Back for 2012

So, I've been absent from this blog for an entire year.

2010 was an awesome and fun year for me with running.

2011, not so much.

Without the goal of 2010, I felt a little sad and not nearly as focused.

I didn't have any problem signing up for races, but completing them, or running them, was another story.

2011 was plagued with injuries and unhappy feet and legs.

And as you probably noticed in the lapse of dates, a lack of writing--something else I missed.

So, with 2012 around the corner, I pledge to do a better job of writing and I will, by January 1, 2012, have a new goal/resolution lined up.

Since there is an absence of reports from this year, I will do a quick recap:

March 20: NYC Half Marathon: Super excited to run this race! The loops of Central Park were nice, but the run through Times Square was AWESOME! I even liked the run down the Expressway. Mark and I had an awesome weekend in Manhattan, even with a buggy ride through Central Park! I was super excited to be accepted into the race and then to particpate.

March 26: National Half Marathon: An awesome, awesome time! Ran this race with Rachel and Kristen--high school friends who I hadn't seen in years! This was Kristen's first half! It was such a terrific weekend catching up and running through DC! It was the best run of the entire year for me!

April 2: TJ Pi Miler: This race benefited Mark's school. The mile markers were fractions of pi. A hilly run through TJ's neighborhood, dorky, but fun! :)

April 3: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler: My legs were pretty tired by the time I got to this race from the race the day before. The cherry blossoms, however, were out in full bloom on Hain's Point and it was a beautiful run.

April 17: BAA 5K: A great and fun run with Mark, Jon and Leslie in Boston! I ran in my Vibram 5 Fingers and loved it! The day was perfect--overcast and cool. And the next day--for a treat, Mark and I got to watch the Boston Marathon!

May 8: Kalamazoo Marathon: And here is where there is a decline in my running. Actually, it happened right after our return from Boston. My legs were heavy and unhappy. My calf muscles were so tight I could barely walk. I couldn't loosen them no matter what. Even after a professional sports massage. I was super excited for the marathon and a return to Kzoo--Mark and hadn't been in 8 years or so. It was the inaugural marathon for Kalamazoo and I was so excited to be a part of it. But, no matter how badly I wanted to finish it, it was not in the cards for me that day. At mile 14+ I made the decision to drop out. My legs were just not happy with me. Despite my training, I didn't feel ready and my legs were unhappy. This was definitely a sad race and a sad day for me.

May 15: Capitol Hill Classic 10K: My legs were still tight by this race, but we made it to the finish line in under an hour. I just couldn't figure out why my legs were so tired and tight. We were both happy to run and support my school.

June 5: Zooma 10K Annapolis: This was a race that I had been looking forward to running for a few years now. I decided to run the race in my Vibram Five Fingers. All was good for three miles--the weather was amazing--drizzle, cloudy and cool. But my legs slowly started to tighten up. At mile five, going up the bridge my right calf muscle just "popped" and I couldn't walk on it any more. I tried to run and just couldn't. I hobbled back to the finish line where Mark and Dad were waiting for me. My calf muscle bruised and I had trouble walking--I knew something wasn't right.

June 18: Baltimore 10 Miler: Despite my injury I really, really wanted to run this race. The last day of school for the kids was on 6/17. I was exhausted from the end of the school year rush. Mark's triathlon was the next day. I wasn't sure how my leg would do. While my time was anything but stellar, I did finish. My leg wasn't very happy, but I was able to run/limp through the race (and the humidity!) I decided to give my legs a break and moved to biking and gym workouts.

Jul 10: Mad Marathon/Half Marathon: Earlier in the year, I signed up for the full, inaugural marathon, but when my legs started to be weird I switched to the half. Unfortunately, with the calf injury, I decided not to run the half either. :( We had a great time cheering for Jon, however, and a fantastic stay at the Von Trapp Family Lodge!

July 30: Friends of the WO&D 10K: A very warm day, but a race, I really, really wanted to run. Primarily, because I just wanted to run and I figured if I could make it through the 10K, I would be on my road to recover. It was almost 6 weeks after the Baltimore 10 Miler and I could wait no longer. It wasn't a fantastic race, but it was awesome just to be out there!

August 9-11: Biking the C&O Canal: This was our most fantastic summer adventure! 184 miles down the C&O Canal--while it wasn't running, it was a test of endurance and a great time!

September 11: Parks Half Marathon: While I started running again just before our C&O Canal bike trip, I didn't feel that I was ready to run the half marathon. It was a tough decision because I really wanted to run it (it's one of my favorite races!), but I just didn't feel like I was physically ready for it.

October 2: Run for the Parks 10K: Mark and I both ran this race. It was the dreaded Haines Point 10K route, but the morning was beautiful. We also ran into Polly at the race! And... as we left the race, we were greeted with a gorgeous, vibrant rainbow stretching over the Potomac River and the Lincoln Memorial.

October 9: Boston Half Marathon: This was a last minute lottery entry on FB and surprisingly I was selected. However, it was too short of notice and the bib went to waste. :( However, it was this race that I realized I had not be consuming enough iron and started to take iron pills. (Two months later I can attest to what an amazing difference iron makes!!!--my legs are no longer heavy and tired!!!)

October 15: Baltimore Half Marathon: This was my first half marathon distance since May. I loved this race the year before and was excited to be at the start line again. Whether it was selective or not, I did not remember many of the hills on the course. While it was one of my slower times for a half marathon, it was wonderful to run and to be back!

October 30: Marine Corps 10K: Another fave. The weather was perfect. If anything, the freeze the night before caused some course difficulties. Sections of the 14th Street Bridge were frozen as we ran! Runners literally had to stop and walk to keep from slipping over a few sections of the course! We finished, at a comfortable pace in exactly an hour.

November 6: NYC Marathon: I made the decision early in the fall that I would be unable to run the marathon this year, despite winning the lottery. :( Luckily, after double checking, triple checking and checking a zillion more times, I read that I could defer for guaranteed entry in 2012. Sooooo....2012 here I come!!!! While it was a sad Sunday, I did take comfort knowing that I would be able to run it in 2012!

November 20: Philly Marathon: Ditto to my entry for the NYC Marathon, except no guaranteed entry for 2012.

November 24: Turkey Chase 10K: An annual tradition that we shared with Jon and Leslie! It was a great day and, after almost 6 weeks of iron pills, a return to a better finish time: 55 minutes! :)

December 3: Run for Chocolate 15K: Epic fail!!! Where do I begin. I'm not even sure this race warrants space as to what went wrong on this blog. Suffice it to say, I will NOT run another race with RAM Racing again. We did have a great run across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge though. :)

I announced after the Run for Chocolate that I was done with running in races for 2011. It was NOT a good year for running. I try to keep perspective and remember what an awesome year I had the year before. You win some, you lose some.

I am definitely ready to move onto 2012 and leave 2011 in the past....