2012 Year in Review and 2013 Goals

On December 2nd I ran what I thought would be an 8K. It turned out to actually be a 9K thanks to being in the woods. The race director even changed the name to accommodate the distance.

It was cold but I got hot chocolate and chili afterwards. Plus my family cheering squad was there and there's nothing I love more than crossing the finish line with Jack watching and telling me to go!

I hadn't run in 4 weeks, since the above 9K, and I knew I needed to get back to it. I ran 3.5 miles in the snow on Saturday. It was great except for when I fell and banged my knee. It felt okay and I was able to keep going, but last night Jack bumped it and it's sore today. I'm not too worried about it though and I'm planning to run tomorrow.

The 9K turned out to be my last race of 2012, bringing my total to 10 for the year. I ran 2 half marathons, 3 10K's, 1 9K, 1 5-Miler, 2 5K's, and a 1-Miler. I know I'll be running a lot more than that in 2013 and I'll even be starting the year off with a New Year's 5K! I calculated my total distance for 2012 and I ran 399.65 miles. I also walked 56.63 miles for a total of 456.28. Not bad! May was my best month with 74.33 miles.

I'm not going to have crazy goals for 2013. My main goal is to run at least 500 miles. I also have a busy racing schedule and I want to successfully finish those races plus whatever other ones I decide to do. I want to do 24 races, which would be 2 every month. So far I'm planning on doing a few club races in January and February and then come March I'm really in for it. Here's what I've gotten myself into:

March 16th- Rock n' Roll Half Marathon
April 7th- Cherry Blossom 10-miler
April 28th- Nike Half Marathon

That's 2 half marathons and a 10-miler all within 6 weeks! And if I'm really crazy, I'm going to run another half on May 5th, just 1 week after Nike. Since that one isn't a lottery or at risk of filling up I decided to wait and see how I feel. I think I'm going to need a medal display for all my bling!

I'm still doing various Jillian Michaels DVD's, mainly Ripped in 30, and I'll continue to do them. I did her Extreme Shed and Shred the other night and it was intense! It's a 2 part workout and you can do 1 or both parts. I opted to do both parts, making it a 60+ minute workout. I'm going to save that one for the weekends when I have more time; it's definitely worth it!

I'm not where I thought I'd be but I'm moving in the right direction. 2012 changed me as a runner. I ran my first and second half marathons, ran farther in 1 month than I ever had before, gained confidence and courage, and changed my attitude. The holidays and cold weather have set me back a little, but I'm not making excuses and I'm not giving up. I'm going to move forward. I hope 2013 is ready for me!!

November Foodie Pen Pals Reveal!

November was my second month participating in the Foodie Pen Pals program and I'm hooked! I had a lot of fun putting together my box this month and I loved what I got. I sent a box to Heather at In Her Chucks and you can see what I sent her here. 

This month my box came from Lindsay at Itz Linz. Everything came from Trader Joe's. In case you didn't know, Trader Joe's is one of my most favorite places. There's one about a half mile from my office and I go regularly on my lunch break. The crazy thing is that I had never tried any of the things Lindsay sent me! 

Here's what I saw when I opened the box:

The first thing I noticed was the Roasted Coconut Chips. I've been eyeing these in the store but hadn't picked any up. I was so excited to see them in my box! They're delicious and not like anything I've tried before. I think they would be great as an ice cream topper. :)

Here's what I got:

2 other things I've been wanting to try are the Cranberry Apple Butter and Pecan Praline Granola. I seriously did a happy dance when I saw them! I still haven't opened either one since we were out of town for a few days for Thanksgiving, but any day now I'll be trying them out and loving them.

I love snack bars and am a bit partial to Lara Bars. I didn't know too much about KIND bars but I immediately tore open the cranberry almond one (not pictured). It was delicious!! I'll definitely be buying more! I was also excited to see the Candy Cane Green Tea. I was even more excited to see that it's decaf. I don't drink coffee and when I do, I only drink decaf. So this is great! And perfect to enjoy while wrapping Christmas gifts. :)

Also in the above picture is Roasted Seaweed Snack. An unusual treat that I was happy to try.

Lindsay also sent "17 Bean & Barley Mix" that I can't wait to make this weekend! I love making (and eating!) soup and this time of year there's nothing I love more than a bowl of warm, hearty soup. Jack also loves soup so we'll definitely be enjoying this!

Last but not least, she sent a Burt's Bees Lip Balm. What a nice treat especially for the dry, winter months. And I love the way it smells!

Thank you for an awesome FPP box, Lindsay!

For the month of December Foodie Pen Pals is going to be for charity (awesome idea!). Please go to The Lean Green Bean for all the info. And if you want to sign up to send and receive a box of goodies in January, you can sign up after December 18th. I'll definitely be signing up! 

Potomac River Run Half Maraton Race Recap

I'm only a week late posting this but better late than never, right? On Sunday November 18th, I ran my 2nd half marathon. I was nervous and unsure but also really excited. I left Jack and Sidney at home (it was pretty cold and the only shelter was in the car) and got there with plenty of time to spare.

Packet pickup was at a picnic shelter and the start of the race was a little walk away on the towpath, which is also where the race took place. It ended up being an out and back- 6.5 miles out, turn around, and come back to finish. The runners doing the full marathon had to do 2 out and backs. I can't even imagine!

There weren't very many runners and once we got started and everyone spread out, I was last. There wasn't a single person behind me. I tried not to think about it and reminded myself I needed to run my race and keep a pace that was comfortable for me. I was pretty sure I'd have to walk at some point and I knew it would be a difficult race (not the terrain but my lack of preparedness). I just wanted to take it easy.

It was a beautiful run. On one side we had the C&O Canal and on the other side was the Potomac River. There were other people out walking dogs or doing their own runs. It was great. There weren't any clocks, mile markers, or other distractions.

I was so happy to see the turn around point. There was someone there recording bib numbers so no one could cheat and turn around sooner. It was a manually recorded but electronically recognized timing system. There was also a gentleman with bowls of oranges and bananas as well as water and coke. I took some water and an orange slice, finished, and was on my way. That ended up being the only time I stopped. I never walked like I had expected to!

The last few miles seemed to take forever. I had had some Shot Blocks, but I was hungry. I was tired and really wanted to see the finish. I kept thinking about the pizza that they said would be there after the race. I couldn't wait for a slice of pizza! Somewhere in the last mile I increased my speed. After a while I cursed, wondering where the finish line was. I was afraid I had sped up too soon. I just kept going, knowing it would end eventually.

As soon as I caught a glimpse of the finish, I did what I do best and let go. I gave it all I had and finished strong. The clock said 2 hours, 43 minutes. I wasn't sure what the seconds were but I knew it was close to beating my previous time. I couldn't believe it! I was handed my medal- my first (last time I got a necklace) and went searching for the pizza. There were 2 empty boxes and a 3rd box with one slice left! I grabbed it and enjoyed that cold slice all the way to the bathroom. But then it dawned on me...there were still a lot of runners out there doing the full marathon. I really hope they were planning on getting more pizza for them!

I ended up finishing ahead of 3 other women doing the half. I might start out slow but I finish strong!

Here's a pic I took before the race. I feel like I have a weird look on my face but I was freezing!

My first medal:

 And my official race photo:

I'll definitely run this race in May if I don't get into the Nike Women's Half in DC the week before. I don't know if I want to do back-to-back half marathons, especially when I'm also doing one in March. We'll see! Either way it'll be a busy and awesome spring!

10 mile run

This past Saturday I set out for my 10 mile run. I knew it would take me over 2 hours to complete and I had mentally prepared myself. I had an audiobook on my iPhone, Sport Beans and Clif Shotbloks in my pouch, and water and Gatorade in my bottles. I headed out around 10:30am.

At about half way I stopped at a community center to use the bathroom. I also took a few very short walking breaks, which is something I never do! I ran very slowly, around a 13:00 mile, but my legs felt like they were going to give out on me. I had a few minor aches and pains and I didn't want to risk injury so I just took it nice and easy. It was one of the hardest runs I've ever done.

Like I said, I was mentally prepared for this run and having an audiobook really helps on my long solo runs. But physically it was challenging. I pushed through and finished in 2 hours, 11 minutes. I was so happy when it was over!

Here I am before starting out:

After showering and icing my legs for a few minutes, I enjoyed a rewarding lunch at Elevation Burger with my family. Definitely worth it! :)

Last night I was able to join a group for an easy 4 mile run. They run every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. After Thanksgiving I'm going to try and join them on Saturdays, but it's hard for me to go during the week. Sidney works most nights and I won't take Jack out in the cold. He ended up being off last night and I was able to get in 1 last run before the half.

It was great! I've gotten so used to running by myself that I had almost forgotten how nice it is to run with others. I kept a good pace and afterwards I felt like I could've kept going. The 10 mile run made me nervous but I got my confidence back last night. I know I'm going to be fine on Sunday. And dare I say I'm actually looking forward to it?!

I Must Be Crazy

I told you all that I ran a lot in October. In fact, it was my best month in the 6 years I've been running. So good that I might be ready to run a half marathon in less than 2 weeks? Depends on your definition of ready. It doesn't matter because on a whim, I signed up for a race that's on November 18th. Yes, a half marathon less than 2 weeks away. I must be crazy.

I did run a 10K, then an 8 mile run, then another 10K all in the last 3 weeks. And I felt great and still do. I'm on week 4 of Ripped in 30 and I really think that it has helped to make me a stronger runner. But 13.1 miles when the most I've run in 3 months is 8 miles?

I'm planning on doing a 10 mile training run this weekend and I'll just run the half with finishing as my only goal. The most I ran before my first half was 11 so I definitely think it's doable. No matter what, I'll be finishing my 2nd half marathon in less than 2 weeks!!

So why did I decide to run this race? I got an e-mail listing upcoming races in my area and it caught my attention. According to the race website it's "the easiest marathon in America". It's a Boston Marathon qualifier, although that means nothing to me. It's supposed to be an almost totally flat, out 'n' back course. Because there will be a full marathon going on as well, I'll have 6 hours to finish. Definitely doable! They're only accepting 350 entrants so it's not going to be overly crowded. Despite my "late" registration, the entry fee wasn't too steep. I'll get a technical shirt, goodie bag, post race picnic, and even a finisher certificate and printed results mailed to me. And the best part? I'll get my first medal!! That right there sealed the deal!

This Potomac River Run Marathon is apparently held every spring, with the 10th one scheduled for next May. They're holding a special 91/2th one now in memory of Dean Shulman who I think worked with the Safety and Health Foundation, the company putting on the race. They're also giving anyone who was entered to run the NYC Marathon a $20 discount. In case you didn't know, it was scheduled for last week and was cancelled due to the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy.

I'm excited and a bit nervous, but I've done it before and I know I can do it again! My only real concern for this race is the weather. I hope it isn't freezing! We're expecting nice weather for this weekend so at least my 10 mile run should be a pleasant one. Fingers crossed!