I sit here with the snow falling & a latte in hand, happy to finally have a free moment to close out 2015. The New Year is well underway, but not by much, so I feel like it’s a huge success getting this done before Little Christmas. I read a few yearly recaps on January 1st, but I am sure my fellow full-time working moms can relate to my “delay”. Ha!
Last year, I did a full recap on 2014 {you can read about that here}. It was fun to reminisce about the prior year & take a trip down memory lane. I plan to do this annually, so be prepared.
January started off with a bang, running an 8K {Frozen Booty} only three days into the New Year. This was a small, local race, hosted by the local Moms Run This Town (MRTT) chapter leader. It was held on a rainy Saturday morning & despite some confusion with the course route, I managed to come up only a few seconds short of my 8K PR & finished 5th overall. I also continued to coach one-on-one, as well as have a Shamrock Running Club during the start of the year. My workout log for January also included a few yoga sessions & Barre classes. The only other “race” {more of a training run really} was the Tidewater Striders Distance Series 10-miler – no PR for this one, but always a nice out & back run at Dismal Swamp.
February brought about more training runs & my highest mileage month ever—despite being the shortest month of the year. Many miles were logged on the dreaded treadmill, thanks to an unusually snowy winter. On the initial day of the month, I ran my only race for February—the GameDay 10K. Just like in 2014, I happily PR’d. And I also place in my age group. I don’t care how fast I get, placing & having your name called will never get old! We also celebrated a birthday in February, when my website & blog turned ONE!
Just like every other year, March in Hampton Roads means one thing to runners: Shamrock weekend! 2015 was no different. My coaching group did GREAT with their training & most of them earned big PRs on race day! I had 11 runners complete varying distances that weekend & I was one VERY proud coach!! Shamrock brought about a half marathon PR for me as well, but the real race for me in the 3rd month of the year was the Falcon 5K. I broke a more than 14-month old PR & finally finished with sub-23 on the race clock—I hope to shatter this PR sometime soon!
In April, I headed up to DC with my running partner Julie & together, we ran the Cherry Blossom 10-miler. This was my only race for the month. It was a fun weekend getaway with a dear friend, & such a nice treat to have uninterrupted conversations {she is a fellow mom of 2}, as well as eat out at yummy restaurants. No PR was set—mainly due to a change in the course route {shortened distance}, but also because I just wasn’t feeling IT on race morning.
May was a busy month. I ran 2 local races {Lee’s Friends Run on the Wild Side 5K & Elizabeth River Run 10K} without PRs set at either, but I continued to be happy & healthy that I could even run! The highlight from a running perspective was the 200+ mile Colonial Relay adventure that I embarked upon, along with 11 other mommas from the local MRTT group. It was exhausting, exhilarating, & fabulous—all at the same time. Personally though, the trip to Arizona—initially for a work conference, but then for relaxing when the hubster joined—was the highlight of May. We celebrated our anniversary & enjoying shopping, eating, & relaxing sans twins.
In June, my calendar clicked another year older. Beach days began & I happily embraced how much easier those summer days can be since the boys can now carry their own gear & are more aware of water. Running brought about the inaugural Miles for Multiples 5K, in which I finished 1st overall, as well as the CHKD Run/Walk for the Kids 8K. Neither were PRs, but both were memorable. The latter of those 2 races is my favorite annual race. It was a HOT day & many people talked about how tough the conditions were—I agreed. However, I somehow ended up placing in my age group, which may sound silly, but at that particular race, had been a huge goal & accomplishment!
Oh July, how do you suck for runners in the South. Heat & humidity is not my friend. As the snow continues to fall while typing this, I am smiling ear-to-ear because MY cold weather season is officially here! The 7th month of the year is always fun for the local running community, as we get to enjoy a group run/race every Tuesday night at the Botanical Gardens, hosted by the Tidewater Striders {Summer Series}. The first 3 weeks are more “fun”, with the final week bringing about an officially timed 5K. No PR set, but I was impressed with my time considering the weather. I also began training for my 2nd marathon this month, while nursing a sore/strained shin.
Still with that sore shin, I somehow logged my second highest mileage month ever in August—albeit mostly slow easy summer running. I searched high & low for a race that would fit into my schedule—still keeping up with my one race per month streak—settling on the ECSC 5K. Running along the boardwalk of VA Beach in August rarely drops a PR into your hat, & this race was no different. However, it does afford you the opportunity to hang out in a bikini post-race, & jump into the water with your kiddos. Score! This month also brought about the tough decision to put my official coaching on hold, so that I could focus on my little family. It was a decision that has proven to be the correct one.
In September, I logged just under 200 miles {highest to date, a record that won’t be broken anytime soon!}. I only ran one race, & that was enough. Stupid humidity. The annual VA Beach Rock ‘n Roll half marathon did not disappoint & presented its’ usual icky race {yes, I know, some people love the heat & humidity—I am just NOT one of them!}. So happy I registered for just the 5K in 2016! Marathon training continued—which meant lots of long slow miles.
I had just one goal for running in October. The 40th annual Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). A PR was set & I was elated. I didn’t reach the Plan A goal, but that didn’t matter one bit. I can officially say I now know what “the wall” feels like. Coincidently enough, I believe feeling that “wall” has been influential in my more recent running/racing, which I greatly appreciate. I did not however enjoy it at the time it was happening. Ha! The Wicked 10K was a second race for the tenth month of the year—no PR, but a GREAT time as I enjoying being dressed as a minion & accompanying the twins to the finish line of their 2nd race ever. Happy momma!
I spent a good amount of November recovering from the marathon in the month prior. That resulted in my only month of the year with less than 100 miles logged (99.77 to be exact, so just barely). I also reflected upon my marathon training, running in general, family life, & life in general—all while planning “where do I go from here”. The highlight of running definitely was completing the coast-to-coast races {USA Half Marathon Invitation & Harbor Lights Half Marathon} in 24 hours—alongside my dear friend Kerry. We had a blast! A memory I won’t ever forget. My fall running club also concluded, which was quite bittersweet. Although it was a shorter race, I did also log the longest race at which I have ever pushed the double stroller—the Tidewater Striders Turkey Trot 10K, which occurred on Thanksgiving morning. The boys had a blast & I enjoyed running with 2 of my good friends.
The final month of the year presented only one opportunity to race—the Tacky Sweater 5K. I had no real goals for this race, but of course, a PR is always hoped for. I came very close, finishing with my 2nd fastest 5K time ever. That elusive 5K PR gets tougher & tougher the longer you run; but always remember if your goals aren’t tough, they aren’t big enough! December also began the training for my 3rd marathon: the 10th annual Tokyo Marathon in Japan!
As I reflect on 2015, I am happy to have completed my 5th year of running. If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be easily logging 30+ miles per week, I would have called you a straight up liar. If you would have told me that I could feel more fit & stronger post-babies than I did pre-babies, I would have told you total B.S. But it is true. The more I log & push my body to the limits, the stronger I feel & the more I want to see what I am truly capable of.
I ran lots of miles last year, more than 35 per week on average, which to some isn’t a lot, but to me, is a great improvement. I set out with a goal of 1,560 miles, which are exactly 30 miles per week. I finished with nearly 300 more miles above the original goal. I am damn proud of this accomplishment. It isn’t always easy, but the rewards are great! I earned PRs in the 5K, 10K, half marathon, & marathon distance, which was no small feat.
Moving forward, I have shifted my focus for my present training & upcoming marathon. Although I PR’d at the MCM, I was left with a feeling of “what more can I do to feel stronger those last few miles”. I am hoping the answer is what I have begun during this last month.
Reflecting back, when I ran the Richmond Marathon in 2014, I trained on very few miles (27/week average). But I did a fair amount of strength work & weekly speedwork. For MCM, I trained with higher miles (40/week average). But I did nearly zero strength work & only 4 speed sessions. Do you see where I am going with this?!
So, for my 3rd marathon, I am seeking the right balance. It’s time for some definition in these arms & a six-pack on my abs. Joking, kind of… but I wouldn’t argue if those results happened! So what is the “fix”? Well, I have begun training with a personal trainer once a week & taking a weekly yoga class. Along with a weekly group exercise class at the Y each week, I hope this equation along with moderate mileage is the ticket to success. Attending the weekly speedwork hosted by Running Etc. on Tuesday nights has also been an addition to my running plan. I am doing a lot of workouts early & while the boys are at school, so that my time with the family does not suffer during training. My career is also keeping me busy right now, as the census at work is higher than usual for this time of the year & staffing is sometimes always challenging. I am not upset though—I have to somehow fund this Japanese adventure of mine!
My goal, resolutions if you will, for 2016 are this: 1) strongly finish the Tokyo Marathon, 2) focus the rest of the year on maintaining the strength I hope to develop, 3) work on becoming speedier at the shorter distance, 4) spend more time with my boys while getting the twins into some extracurricular activities.
I hope the New Year brings about hope, health, prosperity, & PRs to all of my readers & friends. If our paths did not cross in 2015, I hope we can find some way to see each other in 2016! With the sun peeking through the clouds & the snow slowing down, I will, like last year, end this blog post with a few fun stats on the year. Enjoy!
Total Mileage: 1,855.52 miles (35.7 miles/week on average)
# of Races: 21 (my FAVORITE number!)
Shortest Run: 1-miler during the Summer Series
Longest Run: Marine Corps Marathon
# of Running Clubs: 2 – hardest running decision of the year was to put these on hold in 2016
Most Memorable Race: Toss-up between the half marathon in San Diego & the relay adventure
Most Sought After PR: Breaking into 22:xx for the 5K, accomplished with Falcon 5K
Leave a Reply