Miles run: 1746. I made it a point NOT to make a goal for miles this year (although I still kept track of miles run), now that I am a "marathoner" I find it kind of pointless. I follow the marathon/training plan(s)...I take time off when I need to (and yes, I actually did do that a few times this year) and run when I feel like it. With that being said, this is about 200 more miles than I've ever done in a given year since I started running.
Elliptical/Bike Miles: 95. Nothing special to report. I dislike doing both of these.
Most Miles Run in One Month (ever!): August - 180! Hello sore IT band...this explains it!
Pairs of New Sneakers Burned Through: Seven (that I remember, but it's probably more). I guess that is where all my money went this year. ;-) That includes 5 pairs of Nimbuses and 2 pairs of Brooks Ghosts.
PR's: Every distance. One of my first lessons from Bob was about how to train you anaerobic vs. aerobic systems. When I first started training with him, we learned through my lactate training that I was training my systems unevenly (too much anaerobic, not enough aerobic). By mixing in slower runs with the dreaded lactate threshold runs, I was able to even out my systems. Since I am a total number geek, I thought this was pretty cool. This year I...
-Cut approximately 1 minute off my 5k PR (21:45 to 20:49) at Moxie 5k
-2 minutes off my 10k PR (47:34 to 45:34) at B2B
-5 minutes off my half marathon PR (1:42 to 1:37:22) at Rail Trail 1/2
-10 minutes off my marathon PR (3:42 to 3:32:31) at the Hartford Marathon
Loving that pattern, but not going to try to PR every distance in 2014. This only happened this past year because I finally got myself into shape.
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| Trackies at Beach to Beacon. A PR for all of us on that day! |
Marathons: Three (well, two plus the 50k, although I only ran to the marathon split, then walked the last 5 miles of it). This will NOT happen again. Two is my absolute max for a year from now on. My body says no more. Well, my wallet really...but my body won't mind either.
Races Run: 23! I vowed last year to cut back...I did, but only by 1 "race". Oops. Maybe I can cut a few more out this coming year? I'll work on that...However, this did include 3 events I did not race (Color Run, Ryan's Trail Run and the Canicross) and the two relays..so...technically...
#1 Favorite Race of the Year: Hartford Marathon - hands down, favorite race - A PR, a BQ, and a great weekend! The course support at this event is unmatched. The pacers were so supportive, and the mentors on the bikes were awesome. Runners up include Lake Auburn Half, Rail Trail Half and of course, the Triple Crown 5k races. They were my first races, and therefore will always be near and dear to my heart.
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| Hartford Marathon <3 |
Best Non-"Race" Running Event: I had an ABSOLUTE blast running through the mud with Fenway at the Pineland Farms 5k canicross. I am pretty sure we came in 2nd to last (I am not a trail runner, let alone a muddy trail runner, and I had no intention on racing this event), but I had a blast. Not so sure Fenway did though..
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| Very mad at Mom. |
Least Favorite Race of the Year: Breakaway 5k. Not impressed. "Flat and Fast, Guaranteed PR" my ass. Now, with that being said, I didn't have an awful run - it is still one of my better 5k times...but it was HOT, unorganized, and the start was awful (I may have swore at people who lined up wrong at the beginning and almost caused a pile up - not my proudest moment). And, we had the genius idea to run this race in the middle of a 20 mile training run. Won't be doing that again...ever. And, despite my fail at the Providence Marathon this year (don't run a marathon with a flu-type bug/chest cold from hell), Breakaway still makes last for the year.
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| Surprising, Providence was NOT my least favorite race of the year.... |
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| But Breakaway DEFINITELY was...despite all of our wins! |
Races Volunteered: 7 - Race the Runways (FROZE my butt off working the finish line), Boston Marathon water stop mile 14 baby!, Bands on the Run 1/2 (door greeting at packet pickup = least fun race volunteer position ever...), all three Triple Crown Races, and, the most fun, the Pineland Farms 50k and 50 miler finish line in the mud. So. Much. Mud.
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| Race the Runways Frozen Volunteers |
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| Maine Track Club volunteers Boston Marathon water stop mile 14! |
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| Dave and Bill finish at Pineland in the MUD! |
Firsts: This year I participated in my first relays. Although they were fun, I can't exactly say they were my thing. Too much logistics. When I race, I want to wake up at the very last minute I can, arrive at race, run, and recover/eat.
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| 3rd place Female Team at Maine Marathon Relay |
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| MDI Relay |
Also, my first trail run. I am not a trail runner. I am not fast (that is a MAJOR understatement) or sure-footed on trails. But I do love them...and this particular race, Ryan's Trail Run for Suicide Prevention, was an amazing event, for an incredibly important cause...
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| Audrey, Melissa, Holly and I finish together... |
Sherpa of the Year Award/Race Plan FAIL: TIE - Alice/GCI and Jim/Rail Trail Half!
1. Blah, blah, blah, blah never try something new on race day, blah, blah, blah. You would think that someone who has raced for years would know this. Nope. I decided to try out a new fuel belt for the Rail Trail half in June, a race that I REALLY wanted to PR on. I did, but only because I had an AMAZING sherpa who not only put positive thoughts in my ear for 13.1 miles AND also held my fuel belt bottles that kept falling out. THANK YOU JIM!
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Look closely and you'll see Jim carrying my stupid bottles through the finish!
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2. Who else would be crazy enough to accompany me on a 3 hour drive + 20 minute ferry ride across the ocean to run back and forth 7.5 times on an island, and "accidentally" run the marathon distance in the process? Love ya Alice!
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| Waiting for the Ferry |
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| CAW! |
GCI also gets best race plan fail because somehow, I ended up STARVING by mile 16. I may have thought that I've experienced RUNGER before, but until then, I had not. I was so hungry, I stopped after the marathon split (I figured at that point, I was ok with running a sub 4 hour marathon and would walk away with that positive and screw the 50k time), got my wallet from camp, and went to the island store to get ice cream. Clearly, it was a good choice. Alice walked the last 5 miles with me (as I ate ice cream, pretzels, more crap that I can't remember) and then we headed back to the store for dinner.
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| Milk was a GOOD choice... |
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| FEED ME! |
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| Ice cream and Chips...the eats of really successful ultra-marathoners...or not... |
Highlight of the Year: Getting that hard-earned Boston Qualifying time at Hartford. I cried the whole way through the chute and cried while hugging and thanking the 3:30 pacer profusely. I wasn't able to stay with him in the last 2 miles, but his words rang in my ears for those two miles when I was really struggling to hang on to anything that resembled a run.
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Hartford <3
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Favorite Photo of the Year: Or maybe just the most ridiculous photo of the year. Tie between...
1. Color Run...
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This is what happens as a result of getting to an event 10 minutes
after the gun starts and being driven on a ATV backwards on the course
to meet the "colorful" Bride-to-be! |
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| Tuesday Night Trackies at Lake Auburn Half |
Here's to a 2013 that was full of memories, PR's and pushing the limits, and a 2014 of new adventures!
I think I had as much fun reading this post as you had writing it :)
ReplyDeleteHere's to a banner 2014!!