2014 was a huge (eleven races), and really good racing year for me.  It all just clicked.  Of course, the fact that I decided to dedicate all of my races to my dad, and actually trained hard for the first time in several years didn’t hurt.  Finding a new group of speedy running friends with similar goals who pushed me, didn’t hurt either!

 

Best Race Experience…

Without a doubt, participating in Ragnar DC was my best race experience of 2014.  Pushing myself through exhaustion along with my husband and ten other teammates to cover 200 miles in less than 31 hours was pure satisfaction!

RagnarTeamFinishPhoto

 

Best Run…

In early November, Bill and I stopped for a trail run up to Mcafee Knob on our way to Blacksburg for a Virginia Tech football game the following day.  After about 4.25 miles of climbing, we were treated to gorgeous views of the Roanoke Valley, and snapped our picture on the iconic Mcafee Knob rock that juts out into open air.

McAfeeKnobDebBillOnRockOverHang

 

Best New Piece Of Gear…

For my birthday I got a Garmin watch, and a GoPro camera.  Both top the list of favorite new pieces of running gear.  I’m loving the ease of tracking my miles with my Garmin versus using my RunKeeper app on my phone tucked away in a pocket.  I’m just now starting to learn how to use the GoPro, so stay tuned for even more pictures on my blog!

NewGarminAndFootSelfie

 

Best Piece Of Running Advice…

I was overloaded with running advice after completing a 3-D Gait Analysis at George Mason University’s Smart Lab.  The grad school staff analyzed my results, and prescribed exercises and stretches to keep me in top running form.  Most of the exercises and stretches suggested were to increase my core strength, the mobility and stability of my knees and hips, and overall balance.

GMUSmartLabGoofyDeb
 

Most Inspirational Runner…

Last year, Laura from Write The Happy Ending ran the Thunder Road Half Marathon blind-folded to honor her sister Taylor who suffers from Batten Disease, a fatal disease with no known cure. This year while working toward her goal of running a race in every state for Taylor, Laura returned to run Thunder Road again, only this time untethered for the last 1.25 miles.  Not only did Laura successfully complete the race, but she and her guide PR’ed with a time of 1:44:37.  There are a lot of other very talented runners out there, but Laura’s love for her sister, and determination to help find a cure for Batten Disease while bringing it to the forefront through her running, inspires me.

LauraAndMom
 

Briefly Summing It All Up…

Hard work pays off, and I ended 2014 with five first place age group wins, one second place, two third places, a half marathon PR, and a 20K PR.  More importantly than the PR’s and bling, was finding a whole new group of friends who don’t mind running super-duper early in the morning!

MRTTMorningRunSelfie

 

  • Questions:
  • How would you grade your year in running?
  • If you’re a runner, what was your favorite run or race?
  • If you’re a blogger, consider linking up to Miss Zippy with your own 2014 recap!