Let's recap. I ran my first marathon. How did I NOT write about that?! In October 2015 I ran in the Wineglass Marathon in the Finger Lakes Region in New York. If you know me, you know I love wine and I love to run so I thought let's mix the two of them. The Finger Lakes is one of New York's Wine Regions.
The Wineglass. I beat my goal of 4:30 by finishing 4:27:57. I used the Run Walk Run method, specially I ran 4 minutes and walked 1 minute. Actually I ran with a few friends and we stuck together the whole way. I felt great at the end. My legs were a little tired but I could walk to the wineries just fine!! Ha!
I felt so good in fact that I signed up for a second marathon for 15 days later. I ran the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse, New York. I drove through snow to get there and let me tell you I was determined to run it. If I finished I'd qualify for the Marathon Maniacs. I ran it with a friend who also ran the Wineglass with me. We are crazy.
We woke up to temperatures of about 30 degrees and black ice. I packed capris. It wasn't supposed to be that cold. I struggled with this one. The beginning was tough since I felt like I had ice blocks for feet. The end was tough since my legs felt like...lead blocks. But I finished with a time of 4:35:38. 12th in my division. Not bad considering I had to make a pit stop at a porta potty!!! I qualified and applied to the Marathon Maniacs. I am a maniac and I might never do a full again, lol!!!
I ran a few more races and a few more Ragnar Relays. My Ragnar in the Florida Keys was canceled since they couldn't get a permit. I was so bummed. I ran a Half Marathon in New Jersey in April with 50 mile per hour winds. I ran another Ultra Ragnar in Cape Cod and now I get blood blisters whenever I run in humid weather. I even went out to Utah to run the original Ragnar -- Wasatch Back. Awesome experience in a beautiful part of the country.
In September I drove to Rhode Island with the family to run another Half Marathon then the next month drove to Hartford, CT for yet another. That was seriously a great race. I was 30 seconds slower than my PR (personal record). Ugh. If I didn't stop to take my fleece off...hmmm....oh well. Finally I ended up driving to Delaware with a friend to run a Half Marathon in my 8th state. Probably one of my favorite races only because it flew by. Normally at mile 9 I am starting to think about the end. I didn't PR, I wasn't trying for one but I did come in under 2 hours.
A lot of traveling for races. So I might as well make it official. I signed up for the 50 States Half Marathon Club. I was talking with a friend saying that some people just don't have goals. I can't imagine my life without them. So my new goal is to run a Half Marathon in each state. I can't wait to continue on this adventure. I can't wait to see everywhere it takes me.
My next state is Pennsylvania. I've wanted to run the Pittsburgh Half Marathon for some time now. I went to Pitt for my freshman year in college so I'm looking forward to going back there. My sister and her family also live there so it will be a good visit. Other than that, I don't have my next states planned yet. It will be either Washington, Maine, or Virginia. Or maybe all of them!
I will do a better job at writing about my fitness and running adventures. Part of the excitement of exercise and running is to be able to share it with others!!
Well done that you have been successful in achieving your goals this year. You are an inspiration for all of us who set goals each year and fail to achieve them.
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