There have been a bunch of times since my last post (was that REALLY almost 2.5 years ago?) that I thought about re-starting this blog, but I never did. But today, I read through all my old posts and I feel like I'm from the future coming back to tell my former self "You did it! You worked really freaking hard and you achieved goals you never thought possible for yourself!" I'll start off with a recap of the major events that happened in my running life since last time.
Actually first, to update my last post, my form still sucks. Sorry. It just does.
Ok here we go:
November 20, 2011. I ran my first marathon in Philadelphia in 4:08:47.
May 27, 2012. I ran my second marathon in Burlington, VT, in 3:55:32 and didn't walk a step.
January 13, 2013. I ran the Walt Disney World Marathon in 3:35:01, missing the open women's Boston Marathon qualifying standard by one second. Who the hell even does that?!
In fact, my achievement (or more accurately, lack thereof) was special enough to be the subject of this Eagle Tribune story. I was devastated and knew I had to try again. After all, I'd written down the goal of Boston in 2014 on a piece of paper and taped it to my mirror and I'd told everyone who'd listen (willingly or not) that I was going to do it. Then, this happened.
The day had started out very normal. We visited the finish line, had Sam Adams 26.2 beers, and met up with Sisu Project teammates while we watched the race from Kenmore Square.
That day, the need to get to Boston in 2014 became especially urgent.
Thankfully, my goal was realized and incredibly improbable dream came true on May 26, 2013, when I returned to the Vermont City Marathon and ran 3:28:42, 6:18 under the time I needed. I was going to Boston, and I made sure to shout it as loud as I could after I finished. Since I was so spent, I sounded like a dying sheep but I didn't care.
I promptly left Burlington that day to drive to Louisville, Kentucky, of all places. I had been chosen to participate in a paid research program at the University of Louisville for 10 weeks so I was off on a grand adventure. I ran 4 races while I was out there- a 10 miler in Bell Buckle, Tennessee (it's exactly what it sounds like) sponsored by RC Cola and Moon Pie, a 1:38:04 PR half marathon in Chicago, a 5K across the river in Indiana, and a 4 miler at Slugger Field.
The most important experience I had out there, though, was meeting some great friends through Fleet Feet Louisville. I've always been a shy person and they made me feel at home in a new place. I miss them a lot and plan to visit sometime next year.
My training over the summer was in preparation for the Dumbo Double Dare in late August in Disneyland, which was a 10K on the first day and half marathon the next. I had done an identical double back in March and set my 10K PR (41:57), my strongest, in the process. But the activities leading up to the Disneyland portion of the trip basically burned me out and I didn't run well. I was fortunate enough to win my age group in the 10K, but the half marathon was a disaster. I realized my body was giving me red flags around mile 6 and I had to abandon my plan. I finished in one piece, but barely. But I was in Disneyland so screw it! It was still a blast.
So what am I doing NOW? Well, I'm supposed to be training for another go at the Disney Marathon (and then that whole Boston Marathon thing in April). The fall has been rocky and I've lacked motivation, but I had a great 18 mile run a few weeks ago followed by a near-PR half marathon in 7 degree weather (I was seriously waiting for Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal to pop up in the middle and warn me that I was about to freeze solid) the following week. There have been a lot of changes in my personal life lately that have made me do a lot of self-evaluation. In the next post, I'll talk about what my goals for next year are (SPOILER: they're NOT all running related!)
