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As the year draws to an end, it’s time to reflect back on 2019 and my year of running, something I’ve been doing since 2013. For whatever reason I can’t find my 2015 post so I can only assume that it’s been sucked into the great abyss of the internet.

 

Best race experience:  This past year I ran in only four races: New Day New Year 5K, Firecracker 5K, Marine Corps Half, and Charlotte Turkey Dash. If I have to choose one race as the best experience, I’d pick the the Marine Corps Half.

I was a bit nervous about running a half marathon after a year plagued with two different injuries, but somehow my body held it together during the better part of the summer so I took a chance and registered for the race.

I ran a fairly evenly paced race and just focused on the mile I was in as I tried to stay within range of my goal pace. I finished in 2:04:37 (9:31 pace) and finished 1st out of 16 runners in my age group.

Bill and I had a four-day vacation planned around the race, so performing well set the tone for an all around blast. Spending time with our good friends Beth and Tom for a weekend of fun and shenanigans was icing on the cake.

 

Best run:   Although it was the shortest run of the year, running a half mile on February 28th felt glorious. After two months of no running due to sciatica, my physical therapist released me to start building my mileage back up gradually and those 5 minutes and 35 seconds on my treadmill felt amazing! Pictured below is my second best run which was a full mile on March 2nd…

 

Best new piece of running gear:  I have scratched my head over what new piece of running gear I acquired during 2019 and I couldn’t come up with anything new other than replacement running shoes. Yesterday afternoon I did upgrade my iPhone to the new 11 Pro which will come in handy on runs when I don’t have my GoPro (affiliate link) with me. Does that count as running gear?

 

Best running advice you’ve received this year:  During my second injury of the year, while helping me work through my inflamed SI joint, my chiropractor suggested I do standing hip extensions on each side to help engage my glutes before heading out for my runs. Her thoughts were that my glutes weren’t pulling their weight during my runs and as a result I was putting too much demand on my SI joints.

 

Most inspirational runner: On October 21st, Maggie Guterl won the Bigs Backyard Ultra becoming the first women to win the race completing 250 miles in 60 hours. Maggie is not only a legend, but she’s an inspiration to us all.

Favorite picture from a run or race this year:  After my final long run before my Marine Corps Half, I set up my GoPro in the hopes of capturing a decent running picture. A perfectly timed cyclist rode by giving the illusion of me chasing him and turning just any picture into something more fun.

 

Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: The Firecracker 5K has long been a favorite way to start my Independence Day. Running the race with my MRTT friends has become an annual event and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

 

If you could sum up your year in a couple of words what would they be?  Two different injuries kept me sidelined longer than would have liked, but they also gave me a better perspective for how easily I can get injured, an appreciation for how my body can heal itself, and the joyful feeling of how sweet coming back from injuries can be!

 

  • Questions:
  • Focusing just on fitness and meeting your fitness goals, how was your 2019?
  • If you’re a runner, what was your favorite run or race?
  • Have you planned your 2020 racing calendar? If so, which race are you most looking forward to running?