Some races I am already looking forward to running again...others, I forgot about shortly after posting to the blog...
What was the best of 2011? The worst? The most scenic?
Here is that list according to who else, but me! :)
The Year in Review
Favorite Race: Probably a tie between the More Fitness Women's Half Marathon in NYC, the Baltimore Half Marathon and the Philly Half Marathon...I also really like the Parks Half Marathon!
Least Favorite Race: The Philly Broad Street 10 Miler---TOO HOT! Bad shirt. (You'll see this again later!)
Most Scenic Race: Denver 5K--can't beat those Rocky Mountains!
Best Race (for Time): Philly Half Marathon and the Marine Corps 10K--both PRs.
Worst Race (for Time): The Broad Street 10 Miler--maybe the shirt was the hint....soooo hot that day! Terrible finishing time! :(
Worst Tshirt: Broad Street 10 Miler--what is up with that shirt??
Best Schwag: The Baltimore 10 Miler...I've heard it's the Annapolis 10 Miler shirt, but I still have yet to see it...four months AFTER finishing the race due to "technical printing difficulties!" At time of press, this is what was on the website's page:
Update on 2010 Premiums: As of 12/20, the premiums have been shipped from the manufacturer and are en route to the United States. We should know within the next day or two the expected delivery date to the US port and a clearer idea of the expected mailing date. Communications on the schedule from overseas has been difficult.
The Fairfax Four Miler has a pretty fancy sweatshirt that's right up there too so I will give that the Best Long Sleeve Shirt Award. And of course, the smurf-like blue Baltimore Half Marathon shirt---it wins the Best Short Sleeve Shirt... I like the National Half Marathon shirt too (in the short sleeve category).
Hardest Course: The Denver 5K because of the altitude---altitude is no joke!
Best Cheerleader: MARK! With the exception of the Parks Half Marathon, Mark either ran each race with me was there to cheer me on for the race! I couldn't have done this year without him! Thanks Mark!
Best Amy Support: Well, that would be ANY race that Mark was my cheerleader for! But the B&A Half Marathon where my Mom, Dad, Mark and Soba saw me on the trail several times! I also really loved the Boston Half Marathon where Mark and Jon met me along the course a few times and caught a photo finish for me!
Best Weather: In my opinion, I LOVED the Philly Half Marathon---37 degrees or so at the start, but didn't feel THAT cold! The Turkey Trot had great weather too! :) And the More Fitness NYC Women's Half--rain at in the high 30s/low 40s.
Worst Weather: Al Lewis 10 Miler--the snow was gorgeous, but definitely more treacherous toward the end---and the drive home wasn't as fun as it was pretty outside. Mark might argue that the weather at the More Fitness NYC Women's Half was worse---but I LOVED that weather! Mark suggests that the Jingle Bell was the worst---so much so that it required we run it on the treadmill later in the day! The heat kills me though too...so I could also make a case for the Broad Street Run and the Survivor Harbor 7.
Best Supportive Crowd: Baltimore Half Marathon--the crowd was fun and ever-present! Much appreciated!
Best Sign on Course: "If anyone tells you you're almost there before mile 25, punch them!" and "No one is making you do this"--the first from the Philly Half, the latter from the Baltimore Half.
Hottest Run: The Survivor Harbor 7 was the hottest temperature by the end of the race (and we started VERY early for that race)---but I could argue that it was also the Broad Street Run--it was 88 degrees without the heat index AND we had just come off of a few cool weeks so the heat seemed more intense!
Coldest Run: Al Lewis 10 Miler
Best Expo: Marine Corps 10K--well laid out
Most Disappointing Expo: Boston Half Marathon--no expo and the running store that carried gear ran out of clothing for sale by Saturday mid afternoon. :(
Best Roadtrip Story to Race/Expo/City: Bolt Bus to NYC More Fitness Half Marathon
Worst Roadtrip Story to Race/Expo/City: Philly Half Marathon--what was up with that traffic?!
Most Consecutively Run Race: The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 10K in Bethesda: This year made maybe 5 or 6 years in a row? Plus a year in the late 1990s!
Furthest Traveled: Denver 5K (for the NCSS Conference!)
Smallest Race Field: Denver 5K (33 runners!)
Largest Race Field: Counting the Marathon the Marine Corps 10K.
Best Post Race Win Give-A-Way: Bastille Day 4 Miler--the winners (both top male and female) won a bottle of wine
Lowest Bib Number: The Boston Half Marathon, #101 (That's what stalking the registration site will do!! Wooohooo!)
Cleanest Bathrooms at the Race: Pacers New Year's Eve 4 Miler
Best Place Finish Overall: Denver 5K (can't beat that small field!)--5th overall
Best Place Finish by Sex: Denver 5K--2nd place
Best Post Race Meal: Philly Half Marathon---RED ROBIN! A tradition started with the LVRRC Half Marathon a few years ago---there's nothing like a yummy veggie burger, fries and a Diet Coke after a good run! A close second? The Diner in Jamaica Plain with Jon and Mark after the Boston Half!
Best Pre Race Meal: The B & A Half Marathon where mom made pierogies and peppers; as well as the Boston Half where Jon, Mark and I did the Nutty Squirrel for brunch and the Tavern with Curt for dinner. Oh and the Annapolis 10 Miler--Mom made my birthday dinner of veggie burgers and potatoes along with yummy appetizers!
Best Mile Split: Pacers 4 Miler, 7:41
Most Interesting Person Met at a Race/Expo: Katherine Switzer at the More Fitness NYC Women's Half!!! And she autographed a book for my student who was doing a History Day project about her!
Earliest Start Time: The National Half Marathon--- 7 am--so glad we were local for that race and didn't have far to drive! :) The Parks Half Marathon also---7 am--and that one required I leave the house by 5:30 to get there in time to find a parking spot!
Latest Start Time: Rockville Twilight Run--8 pm...but it wasn't the darkest race--that title goes to the Pacers 4 Miler
1st 5k Race EVER: New Year's Resolutions Run on 1/1/10
Fave Running Playlist of the Year: A carryover from the 2009 running season in NYC Marathon and Philly Marathon--Girltalk (thanks Jon!)
Most Local Race: Capitol Hill Classic 10K--afterall, it was physically closest to our home, but it also is a fundraiser for my school!
City with the Most Races That I Ran: DC--hometown advantage. :) Races I ran in DC proper: Shamrock 8K, National Half Marathon, Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Capitol Hill Classic 10K, Bastille Day 4 Miler, Army 10 Miler, Marine Corps 10K, Jingle Bell 10K (if you count it on the treadmill--likewise, I ran the Baltimore 10 Miler in DC in a 10 mile loop from home downtown and through Adams Morgan).
Month that I Ran the Most Races: October (4: Boston Half, Baltimore Half, Army Ten Miler, Marine Corps 10K)
Distance Most Frequently Raced: Half Marathon (B&A Half, More Fitness NYC Women's Half, Parks Half, Boston Half, Baltimore Half, Philly Half, and 9 miles of the National Half)
Here is a list of stats as well...
Original Goal: 20 races completed in 2010
Total Races Signed Up For: 27
Total Races Completed: Straight up, legitimately completed, from start to finish on the course: 23
Races Signed Up For but Ran an Alternative Route (same distance as race): 2 (Baltimore 10 Miler and Jingle Bell 10K)
Races Signed Up For But Didn't Run: 1 (Cleveland Marathon--training for a marathon with all of these other races was just too much!)
Races Signed Up For But Not Completed: 1 (National Half Marathon--I cut out at Mile 9--I just didn't feel very good).
Total Miles Raced in 2010: (drum roll please.....)
199.8: This counts both the races that I ran on alternative routes (afterall I did register, attend packet pick up and did run the distance that day). It also includes the 9 of the 13.1 miles I ran of the National Half.
183.6: This is for the purist in me--it is the actual number of miles that I physically raced (so this total does not count the Baltimore 10 Miler or Jingle Bell 10K distance, but does include the 9 miles of the National Half)
Congrats! Amazing amazing job! Very inspiring!
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