This annual overview and preview takes a barely completely different format from the one I wrote in early 2025. The sections that comply with — Working Strengths in 2025, Working Weaknesses in 2025, Finest Runs of 2025, and Working Targets for 2026 — are all spontaneous sections. I might simply as simply have included different sections, reminiscent of a month-by-month operating overview like I did final 12 months, my prime private operating gear from 2025, or a photograph essay from all year long.
I share the next each as a window into my operating and in case it helps others to seek out they share widespread operating challenges and triumphs with others. I suppose partially this text … nay, put up, is a throwback to the late-2000s private operating weblog origins of this web site. Lengthy stay Blogspot, however on to 2026!
A glance again at Mount Catherine from McKellar Saddle in New Zealand. All images: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Working Strengths in 2025
Consistency
With 2025 being my ninth-straight full 12 months of a day by day operating streak, it’s admittedly considerably onerous to be inconsistent, nevertheless it’s attainable. I’d guess there have been fewer perfunctory streakkeepers than in another 12 months of my streak. My 4 lowest weeks have been all 25 to 27 miles, throughout two units of home tasks weeks, which I’m positive are greater low factors than in earlier years. Every little thing else was principally 35 miles or greater. (The 2 different decrease weeks have been as soon as whereas wandering Shanghai, China, and one other post-UTMB protection.)
Quantity
Whereas I didn’t hit my high-end goal of three,000 miles for the 12 months, I ran extra in 2025 than in any of my 33 years of operating — by over 200 miles — with 2,915 miles. And with out the pair of 250-mile-ish weeks that I ran in my earlier annual excessive in 2024. My highest mileage for every week, from Monday to Sunday, was solely 130 miles, however some enjoyable adventuring in New Zealand in early 2024 meant I had logged 830 miles by the tip of March. And sure double that via the tip of June. (Oh, Strava, sometime add simple customized knowledge quantifying!) There have been six 100- to 130-mile weeks and one other couple between 90 and 100 miles.
Improved Achilles
Nearly two years in the past, I ran down a mountain with each Achilles in ache. In that second, I believed that will be my closing season of mountain operating. Greater than 20 years of operating on one bum Achilles and not less than a dozen years on the opposite meant the pleasure was now not definitely worth the ache. Someway, out of that second, I put within the quite modest rehab work it took to get in some massive coaching and a giant race in 2024, and I’ve carried that momentum with me. I’m nowhere close to 100% compliant with the eccentric drops that convey me lasting reduction. No, I take heed to my physique and substitute stretching and/or therapeutic massage when my Achilles attachments are drained. This sport won’t ever finish, however I’m enjoying it nicely sufficient proper now.
A pair massive days within the Ashburton Lakes not lengthy after operating the Across the Mountains Cycle Path in 4 days means I logged 227 miles in 11 days in late March and early April 2025.
Working Weaknesses in 2025
Missing a Massive Bushy Audacious Aim
As I wrote in September 2025, I did not set a Massive Bushy Audacious Aim (BHAG) in 2025. Briefly, I ought to have returned to the Extremely Gobi 250 Mile. I had extra basic health and extra particular base as a consequence of plenty of time operating with a weighted pack than I might have hoped for after I returned residence to Colorado from New Zealand in late April and held onto that fairly nicely via Could, June, and even July. However actually, ever since returning residence, my motivation imploded, I self-sabotaged by overloading on private work tasks, and skipped the outside adventures that had made my summer time of 2024 one among my finest ever. At finest, it was a season of what might have been. I plan to bag a BHAG early in autumn 2026 and a special one across the identical time in 2027. It’s to be decided precisely what these is perhaps.
Not Getting Sooner
Again in March 2024, I wrote about wanting to vary gears and work on getting sooner. I’ve but to offer that an actual likelihood, even when I’ve a blast every time I toe the road for a brief race or truly let ‘er rip on the uncommon coaching run. If I’m sincere, I’m scared. Scared that I’ll reaggravate my long-standing Achilles points. Scared that I’ll set again dreamier journey plans. Scared that it’ll damage. Scared … nicely, simply scared, or perhaps extra appropriately, anxious about going onerous. However I’ve received to recover from that. Particularly given my Achilles’ relative healthiness, I can combine in some sooner work now, be it as intervals, some sooner steady-state operating, and even a few parkruns, as I’ve received one which begins perhaps two kilometers away from residence for the subsequent few months in New Zealand.
Whereas oddly satisfying, processing a number of years’ price of firewood was not an sufficient substitute for giant summer time adventures!
Finest Runs of 2025
In no specific order:
In June, I ran my first-ever self-supported 100 miler on and close to Colorado’s Grand Mesa. That alone was empowering. However I additionally caught 10 species of fish alongside the best way whereas logging 10,000-plus ft of climbing (and consuming a very heavy beer) in lower than 48 hours to develop into the primary particular person within the small group of oldsters who do such run/fish issues to complete what’s referred to as the FINSANITY! problem. It was an ideal run outing in and of itself and possibly my finest single day as an outdoorsman, catching all 10 species and overlaying over 40 miles in lower than 12 hours. (Whereas I tangentially wrote about FINSANITY! on iRunFar as the premise for operating your personal self-created ultramarathon, I nonetheless dream of scripting this journey up in full for a fishing or basic outside publication.)
Kicking off my self-supported extremely subsequent to Bonham Reservoir on Grand Mesa.
On the final second, I signed up for my hometown “highway” marathon as a coaching day, and that it was. I managed to manage my effort on the outbound run with comparatively little strolling besides the ultimate pushes up the high-altitude and steep California and Hurricane Passes earlier than utilizing my well-meted power for a good descent off Hurricane Go and a robust final seven miles again to city. I used to be happy with that closing hour of effort and conserved power. Oh yeah, I completed third.
One of many many beautiful views from the 2025 Silverton Alpine Marathon.
In April 2025, on the finish of that season in New Zealand, I made a decision to have a send-off mission, as they name massive days out in New Zealand. I’d run out the northwest aspect of Lake Hawea a number of instances over the summer time to discover the Hunter Valley above the lake, and a lap of the lake simply appeared like a pure problem to tackle. All went nicely sufficient with me coming via 50 miles in a hair underneath 10 hours and ending up the 65.5-mile lap with practically 7,000 ft of climbing in 12:17. I wrote about this journey in my Could 2025 piece Gathering Energy: Could Your Cookie Jar Overfloweth.
Nearing the tip of my lap round Lake Hawea.
In November, I took a really last-minute journey to Saint Kitts within the Caribbean to hitch three generations of my household on trip. In briefly researching the island, I seen that the primary a part of the island had a coastal ring highway encircling the central volcano. I woke very early on our closing full day of the go to, ran the couple of miles over to the loop, and received to it simply after 4 a.m. I used to be blissful to flee the warmth and far of the site visitors, and even happier to witness a lot of the island in a means most foreigners by no means do — at floor degree, at a pedestrian tempo. I managed to run robust sufficient the entire means, overlaying the simply over 30-mile lap in 5 hours and 20 minutes.
Any early morning view from my lap of Saint Kitts.
Honorable Mentions
Finishing the rugged Northwest Circuit on New Zealand’s Stewart Island with Meghan Hicks; 100 miles of pacing AJW on the Cocodona 250 Mile; operating the volunteers orienteering race after serving to to commentate the inaugural English livestream of the Extremely Gobi 250 Mile; a waterfront run on my first ever night in Shanghai, China; a number of path runs via New Jersey’s Washington’s Crossing State Park with my sister whereas visiting household; the Hopewell Valley Turkey Trot 5k cross-country race in New Jersey; a run with two of my faculty teammates in our outdated stomping grounds.
AJW on the outskirts of Sedona, Arizona en path to ending the 2025 Cocodona 250 Mile.
Working Targets for 2026
Largest 12 months Ever!
Let’s make this the 12 months of three,000 miles. That also sounds daunting, however I completed inside 100 miles of three,000 in 2025 and would have zoomed previous it with both a bit motivation or a few adventures final summer time. Possibly it’ll even be a 5,000-kilometer 12 months. I’d finest get to adventuring this season in New Zealand!
Get Out for Extra Massive Summer time Adventures
As a lot as I missed not operating the 2025 Extremely Gobi 250 Mile, I might need missed summer time adventuring across the Rocky Mountain West — which normally means from my entrance door — simply as a lot! I positive received after it within the summers of 2020 and 2024, and I keep in mind each these summers fondly for it!
Work on My Weak point
From a training standpoint, coaching for one’s failure factors in a giant race is true up there with having enjoyable and being constant in my main philosophies. No matter BHAG I ultimately join, I’ll definitely practice my failure factors, however right here I believe I imply my weaknesses, which is perhaps completely different. For a lot of the previous decade, my Achilles have been my main weak spot. In a great way, over two current lengthy runs, I questioned, are my Achilles nonetheless my major weak spot? Maybe I’ve improved my Achilles sufficient that my hamstrings at the moment are my weak spot, and I’m enthusiastic about that. It’s not that my hammies have gotten worse; it’s that I’ve improved one other scenario sufficient that they is perhaps the brand new weak hyperlink. Possibly that weak spot stays in my hamstrings, or it turns into my core, or my physique composition, or, if solely it might be, my basic health.
Work on Working Uphill
This text was nearly about 4 runs in late October and early November that modified my operating and my beliefs about it. Mainly, I’d given up on operating uphill. Something greater than a mild incline meant powerwalking due to power Achilles ache. Then, I headed out on a loop on some newly constructed trails above my residence in Silverton, Colorado. I merely wished to take a look at a part of the steeper aspect that had been accomplished early in 2025, however, a lot to my shock, I ran each step of the roughly 900-foot climb over 2.5 miles. I did so three extra instances within the weeks that adopted. Though I’ve not too long ago arrived in New Zealand in worse bodily form than I used to be previously two years, I’ve felt rather more assured operating the rolling sections on the native trails. Time to lean into operating some extra hills.
The view of Silverton from the highest on my first lap up the Bakers Park loop.
Writing Extra Lengthy-Type Experiences
I’ve obtained sufficient feedback over the previous few months about my Extremely Gobi studies, which debate my basic strategy, in addition to my logistics and kit, to comprehend that they’ve been actually useful to others. I don’t assume that’s distinctive to that race, as I obtained related suggestions on my different race studies a few years in the past. Slightly than craft the proper narrative story, I attempted to overshare among the mundane particulars from earlier than and through the outing and the way they have an effect on me, for higher or worse. I’ll take being helpful over compelling any day. So, right here’s hoping I can share two or three outing studies this 12 months.
Don’t Be Afraid to Practice
I’ll admit it that the majority of my massive efforts the previous couple of years have come half and parcel with journey, and I get out for oodles of “simply runs,” nevertheless it’s uncommon that I get myself on the market transferring with goal on a random Tuesday. 4 fully runnable 16 milers in December — together with some with effort — counsel I is perhaps turning a nook. Whether or not it’s an interval session, a sustained uphill effort, or a progressive future, I hope 2026 marks a return to extra common coaching periods.
Get pleasure from it Extra
Now, having fun with operating extra may appear on its face to be in distinction with coaching extra, however hardly. First, a well-run onerous effort is usually a heckuva lot of enjoyable! Second, I’m principally speaking about having fun with simple or run-of-the-mill days extra. I’ll admit that over the previous 15 years, my relationship with operating has develop into difficult. I’m anxious and even frightened of operating loads usually sufficient. I do know that sounds unusual, particularly coming from somebody who led a operating web site for 15 years, however, nicely, perhaps there’s a connection there. Regardless, I purpose to place a bit extra enjoyable, rest, or simply ease into my on a regular basis runs. That’d be good!
Having fun with the “run commute” to be a part of Kilian Jornet for a leg of his States of Elevation tour.
Name for Feedback
- What are among the highlights, lowlights, strengths, weaknesses, and reminiscences out of your operating in 2025?
- What are your operating plans, objectives, and the like for 2026?
