2017 was another running year.

I ran more virtual events than ever before. I spent my 40th birthday run/jog/walking a half marathon at Disneyland.

I wore my fitbit, of course. But, I switched my focus from 10,000 steps a day to concentrating on the number of miles I ran.

My plantar fasciitis was still a bit of an annoyance. But, it was better than in 2016. My guess is this is due to the fact that I was training for a marathon in 2016. I didn’t do as many long runs in 2017 – which would then make sense that I didn’t log as many miles in 2017 as I did in 2016.

I completed the You vs Year challenge sponsored by MapMyRun & Under Armour. The goal was to run 1017k in the year 2017.

* RUNNING HIGHLIGHTS: MONTH BY MONTH *

January

• Due to snow & ice, many miles were done on the elliptical
• Total miles this month: 60.29

February

• Finished HRC’s Mad Eye Moody 5K
• Total miles this month: 58.99

March

• Finished Yo Ho Ho Virtual 5K
• Finished Shamrock Run 15K
• Total miles this month: 46.01

April

• Finished Race for the Roses 10K
• Finished HRC’s 10K and SPEW
• Finished HRC’s Unmasked 10 miler
• Total miles this month: 66.98

May

• Finished Hippie Chick Half Marathon
• Total miles this month: 49.27

June

• Finished Helvetia Half Marathon
• Total miles this month: 43.02

July

• Finished HRC’s Eternal Glory 4 Miler
• Total miles this month: 33.28

August

• Finished She Believed She Could Virtual 10K
• Total miles this month: 34.55

September

• Finished the 5K, 10K, & Half Marathon in Disneyland
• Finished the Quest for the Lost Scroll Virtual 10K
• Finished HRC’s Platform 9 3/4K
• Total miles this month: 68.32

October

• Finished HRC’s Sirius Half Marathon
• Total miles this month: 84.48

November

• Finished Wobble Before we Gobble 4 Miler
• Total miles this month: 61.89

December

• Finished Virtual Santa Hustle 5K
• Total miles this month: 49.41

I RUN FOR BLING

This year’s medal count: 19

2017 Stats

5K Events: 4
10K Events: 5
Half Marathon Events: 4
Other Events: 4
Total Miles Run/Jogged: 656.5

2015 Total Miles: 440 miles
2016 Total Miles: 761 miles

I have signed up for a couple events in 2018 already. So, apparently 2018 will be a running year also. I will complete a half marathon or two (or three), but I would like to focus on speed. I know I can accomplish the distance. Now, I would like to go the distance a tad more quickly.

Happy Running!

The post Running Recap of 2017 appeared first on .

I gave myself a goal at the beginning of 2017. The goal was to sign up & complete all the virtual events hosted by Hogwarts Running Club this year.

This was my first experience with HRC and I’m quite impressed with the organization.

They host six events in a year, plus have a seventh challenge medal. The registration fees this year were reasonable at $25 per race. HRC is non profit and the majority of the registration cost goes straight to a charity of their choosing. Because of this, most of the registration cost is tax deductible.

For your $25 you are donating to a charity, receiving a medal in the mail, and can download a digital bib. There is also the option to purchase shirts.

They are active on Facebook for those who like the social aspects. They have multiple groups including the Great Hall and common rooms for each house. I am part of the Ravenclaw Common Room.

Charity Miles

Hogwarts Running Club uses the Charity Miles app to track mileage for special events like the House Cup. By using the app, not only are you helping your house, but you are earning 25¢ per mile to a charity of your choice.

* 2017 Events *

Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody Constant Vigilance 5k

Charity Partner: Limbs for Life Foundation

The first event of 2017 was the Mad Eye Moody 5k. The medal is fun – the eye spins around.

Whether during a run or on a stroll with the kids, I enjoy spotting Great Blue Herons. They make me happy, even though they aren’t terribly fond of people. When I see one while running, I consider it good luck. It seemed fitting that I saw one during my first HRC event.

I printed my bib and brought it with me to Universal Studios, then stamped the back of it at the Owl Post.

The 10K and Spew

Charity Partner: Harry Potter Alliance and their Granger Leadership Academy

It’s all in the details.
When your owl delivers your mail, the package comes with a quirky saying. Love that! Also, many of the medals come with a saying or decor on the back.

This bib was also printed and stamped in Hogsmeade at Universal Studios.

I bought a basic athletic shirt and used my silhouette and heat press to create my own Ravenclaw shirt to run in.

Unmasked 10 mile Run for your life

Charity Partner: To Write Love On Her Arms

Sportin’ my Ravenclaw pride socks.

Even though it’s on the dark side, I love this medal. And, the charity is for an important cause.

Sirius Half Marathon

Charity Partner: Mission K9 Rescue

An event dedicated to Sirius Black.

The medal has a bit of a stained glass effect. The back is engraved with one of my favorite quotes:

If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
– Sirius Black

The Eternal Glory Four Miler!

Charity Partner: Back on My Feet

A four mile event highlighting the Goblet of Fire.

You get to pick the name and number that goes on your digital bib. My number is always 262 – for the 26.2 miles I completed during the Portland Marathon. I chose a different name for each event.

Platform 9 3/4 Year Four

Charity Partner: Antarctic & Southern Ocean Coalition

Another amazing medal. The light on the train really turns on and off.

The bib is designed to look like a train ticket.

Again, I love all the attention to detail.

* Time Turner *

The Time Turner happens in October. This is when HRC turns back the clock and reopens registration for previous events. You can also sign up for the Challenge medal and the Perfect Prefect pin.

Challenge Medal

The Challenge medal was available to HRC members who registered for at least three of the 2017 events.

The fun part about being in the Facebook groups are the added encouragement and challenges along the way. For instance, The Ravenclaw Common Room provided us an optional challenge for earning this medal. Our “position” during our “Quidditch match” was based on our monthly total miles.  I ended up being a beater because I ran between 50 & 99 miles. You can be as active or inactive in the optional challenges as you would like.

The Patronus 5k

I had already registered for all the 2017 events. So, instead I registered for 2015’s Patronus 5K during the time turner.

I registered for this event in October, but technically there was no race date. I hadn’t gotten around to completing it until the first week in 2018. I brought the medal with me on a girl’s trip to the Dominican Republic as motivation to run at least once on the trip. And, I did. I ran only the one time during that week.

Possible Fun Fact: Pottermore helped me discover that my patronus is a ragdoll cat.
A cat? That hardly seems correct. I don’t dislike cats, and ragdoll cats are beautiful. But, I’m more of a bird and aquatic animal person. Or, goat. I do love goats. We don’t even have a pet cat because we don’t want one in the house and the two we tried having outside both got eaten by coyotes. So, no cats for us. Yet, my patronus is a cat. Weird.

Perfect Prefect

I never thought it could be – but yet, it’s true. I am a Perfect Prefect. I highlighted my name on Ravenclaw’s Wall of Fame.

To be a Perfect Prefect you must register for all six events and the Challenge medal. The pin is free, as long as you tell them you want it.

HRC Cheer Squad

The Cheer Squad at this year’s Disneyland Half Marathon weekend. I don’t know these women personally, but I was more than happy to have their support during the 5K. The heat and humidity during the half marathon was brutal. The Cheer Squad had ice! I am not exaggerating when I say that it almost brought me to tears. I was miserable by this point in the race. I truly needed that ice to cool down. More than that, it just felt good knowing someone had my back. It was the encouragement I needed to finish.

Universal Studios Hollywood

To celebrate our son’s birthday, we surprised the kids with a quick trip to LA primarily to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I brought my Ravenclaw shirt to wear and created shirts for the rest of the family. All the boys, hubby included, are Hufflepuff and my daughter is Gryffindor.

We went early in the year, so I only had 2 event bibs to bring with me. I brought them for the sole purpose of stamping them with the Hogsmeade postmark.

I enjoyed these virtual events so much that I already preregistered for all 2018 events. So, yippy! I should be a Perfect Prefect in 2018, too. I can’t wait to see the themes for each event. The first event has already been announced – the Nargle 9K.

Because I’m a sucker for things I adore, and excuses to run, and themed events, I recently joined HRC’s sister group based on Gilmore Girls, the Chilton Running Club.

There is also the Whovian Running Club, if you are a Doctor Who fan.

Now to work on my 2018 Perfect Prefect status!
Happy Running!

The post 2017 Hogwarts Running Club Virtual Events appeared first on .

This was it. This was my day. My 40th birthday spent doing a half marathon in Disneyland.

Packet Pick Up & Expo

I was so excited doing my first half marathon during the Tinkerbell weekend I took a similar photo on the carpet. Then, I took one during the Star Wars weekend. So now apparently it’s my thing.

Here’s my Disneyland Half Weekend shot:

The Start

The start, as always, had an excited vibe. However, it was hot. Too hot. The announcer said the feels like temperature was 87°. It wasn’t even 5am yet. Blech!

Running through California Adventure

I stopped a number of times throughout DCA.

• I had seen Mike & Sully during the previous 2 races, but didn’t stop. I’m glad I stopped this time.

• Since my daughter is a gymnast, I stopped to take a pic of the girl flying around the Toy Story bar.

• The crowd of runners on Hollywood Blvd.

• Cowgirl Jessie must stop for a photo op with a horse.

Running Through Disneyland

• One of my favorite photos from the entire weekend is this one with Minnie & Mickey

• At one point, I was hoping to get my Castle to Chateau medal and run the event later in the month in Paris. This pic with Remy will have to do instead.

• I was slightly disappointed that my only photo op with Woody, during a Toy Story themed race, was this one of him up on the balcony of The Golden Horseshoe.

• Runners on Main Street

Running the Streets of Anaheim

•  It was crazy hot, but the sunrise was lovely.

• After stopping for all my pics in the parks, I ended up with the corral I run/walk 3 hour pacer. I kept with them for awhile, but eventually went about my own pace. I did enjoy the bit I was with them. I will have to keep it in mind for another event.

• During the run, the red flag came out.

• As always, I enjoyed all the entertainment along the way. This time we had a Polynesian group, a Mexican group, and a car show featuring Lightning McQueen.

• The Hogwarts Running Club had ice in a cooler for the runners. So, so awesome! I was sweaty and obnoxiously hot. I grabbed a refreshing handful of ice and shoved it down the back of my shirt.

• I can’t stop for every sign that catches my attention, but I had to stop for this one with Chandler.

• This was a different course than my previous RunDisney half marathons. This time, we ran through Angel Stadium. I’m not really a fan of ball sports, but it was a nice change to run through the stadium.

The Finish!

I’m always happy when the finish line is in sight. But, I was especially thrilled this time. Given the choice, I would absolutely run on a 30° day before running on a 90° day. Run/walk/jogging for 13 miles in high temps and high humidity is not my idea of a good time. To be nearing the finish line was a huge relief.

I love/hate the photo on the left. It’s one of my favorite finish line photos ever. I typically look like a dufus. This one, though, is a lie. I appear to be in great spirits – in reality I feel miserable and half dead.

After finishing the race, I headed to the medic tents for ice. I walked more during this half marathon than I ever have before. Unfortunately, I’m not a good fast walker and I know my posture was horrible – resulting in back shoulder pain. I placed the ice on my achy back shoulder and also on my face to cool me down.

By the time I got a pic with my medals I felt much better and ready to conquer the rest of the day.

I earned 4 medals that weekend: a 5k, 10k, half marathon and the double dare challenge medal for completing both the 10k and half.

— More than Running —

My 40th Birthday

I don’t usually celebrate my birthday, not even with a family dinner. That works well for me.

However… I was in Disneyland and somehow 40 seems like such a milestone. I totally enjoyed the day in every way I could.

• I got my birthday button, which looks amazing.

• I found a cake and balloons in Mickey’s house and pretended they were for me.

• By coincidence, we were having a little snack break at Refreshment Corner when Alice & the Mad Hatter came by to play musical chairs. I absolutely talked my friends into participating with me. One of my favorite moments ever! To top it off, the Mad Hatter sang me a short, silly birthday song.

• I made us shirts for the occasion. Mine said, A Very Merry 40th Birthday to Me. The others said, A Very Merry Unbirthday to Me.

• A friend of mine had her 35th birthday during the trip. We celebrated our special days with a margarita from Rita’s Baja Blenders in California Adventure. I like margarita’s, but I didn’t really care for this one. I did enjoy the company and atmosphere, though.

This was certainly a RunDisney event / Birthday I will never forget.

Save

The post 2017 Race Recap – Disneyland Half appeared first on .

When I found out the Disneyland Half Marathon was being held the day of my 40th birthday, I knew I must go. And go, I did.

Thankfully, I have fabulous friends who didn’t mind going to Disneyland.

Packet Pick Up & Expo

Thursday afternoon we stopped by the expo, grabbed our race packets, spun wheels, won prizes, took photos…

On the way to the expo we stopped by La Brea Bakery for blackberry mojitos. They were dee-lish!

Our Costumes

I have been friends with these two since high school. We dressed in a group costume as the Main Street Electrical Parade. We were the Blue Fairy, Pete’s Dragon, and the Cheshire Cat lit up with LED lights. They are not runners and I so appreciate them coming to do this with me.

The Start

Walking through California Adventure

My fav is our pic on the trolley.

Walking through Disneyland

We didn’t stop for many pics in Disneyland, but we did get a mandatory castle shot.

Hogwarts Running Club

One of my favorite places during a RunDisney event is the section between the two parks. During this 5k, though, it was virtually spectator free – except for these two from the Hogwarts Running Club. I knew they were a good group to associate with.

The Finish

The anticipated finish line.

We did it!

Our bib, tshirt and medal for our accomplishment:

— More than Running —

Theme, theme, theme

I do love having fun with a theme. Since my friend dressed as the Blue Fairy, a pic with the fairy while on the Pinocchio ride was a must.

Dining at Disney

The night before, I ordered this citrus chicken plate from the Cocina Cucamonga in DCA’s Pacific Wharf. It was amazing. It was a little spendy – somewhere between $12-$15. But, I have paid that much to eat at Tortilla Jo’s in Downtown Disney.

The evening of the 10K we ate at the Plaza Inn. I had fried chicken and mashed potatoes, with green beans. It was also really good, but a bit more expensive than the chicken from DCA.

I don’t know if my friends loved waking up early to do a 5k, then spend the rest of the day at Disneyland. But, they were good sports and I’m so glad they came. One of them, though, is talking about doing a 10K – so that’s a good sign. Maybe I’m slowly converting her. Bahaha…

The post 2017 Race Recap – Disneyland 5K appeared first on .

Last year I took the plunge and decided to try the Helvetia Half Marathon. I had such a good time, I did it again this year.

The Start

My friend and I had been training together, so we started the race together.

The Course

The course was similar to last year – first the flats, then up the hills, down the hills and back to flattish.

Since my friend is a bit faster than me I thought at some point we would separate and meet back up at the end. But, due to health concerns she didn’t mind slowing her pace a little. Also, I felt good and was able to keep a decent pace the entire course. I did less walking than is typical for me. And, my friend encouraged me out of my comfort zone to really fly down the hills.

This pic cracks me up. I felt like I was going strong and looking good… then I saw this pic of how I really looked…

The Finish

Wowee! That last mile was tough. Had I been by myself I totally would have walked a bunch of it. Thankfully, I had a good friend pushing me through all the way to the end.

I PR’d last month on a flat course. It didn’t even cross my mind I could PR on this hilly course. Thanks to Darci, I did! It was an amazing feeling.

Beer and burgers were waiting at the end.

The Swag

The post 2017 Race Recap – Helvetia Half appeared first on .

This is me dreaming big.

I love to travel. I run. I could really never have too many Runcations.

On my bucket list is traveling to all 50 states in the US. Add in the running thing and I have one more reason to visit the states, with the added bonus of keeping fit.

We have 3 busy kids and a farm, is it realistic to think I can actually accomplish this goal? I don’t know. But, it doesn’t hurt to dream and try. I’m turning the big 4-0 this year. I figure I still have a good 40 more years to cross off every state.

I’m off to a slow start with checking off 4 states. But, a slow start is better than not starting.

I have found at least one half marathon in each state as a possibility. Some are events I’ve been wanting to participate in for awhile. Some I found while researching for this list. Also, I’m not against doing a virtual run, if that what works. It’s my bucket list; my rules.

Alabama
Mercedes

Alaska
Alaska

Arizona
Sedona
Rock n Roll Arizona

Arkansas
Little Rock

✓ California
✓ 2015 – RunDisney Tinker Bell
✓ 2016 – RunDisney Star Wars
✓ 2017 – RunDisney Disneyland
Surf City
San Francisco
Big Sur
Yosemite
Humboldt Redwoods
Carlsbad

Colorado
Run the Rockies
Steamboat Springs
Estes Park
Rock n Roll Denver

Connecticut
Faxon Law Fairfield

Delaware
Rehoboth Beach

Florida
Fort Lauderdale A1A
Key West
Space Coast
RunDisney Princess
RunDisney Wine & Dine

Georgia
Thanksgiving Day
The AthHalf
Rock n Roll Savannah

Hawaii
Maui
Kauai
The Hapalua

Idaho
Famous Idaho Potato
Redfish Lake Lodge
Idaho Falls
Sun Valley

Illinois
Lincoln Presidential
Rock n Roll Chicago
Chicago
Run Mag Mile

Indiana
500 Festival

Iowa
Marathon to Marathon

Kansas
Garmin In the Land of Oz

Kentucky
Run the Bluegrass

Louisiana
Rock n Roll New Orleans

Maine
Bar Harbor
Shipyard Old Port

Maryland
Baltimore

Massachusetts
Boston’s Run to Remember
Martha’s Vineyard

Michigan
International

Minnesota
Minnesota
Garry Bjorklund

Mississippi
Mississippi River

Missouri
Rock n Roll St. Louis
Rock the Parkway

Montana
Missoula

Nebraska
Lincoln

✓ Nevada
✓ 2015 – Rock n Roll Las Vegas

New Hampshire
Rockfest

New Jersey
New Jersey
ORC Seaside

New Mexico
Santa Fe Thunder

New York
United Airlines NYC
Rock n Roll Brooklyn

North Carolina
Southern Fried
Rock n Roll Raleigh

North Dakota
Fargo

Ohio
Capital City
Akron
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus

Oklahoma
Route 66

✓ Oregon
✓ 2016 – Vernonia
✓ 2016 – Helvetia
✓ 2016 – Bridge of the Gods
✓ 2017 – Hippie Chick Half Marathon
✓ 2017 – Helvetia

Pennsylvania
Hershey
Rock n Roll Philadelphia

Rhode Island
Providence
Jamestown

South Carolina
Kiawah Golf Resort

South Dakota
Run Crazy Horse

Tennessee
Rock n Roll Nashville

Texas
3M
Alamo 13.1
Chevron Houston
Rock n Roll Dallas

Utah
Salt Lake City
Ogden

Vermont
Covered Bridges

Virginia
Rock n Roll Virginia Beach

✓ Washington
✓ 2016 – Virtual National Park Service 100th Birthday
Rock n Roll Seattle

West Virginia
Hatfield McCoy
Parkersburg

Wisconsin
Madison Mini

Wyoming
Jackson Hole

Bonus:
Washington DC
Rock n Roll DC

4 Down, 46 to Go

More Places, More Races
Disneyland Paris
Victoria

Well, this outta keep me busy for awhile.

ALWAYS DREAM BIG!

Save

Save

The post 50 State Half Marathon Bucket List appeared first on .

The Hippie Chick event is a women’s event, which takes place Mother’s Day weekend. It is part of the Hood to Coast race series, which always has good events.

I have a soft spot for the event because it was the first race I signed up for when I started running. That year I finished the quarter marathon. The next year I did it again, beating my previous time by 23 minutes. The year after that, I skipped the Hippie Chick for Disneyland and finishing my first half marathon. Which brings me to 2017, 4 years after participating in my first run event. At the time, I didn’t know how far I would go with my running. But I have stuck with it, ran multiple half marathons and even one full marathon.

SWAG

The swag I received at packet pick-up included a tshirt and snacks in a cute little bag. Plus, I got a towel for registering early.

PRE-RACE

One of the fun things about participating in a larger event are visiting the vendors. In this case, it was especially awesome. Franz, the bread company, had a wheel to spin and I won donuts. Not a bad way to start the morning.

Since it was raining pretty good, I sat in my car and ate half a donut. Yes, yes I did.

THE START

I’m not sure how many women ran the half, but it didn’t seem too crowded.

The rain stopped for the few minutes I waited to start and for the first few minutes of the race. For a second, I thought the rain for the morning had passed and the event would be dry. Ha!

THE COURSE

I knew the quarter marathon was flat, I was hoping the half was too. It was. I’ll make up for it next month when I run the hilly Helvetia Half.

It rained. And, rained some more. So, I didn’t take many pics. At one point I looked down and saw soap suds on my capris. What? I thought it was a fluke and wiped them off. Then a bit later, there were bubbles on my other leg. This time I decided it deserved a photo. Weird. Why isn’t our washing machine rinsing our clothes better? Apparently I need to run in a downpour to get all the soap out.

At the turn around point, there was a guy spinning fire. That was something I hadn’t seen as on course entertainment previously.

Mile 10 is always my gauge of a race. I don’t often run over 10 miles on my training runs, so I’m usually about ready to be done by the time I reach that mile marker. I thought I might be able to PR at this event. I was hopeful if I could hit mile 10 in under 2 hours then there was no good reason I couldn’t PR. It was exactly the motivation I needed to finish strong. I did reach mile 10 under 2 hours, so I knew I just needed to keep up my pace and I would PR. And, I did! I was pretty stoked last April when I my PR’d. I beat that time by 10 minutes.

The last few miles the rain finally let up. It didn’t really matter by then, I was already soaked. But, I was glad it stopped.

THE FINISH

Because the Hippie Chick is a women’s event, finishers are awarded necklaces as opposed to medals. When I earned my first one I thought I might actually wear it. I don’t. I’m not a jewelry person. But, I do have the necklaces with my other bling.

Vendors and band on the field at the finish line.

After the race you can grab pancakes, oranges, and chocolate milk.

You can also get a mimosa and ghiradelli chocolate bars. This was an excellent way to end my already exciting day of PRing.

That’s a wrap. Another half marathon in the books.

The post 2017 Race Recap – Hippie Chick Half appeared first on .

I’m trying to limit the events I sign up for this year – mainly because they get spendy. But…

I am signed up for another RunDisney weekend later this year. (Woop, woop!) I can finish their races at the 16:00 pace. But, I like to dilly dally. I like to stop for photo ops. I like to look around. I’m not there for a PR. I’m there to run a good race, feel good when I complete it, and have fun. That being said, I prefer not to be assigned to the last corral. I want all the extra time I can get, so I don’t have the pressure to need to run my hardest.

I signed up for Race for the Roses 10K with the hopes to PR – so, I can submit the time to RunDisney with the hopes of it moving me out of the last corral.

PRE-RACE

The race started at the Convention Center. I loved that!

It was great having a warm(ish) place to be while waiting for my start time. More importantly, I got to use a real bathroom before the race began.

There was lots of swag you could grab, if you wanted it – champagne glasses, pins, tattoos, hand sanitizer.

THE START

I waited inside until about 10 minutes before the start. Awesome! The start line was literally right outside the huge door of the conference room.

THE RACE

The course took us past the Moda Center, over the Broadway Bridge, through the Pearl District, to Vaughn Street, and back. I enjoyed the route. I don’t often go to those areas of Portland. I’m pretty sure, though, that was not the route that was posted. Not sure what’s up with that.

THE FINISH

It’s always a great feeling to cross the finish line! I was greeted with a rose, medal, and water. So many thank you’s to the volunteers.

Did I PR? Yes. Yes, I did. It was a couple minutes faster than my previous PR, but also a couple minutes slower than what I was aiming for. Either way, I updated my 10K time with RunDisney.

DONE!

Back in the room at the Convention Center – mimosa’s, photo op, and a lovely assortment of food.

I would absolutely sign up for this event again. I can’t think of anything I did not like. It didn’t even rain!

The post 2017 Race Recap – Race for the Roses appeared first on .

My first legit race of 2017 – the Shamrock Run in downtown Portland. In 2014, Farmer John & I ran the 5K. We had a great time, but I haven’t ran it again… until now. And, I upped my game. I ran/walked the hilly 15k.

FLAT JENNIFER

I bought a new shirt from Sparkle Athletic and a skirt from Sweet Spot Skirts for this event. I love them both. The tulle tutu was fun last time, but this outfit was so much better.

THE START

A friend from high school celebrated her 40th birthday the night before the Shamrock Run. I didn’t drink too much or stay up too late, but being downtown early still kinda sucked. The start time was 8:50 and I got there with plenty of time to tend to all the pre race things, like visit the port-a-potty. I forgot just how big the Shamrock Run is. I was surprised to see the crazy amount of people lined up for the 15k.

FIRST COUPLE MILES

The first section of this course was similar to the Portland Marathon I did in October. Start at the waterfront, run south on Naito to Barbur Blvd. This time I knew what to expect for this part of the event. It’s not real steep, but definitely at enough of an incline that you feel it.

I remember looking up on the hill at OHSU thinking that’s where we’re headed. Eek!

THE HILLY MILES

Once on Terwilliger Blvd it was up, up, up. It reminded me of the hill I run at home, except this was longer and not gravel.

The few glimpses of the Willamette River were awesome.

Bagpipes! Somehow that beautiful sound just makes you want to do your best. It’s very encouraging.

It was a welcome sight when I saw the loading dock of the tram at OHSU. I knew the worst of the hills were behind me.

THE END IS NEAR!

Down I ran. Then, through the tunnel I could see the Koin Tower. Woop, woop! Just a little bit further!

DONE!

I crossed the finish line strong and grabbed the water, thermal blanket and medal I was handed. I did it!

I had been training, but I hadn’t gone a 15k distance in a number of months. I was a little concerned about how I would do, especially with the hills. I came in under a 12:00 minute pace. I’m thrilled with that. It’s not fabulous, but it’s right where I should have been. Most importantly, I felt good at the end.

AFTER PARTY

It was a chilly day to be wearing a tank top. So, I was looking forward to the warm potato soup at the end. Not going to lie, I wasn’t impressed by the looks of the soup and was slightly disappointed. But, remember that saying don’t judge a book by it’s cover. This soup was delicious.

A friend of mine and her neighbor finished the 8k right around the time I finished by race. We hit the beer garden together. I’m not a fan of beer. But… it’s an Irish themed run and the sun was out and I enjoyed my run. So, I grabbed the free beer. We listened to the band and had a jolly time.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends!

The post 2017 Race Recap – Shamrock Run 15K appeared first on .

Another year of running in the books. I’m still amazed I can call myself a runner.

I started out the year by running at Disneyland. I can’t ever complain about that.
In October, I accomplished something I didn’t even know I could dream about finishing – my first marathon.
I ran more miles in 2016 than ever.

RUNNING HIGHLIGHTS: MONTH BY MONTH

January

• Finished ORRC  Y2K 10K
• Finished RunDisney’s Star Wars 5K
• Finished RunDisney’s  Star Wars 10K
• Finished RunDisney’s Star Wars Half Marathon
• Finished Uberthon’s Winter Quarter Marathon

February

• Finished Worst Day of the Year 5K

March

• Finished ORRC’s Champoeg 10K

April

• Finished ORRC’s Vernonia Half Marathon

May

• Finished ORRC’s Hagg Lake 10K

June

• I did it. I signed up for my first full marathon.
• Finished HTC’s Helvetia Half Marathon

July

• Ran 18 miles with a friend who was running 41K for her 41st birthday. It was such a fun idea. She started at her parents house, running past homes she lived in with her husband, then ended her run near their current home. Her friends, me included, joined for distances that worked for them.

August

• Finished Bridge of the Gods Half Marathon
• Finished ORRC’s Garlic Fest 10K
• Finished VRC’s Virtual National Park Service Half Marathon

September

• Finished Virtual Mermaid Club Event. Planned to run a 5K. Instead I did a training run of 20 miles.
• Finished ORRC’s Greenway Trail Trial 10K

October

• Finished the Portland Marathon – One of my proudest moments ever.

November

• 33 miles ran this month – mostly short distances

December

• 32 miles ran this month – all on my elliptical

OTHER

• Naughty ol’ plantar fasciitis bugged me a good portion of the year. It wasn’t really a set back. But, was quite annoying.

• To help my training, I created a marathon training planner

• To keep things exciting, I signed up for the Fun Run Box.

I RUN FOR BLING

Besides the runner’s high and feeling great, my next favorite thing about running is the bling.

This year’s medal count: 15

2016 Stats

5K Events: 3
10K Events: 6
Quarter Marathon Events: 1
Half Marathon Events: 4
Marathon Event: 1
Virtual Events: 2
Other Event: 1
Total Miles Run/Jogged: 761.21

In 2015 I ran 440 miles. In 2016 761 miles. Can I make it to 1000 miles in 2017? I think I can.

As always, a nice reminder from my Brooks shoe box:

The post Running Recap of 2016 appeared first on .