Last week I reviewed how I did with my 2014 goals. This week I'm focusing on the good stuff--running! I started seriously running last fall, so this was my first full year of running seriously. And what a year it's been! I've had highs, lows, laughter, and tears. It's all good though. I'm proud of what I've accomplished this year and excited for my journey to continue in 2015.
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| At my goal race half marathon in October |
This year I ran 8 races, more than I've run in any year (I previously ran 5 from 2011-2013) and had PRs in the 5K, 10K, and half marathon distances. I have an old Garmin and can't get my mileage totals, but I tried to manually add up my miles from this blog and my paper running log. I'm sure there's some error, but I calculated 935 miles for the year! That is more than double the 430 miles in 2013!
2014 started with training to run a sub-30 5K. I unknowingly picked a course with a long, steep hill in it, and my soul was crushed when I discovered it in a training run a few weeks before the race. Goodbye, sub-30. But I showed up for the Just a Short Run 5K in March and gave it all I had. I finished in 30:06. I didn't meet my goal but was thrilled that I'd come so close when I didn't think there was any way I could. It was my second 5K and a big PR over my first 5K time of 32:48.
I volunteered at my first race, the Pittsburgh Marathon. I was at the finish line, and it was a great experience.
I trained for a 10K and finished in 1:04 at the Man Up Father's Day 10K in June. It was my first 10K so an automatic PR.
I completed my first running streak, running at least one mile a day between Memorial Day and July 4.
I ran my first race with my husband, the Liberty Mile race in August. It was the first time I've ever tried to run a fast mile, and it was the hardest race I've ever done! My lungs were burning so bad it was like running through a burning building with fire and smoke. My throat hurt and I was coughing for a week afterward! My husband, who doesn't like running to begin with and who had been running occasionally that summer, had a similar experience, and he hasn't run since that race. The race destroyed him, ha ha! We both finished 6th in our age group. But because my group had more runners, I actually did better percentage-wise....which is huge because he's a naturally fast runner.
I trained for my goal race, the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon. This was my third half marathon and the first with a time goal. I was so stressed and nervous the week before the race that I cried at work during a team meeting. Race anxiety was a problem for me all year. :-( While I could have done better, I was happy with my performance and earned a 9-minute PR, finishing in 2:28.
I joined the Steel City Road Runners and did some of my first group runs and also started running with a fellow blogger, Amanda from Crazy Cat Lady Runner. It has been so much fun running with Amanda, plus running with people makes the miles go so quickly. I'm so happy to have a running buddy!
Amanda and I ran a 5K in October around and through the Pittsburgh Zoo, and it was there that I broke 30 minutes, finishing in 29:31 on a hilly course. Amanda also got a huge PR, finishing in a little over 28 minutes. This was definitely my best and most favorite race from the year!
I also started running with my greyhound Django, and we did our first race together when he ran the first .6 miles of the Turkey Trot with me.
I ran in four states other than Pennsylvania--West Virginia, New York, Minnesota, and Colorado--while on weekend trips and vacations.
Last, but certainly not least, I started this blog and met so many awesome people not only in the Pittsburgh running community but from the whole blogosphere. You have all inspired me, motivated me, given me great advice and support, made me laugh, made me empathize in our not-great running moments, and in general have proven to me that runners are the best people!
I look forward to an awesome 2015 for all of us!Labels: 2014, year in review
