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I enjoy writing my year in running posts, as they allow me to think through the year in specific ways. I’ve done my year in running posts in 2012, 2013, and 2014, so it’s a tradition now! So, without delay, here’s my 2015 in Running:
1. Best Race Experience: This isn’t even a question in my mind- hands down my best race experience this year was Rock’n’Roll St. Louis! Not only did I get to run it with a friend I’ve had since I was 7, but I got to run in a new place. I don’t train on hills, so I was nervous about this course, and I couldn’t be more proud about how I ran a race. I felt strong throughout the 13 miles!
Runner Up: Four on the Fourth. I ended up running this race in the middle of an 8 mile training run, and I ran the actual race with my cousins, which was a lot of fun!
2. Best Run: You Know I Love Those 7 Milers! Every year I’ve typed my year in running recaps, a 7 miler makes it onto my best run list. It’s the most ideal distance for my body! My runner up “best run” is The One With The Run In Central Park, not because it was particularly notable, but because it was so much fun!
3. Best new piece of gear: One of the best new pieces of gear I got this year was my pink and orange mesh shirt that I wore most of the summer! It breathes so well and it feels very similar to not wearing a shirt, but I do have some coverage as well!
My UV half buff (I got it for free through BibRave to review, and I truly loved it!) is also one of my favorite pieces of gear this year!
4. Best piece of running advice receive: Run in the moment. This is similar to the advice I posted last year (“run the mile that you’re in”), but I think it’s one of the things I struggle most with in my running life. I’m concerned about getting injured, and it’s easy to focus on that each moment instead of enjoying the fact that I’m feeling good.
5. Most Inspirational Runners. I really don’t have anything to say in this area that I didn’t say last year, so I’ve copied and pasted what I wrote in my year in running post last year: “I’m going to have to say Shalane Flanagan! I got to meet her this past summer at Rock n’Roll Chicago, and I totally fan girl-ed. I love her attitude and her drive in improving herself and getting the community involved in running. I’m also truly inspired by the runners I’ve met online, whether that’s through blogging, or chats like #runchat and #bibchat. I’m really inspired by each of you!”
6. If you could sum up your running year in a couple of words, what would they be? Different, a little nerve-wracking (waiting for an injury to flare up), endurance.
7. Favorite song(s) to run to: I can’t remember any song that I’ve actually run to this year (I may have listened to music at some point, but nothing that was notable). I primarily listen to podcasts while running, and if I run with someone, I typically don’t listen to music at all.
8. Favorite running quote from the year: This is the same quote that I posted last year, but when something is working, why change it? I posted the following quote on my blog the day before Monumental, and I think it speaks such truth: “We cannot control the competition. We cannot control the weather. We cannot control the struggles that will undoubtedly arise during the run. All we can control is ourselves. Standing at the starting line, I make the simple commitment to myself that today I will try my hardest. No matter what happens during the race, I will give it everything I’ve got and won’t give up without my strongest fight.” (Dean Karnazes)
9. Most exciting running moment of 2015? I honestly think that Rock’n’Roll St. Louis was the most exciting two and a half hours of running that I’ve had in 2015. Everything seemed to come together well that day, and it just felt like my day to run. I felt strong on the hills and feel confident that, if I had been running that day on a flat course, I would’ve set a PR.
My year in running in 2015 felt very different than 2014. In 2014 I was focused almost every workout on getting a new PR, and I did most of my runs with Melissa. In 2015 I did most of my runs on my own, and it’s the first year since I started running that I haven’t set a PR, which feels a little sad. I did run the fastest 5k I’ve run in the last 2 years, I set a course PR during the Indy Mini (it was the fastest time I’ve run that course, and I’ve run the course three times), and I know that I wouldn’t have been able to run as fast as I did during the RnR St. Louis Half if I had run it in previous years. I KNOW that I am stronger than I was before.
Now it’s your turn to share! What was your best running moment in 2015?
I love Shalane! What a fun recap! You had a great season!
Thanks! 🙂