Shiny New PRs
This was the year of the PR for me!
PR #1: Martian Half-Marathon, 1:55:56, Dearborn, MI
I had SUCH a good time doing this race (read it here). Actually, the whole darn weekend was great. The kiddo and I flew to Detroit to hang out with ODP, Kdot and my nieces, and sneak in this little 13.1. It was borderline cold for spectators, but perfect race weather. The course is pretty flat, with just a few rolling hills. Aside from a snafu in placing the turn-around point, the race was well-organized and went off without a hitch. Plus, I got to meet a bunch of the bloggers I've been following for a while.
PR #2: March of Dimes 5k, 24:13
I entered this race on a whim and had a blast, but I KNOW I can totally smash this PR. It was windy as all get out and was a fairly hilly course (read it here). Plus, I was hardcore in marathon training mode, so not focused at all on running shorter distances. But, I'm glad I did it, and I won an award and everything!
PR #3: Cleveland Marathon, 4:16:07
If you've been reading my blog for long, you know this race (read it here) absorbed a huge part of my brain for much of the year, for reasons good and bad. I trained harder than I ever had, I PRed by over 11 minutes, and I met more awesome bloggers, but I made some key strategic fueling mistakes that cost me. Live and learn! I'll be back with a vengeance post-baby on this PR!
PR #4: Mileage
Ok, so not a PR in the traditional sense, but a PR nonetheless. As of today, I'm at 830.4 miles for 2011, or 100 miles more than last year. I'm especially proud of this because I spent just about half of the year pregnant. Woot!
Rave Runs
This year I also ran in some of the most gorgeous places ever--Southwest Virginia, multiple places in West Virginia, Salt Lake City, and Miami. The image that has stuck with me is, naturally, of the place that has meant the most in my life, Spruce Knob.
My craziest run of the year was certainly at Snowshoe though, where I accidentally ran waaaaay the heck down the mountain and ended up at the bottom of the ski lift. People were looking at me like I was absolutely crazy as I slowly ran my way back up.
Products Discovered
The longer I spend loving my life as a runner, the more fabulous running gear I discover. (Sidebar--I've been running for 15 years!! How the crap did that happen?!?) Things I've fallen in love with this year:
- Pace bands
- Nathan Handheld
- Balega Hidden Comfort socks
- Chick Bands (way cheaper than Sweaty Bands and work just as well!)
- Arm sleeves
- Maternity running tops
Other Highlights (in no particular order)
- I lost 15 pounds in the first four months of the year. I actually weighed the same this Christmas (at almost 6 months pregnant) as I did last Christmas. This is going to make it so much easier to get back into non-maternity clothes faster after baby comes.
- The biggest news of the year, finding out I was expecting!
- Getting 3 more rooms of our house painted, getting more settled in, and building our set of local friends.
- Becoming a running pusher for my friend Kayla, including getting to sherpa her through her first trip to a real running store.
- Many great visits from friends throughout the year.
- Our beyond fabulous vacation to Virginia/West Virginia in July. As our first vacation in 2 years, it was very needed and much appreciated. The running wasn't bad either.
- Volunteering at RnR StL in October.
Goals for 2012
You know I love goals. Plans. Structure.
- First and foremost, a healthy birth for my baby boy sometime late March or early April.
- To rock the face off a 5k sometime in the fall.
- To NOT enter anything longer than a 10k until the new baby turns 1. That's right. I will not be entering any half- or full marathons next year. Does this make me a little sad? Yes. But I also know that it is just too much with a new baby and a more than full-time job. But...I'm already thinking about some late spring 2013 races that just might have my name on them...stay tuned as I fantasize.
- Lose the baby weight, or at least get under my Christmas 2010 weight before Christmas 2012.
- A whole host of personal and professional goals that I won't make you read. :)
6 comments:
You will rock this next year. Im so impressed with your energy...post baby that might change. But I bet not for long.
A 2011 to remember full of wonderful events! I am very glad.
I bet that you will not limit your race distance at 10 km.
I wish a great 2012 to you and your family (and of course to the new future runner).
Happy New Year!
You have had a truly awesome 2011. All of those PRs are just incredible. I can't wait to see what 2012 brings you!
Cleveland looks like a great race. It's on my list of to do races. I have been to Cleveland many times for work but not the race.
So glad for your great year, and here is to another starting up!
It has definitely been an exciting year and 2012 is sure to be awesome with the arrival of your new baby boy.
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