2014

As 2014 is coming to an end, I am once again happy with my year.  I ran PR's in the mile, 5k, 4 miler, 5 miler, 10k, 15k, half marathon and marathon.  I also was able to remain injury free.  However with all these achievements I think the best thing I acquired this year was a better understanding of life and what is important.  No, not these PR's, but the good people in my life that running allowed me to create great memories with.  Meeting Lori for the first time at ROTG 4 miler, our annual post Delmar Dash party at the Dempy's, the distillery after OK 5k, seeing my cousin at the Boilermaker, meeting Katie O at Chris Thater, the multiple car trips with Emily, Vince, and Janne, shopping with my mother after Hartford, another trip to Cali for CIM, and the nail party and dance party at XC nats are just some of my favorite memories of 2014.

1.  PR's
2.  Health
3.  Team
4.  The amazing running community and support

PR's
Of course when you run PR's in every distance from the mile to the marathon you are going to be happy!  My focus this spring was the half marathon, where I was able to run a 3 minute PR (1:18:28), which was faster than I had hoped.  The marathon was my focus this fall, where I ran close to a 4 1/2 minute PR (2:45:44).  After the marathon I felt pretty good and decided to get back into training and try CIM in December to get the OTQ.  Training went pretty well, we focused primarily all on MGP and half MGP for workouts since I had just run a hard marathon.  I went into the race with the intention of dropping out if I wasn't going to make the OTQ.  There would be no point in damaging my legs, prolonging my recovery, if I wasn't going to make the standard.  I had already ran 2:45, which was my goal for the fall, but if I could do get the standard at Cali I wouldn't need to get back into training right away.  So I tried.  We went out fast.  The first mile was 6:00, then second mile 6:08 and stayed around there.  The 2:43 pace group realized this and slowed down, however, I just kept going.  I wasn't really sure what to do at that point, but the group was huge and kind of cumbersome to run with.  I went through the 10k faster than I wanted... the half exactly where I wanted, but it was started to feel uneasy.  I pulled out at mile 15, which I was okay with.  Sure, I still question if I would have gotten a second wind, but I think I made the right decision.  I was still under OTQ pace when I dropped out so at least I got in a good workout just under MGP.  I also felt like I was done mentally, physically and emotionally that day.  Not because of how my legs felt, but because I was almost burned out by this point in the year and WANTED a break.  So, I've been eating and drinking what I've wanted these past few weeks with very little running. :)

Health
I've stayed healthy all year!  Sure a few minor things here and there, but I've felt great.  I spent a lot of time foam rolling, using the stick, doing core exercises, recovery legs, massages, epsom baths and ice baths and it did the trick.  The only issue I had was my great toe, combination of my bunion and sesamoids.  These were things that clearly weren't the end of the world.  So my goal in 2015 is to continue doing all these preventative measures and to remain healthy!

Team
My teammates, both the men and women, have been awesome this year.  And not only my "racing" team which is Willow Street AC, but the racing teams in general.  I have logged more miles than ever this year and there were times when it was hard to run.  However, a group of our women run in the morning, which was awesome, and there were others in the evening.  Not only did I find members on my own team to run with, but the ARE (with 1200+ members) have been amazing.  There is always someone to run with in this area, which I love.  My teammates have all supported me through tough times and celebrated happy times with me.  We have had meaningless conversations while still half asleep in the morning and very meaningful conversations at other times.  Not only have we trained and run races together, but shared holidays, parties, birthdays, shopping trips, food, drink and are about to welcome the birth of one of our teammate's baby.  Aside from the good times we've had, these team members have been influential to me.  From the working mothers that wake up and get out of bed to be at every morning workout, to the master runners who are setting PR's, to the 8 1/2 month pregnant woman still going to the gym, and the collective, intelligent, level-headed women who represent the team well, I am thankful for.

The Community
Countless times I would be doing a workout on the track and members from different clubs would be cheering and encouraging me.  The numerous people that have wished me luck and have wanted me to do well, I have thought about your support throughout my races.  This has been a year when I realized there are people out there that don't want you to do well, but that there are WAY more people out there that do want you to succeed.  Thus, wasting my time over a few people is not only rude to the hundreds that have been nothing but great, but not worth it.  If it weren't for the support from the running community and my family, it would have been harder to deal with some bad periods this year.  I hope you all know how much I appreciate your support!

2015
So what is next?!  My goal race this spring is the London Marathon.  My sister lives in London and my family will be traveling with me for the race, so I am excited!  London is known to be a fast course and is held the last weekend in April.  I am ready to tackle this training cycle hard, make sacrifices in my life, and work more diligently than ever.  I will run New Bedford Half Marathon in mid-March as a tune-up and run a hard effort 20 miler at Martha's Vineyard in February.  My friends are going to both MV20 and NB, which will make for some more great memories in 2015!

Happy New Year!