Seriously time flies by faster and faster.
It was not a stellar racing year for me. Not if you gauge success by PRs. However PRs were not among my goals. My goals were to have fun, do more destination races and meet more running friends. Check, check and check!
Race Totals:
- 1 marathon
- 6 half marathons
- 3 5k
- 1 198 mile relay
- 1 mud run
- 4 destination races
- 5 race/girls’ weekends
- 8 states
- 2 AG awards (both 5k)
- 3 Kombucha glasses acquired: MCM, Ragnar, RnR Denver
Best Race Experience: Marine Corps Marathon. Ironic because I ran a PW and had an injury laced training cycle. Despite arriving at the starting line with a single 16 miler under my belt, I brought my mental game and managed to enjoy myself (until mile 22 at least), even when the going got tough in those last grueling miles.
Best Run: I think I just had it yesterday. A 6 mile progression run. It snowed (finally) the entire way and was extraordinarily bleak and overcast. But my feet were light and I felt at peace.
Best Running Advice: You have to run faster to get faster. I know this. I say this. Yet, chalk it up to injury, Vitamin D Deficiency, old age, whatever, I slipped into a habit of not doing it and my speed faded away. I’m not sure I’ll ever see my old paces, but I do believe I can be faster than I am right now.
Injuries: The notorious strained Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL) and ornery diva calf.
Favorite Gear: A tie between calf sleeves and topical magnesium. Both worked miracles on my strained calf.
New Distances/Experiences:
- Relay!
- Mud run!
- Girls On the Run!
Favorite Race Bling: You see it above in the bottom row. My MCM medal. I adore it so much I wanna have dangly, spinning earrings made to match…or a belly ring (as if).
Sum up your year in a few words. There’s life after PRs. So. Much. More.
How did your running year shake out? What’s on tap for 2013?
Handful Bra Winner!
Congrats to Michelle of Running with Attitude! Please contact me and I’ll get you hooked up with your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered and to the girls at Handful for sponsoring! Aspaeris Pivot Shorts and Sunglasses from Sunglasses Shop are still up for grabs.
Wow, what an amazing year you should be incredibly proud!
Injuries or no injuries you had a great year! So much good stuff!
And thanks for the giveaway!! I’ll shoot you an email 🙂
love this post! you’ve definitely had a fulfilling year 🙂
Happy belated birthday! And what a great year you had. I’m so glad you’re through the injuries and had your best run yesterday! I just went and put my calf sleeves on after reading this. Must keep that shin pain from returning!
I’m planning to get my recap up this week, with a link up for anyone else to share theirs, too. It’s always fun reflecting on the year’s highs and lows.
What a great year. You go girl!
Considering everything youhad to deal with, that is one successful year!
You were a busy lady this year! I especially love that you got in five girls’ getaways in the mix–that’s the way to race!
And from one girl w/ no PRs this year to another, I wholeheartedly agree that there’s more to life than PRs.
Oh lookie, it’s me many times in those pictures. That makes me smile. I hope 2013 hold at least one, if not more, Thelma and Louise adventures together. And I KNOW they are not going to be as whiny as they were this year! 🙂
Congrats on an awesome 2012! I think racing is so much better if every race is not about a PR, and some are just about having fun 🙂
Looks like you had an incredible year of racing. If you do any races in NE Kansas let me know. (Unless it’s at the beginning of 2012 – I won’t be running yet, sadly.) I know Kansas City has a big marathon and half-marathon (I think it’s in October).
Looks like some excellent happenings. I love your life after PRs saying. Thank goodness for that.
VCM needs to be on your bucket list.
What an amazing running adventure! I would love to have a sport that takes me through such great times. Such great pics. And why not a belly ring 😉
What a great year! I’m glad you were able to run a few new distances! Don’t worry about speed, it will come back 🙂
My 2012 went pretty well, I’m disappointed I didn’t get my sub-2 hour half marathon but that’s now a goal for next year. Other than that and running a sub 4:45 marathon I should hit all of my running goals. I’m currently working on 1,000 miles only 23.75 to go!
Congrats to your Handful winner.
You had an AWESOME year! Whew!
Sounds like an awesome year!
I had a great running year after 3 terrible ones (for me). I was almost ready to quit racing and consider myself washed up. Instead after adding more x-training and more quality over quantity running, I ran almost as well as pre-injury. No PRs but my first BQ since 2008 and 7 of 8 half marathons under 1:40. Lots of AG awards in my new age group, too! Take that 40! (I agree that PRs are not everything and that you have to run fast to get faster!)
Good luck for a great 2013!
I’d count your year as a huge success. And you didn’t even mention picking up that young Marine – you cougar, you!
My year was a quest for good health. Only two incredibly slow races – a 10 and a half – but I ran them a lot better than I thought I would and my year’s finishing on a high note with a real chance of a much healthier 2013.
Congrats on the stellar year
I’d like to do some destination races in 2013 – any one in particular you’d recommend?
You had an awesome year! Congrats!
What a great year! You really did some races all over, too. What fun! I hear ya on the “run faster to get faster”. I hate speedwork or even tempo runs, but obviously I am not going to get new PR’s by doing slow steady runs all the time. Last year I kind of used 5k’s as speedwork, but not sure that was the best strategy. It was fun getting to know you!
It is ironic how sometimes our worst races can be the best and remind us why we love running. You had an exciting year, here’s to a great 2013!
MCM is also my favorite medal and one of my favorite races. Congrats on your great year! You learned a lot and had some incredible accomplishments. Wishing you all the best in 2013.