2012–The Year In Running

The last day of the year, a perfect time to look back and see where and what I ran this year.

I did 9 races!  I didn’t realize I had done that many.

In February I did my first trail race, which was a 10K and not one of my favorite races, but I’m glad I did it.  Now I can say I did a trail race.

In April I had two big races – the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and the Ocean City MD Half Marathon, which was my first “real” half marathon (the previous one was a virtual race, and therefore not really a race).  I really enjoyed both of those races, and I would like to do them again in 2013.  The Cherry Blossom has a lottery and I didn’t get in, but there is a bib exchange in February so I can try again then.  And my friend with the beach house in Ocean City is already planning on a half marathon weekend (she doesn’t run, but she is the best fan ever!)

May saw my worst 5K ever, wow, that was a disaster.  It was a beautiful day, with a really hilly course, like 13 hills in 3 miles.  But it was for a good cause, and everyone has a bad day.

Then July 4th I had my best 5K since 2009, a race I have done every year since I started running.  It is the Potomac Autism race, held only a couple of miles from my home and all of the neighbors run or walk, even Mr. Lemon.

I was training for my next half marathon over the summer, and that took place at the beginning of September, which happened to be the one year anniversary of my cancer surgery.  The race was tough at the end because I got a little too fast in the middle miles, but it is a really nice race through Rock Creek Park.

Also in September I started coaching the beginning 5K training program in our county running club, which was great fun.  As practice for our 5K we did a cross country race in October, which was my first cross country race.  My time was awful, I had a bad case of achilles tendenitis and was in physical therapy, but it was a fun race.

Also in October I took the RRCA coaching certification program, and I am now a certified running coach! 

November was the month for the 5K that we had been training for, and it wasn’t a bad race for me.  But it was sad because it was the last time I saw one of my best friends (that is her up above in the half marathon photo) as she moved to California that very afternoon after the race.  It is hard to find friends who like to both run and drink.  Here is our whole pace group:

My last race of the year was on Thanksgiving, the Turkey Chase 10K, which is a fun race, but seems to be getting more and more crowded every year.

And in perhaps the most exciting new running adventure, I am now the Program Director for the Galloway running program in my county!  And not only that, but they invited me to the program director meeting in Houston, TX in February!  Which means they pay my airfare and hotel and I get to hang out with running program directors for three whole days.  Wow.

And another exciting thing happened this week – I am now a blogger for an online magazine, Jennings Wire.  You can read my first blog post here.

Have a happy new year everyone, and I’ll see you in 2013!