in 1:37:46, second in my age group and 14th out of 385. I actually ran the same time as the previous year, but placed higher—proof that time isn’t everything. Effort and conditions matter.

Taking on 10 Miles with a Vengeance

On May 25th, I raced the Elgin Valley Foxtrot 10 Miler along the Fox River. My time of 1:08:26 (6:50 pace) was good enough for 8th in my age group and 44th overall out of 670. I remember passing my brother-in-law a few miles in—he was a solid 3:00 marathoner—so that gave me a nice little confidence boost.

Redemption at the Home-Town 10K

A week later, I ran the Huntley Run Through the Sun 10K. I clocked 41:27 (PR!) and came in 3rd overall out of 66 runners despite taking a wrong turn. I misunderstood a police officer’s directions, which likely cost me the win, but I was still thrilled with the performance and I was well on my way to my fastest year yet!

Sub-20 Again in Batavia

On June 20th, I was back in Batavia along the Fox River for another 5K, this one clocking in at 19:34 (6:17 pace). I placed 1st in my age group and 10th overall out of 353. It felt great to be consistently breaking 20 minutes again.

A Rare 4-Miler on the Great Western Trail

The Great Western Freedom 4 Miler on July 4th was a unique distance. I ran 26:15 (6:33 pace), placing 3rd in my age group and 30th overall out of 259. It was on crushed gravel along a converted rail trail—perfect for a summer morning race.

A 5K PR on Familiar Ground

In August, I returned to Lake in the Hills for the Summer Sunset 5K. This one was practically in my backyard, running part of my regular 5-mile loop. I ran my all-time PR that day: 19:17 (6:12 pace). I came in 1st in my age group and 10th overall out of 329 runners.

Crystal Lake Half: PR or Not Quite?

On September 13th, I ran the Crystal Lake Memorial Half Marathon in 1:25:35 (6:32 pace). Officially, it’s my PR, but my Garmin clocked only 12.85 miles—not the full 13.1. I always felt the course ran a bit short. To keep myself honest, I usually say my true half marathon PR is closer to 1:27.

Still, I placed 2nd in my age group and 17th out of 508, and I’ll never forget seeing a firefighter in full gear running the whole race while carrying the American flag—a moving tribute to 9/11.

Capping It Off at the Chicago Marathon

Finally, on October 11th, I ran the 2009 Chicago Marathon—my second marathon and my first time doing Chicago. It was a cold one, starting in the mid-30s. That’s me wearing a tyvek jacket I bought at the running expo for $10 to wear in the starting corral. The jacket provided the warmth I needed until the race started, at which point I threw it in a trash can next to the corral. I ran 3:15:52 (7:28 pace) and squeaked into a Boston Qualifier by just 7 seconds. The cutoff for my age group was 3:15:59. I placed 367th in my age group (out of 3,249) and 2,048th overall out of 33,703 finishers.

I’ll write more about that race in a future post, but crossing that finish line with a BQ was the perfect ending to a truly unforgettable season.

The Secret Sauce to My Fastest Year Yet

What made 2009 so special? It was the first year I fully embraced strength training—2 to 3 times per week, working upper body, lower body, and core. I followed Runner’s World SmartCoach plans religiously and dialed in my nutrition, staying lean and energized. Everything aligned—training, diet, mindset—and I felt unstoppable.

A Benchmark That Still Motivates Me

Sixteen years later, I know I’m not likely to see those same times again—but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped pushing. These days, I train smarter, focus on recovery, and chase age-graded PRs so I’m still pursuring my fastest year yet at every age. It’s all about doing my best with the body I have today.

2009 remains my gold standard. It’s the yardstick I use to measure progress, and a reminder that when everything clicks, amazing things can happen.

Until next time—keep moving and stay healthy.