My 2018 Running Year in Review

I started 2018 with a few running goals in mind. I wanted to run my third marathon and I wanted to run it in less than 6 hours. I wanted to run/walk 1000 miles total in the year, which was a pretty lofty goal considering I had done just 835 in 2017. I wanted to run a 2 1/2 hour half marathon or better. I wanted to continue my racing streak – running a race of any distance at least once per month. Before we dive into how I did with all of these goals, let’s talk about my favorite running moments of 2018.

My Top Running Moments of 2018

• Running a race with Paula again. After not talking for several months I was thrilled when she reached out to me through a mutual friend. I had my best friend back! She came to visit me in March and ran the BARC St. Pat’s 5k with me. It was her comeback race after being injured… and now I have watched her grow exponentially as a runner and triathlete since then. It is truly awesome!
• Running a marathon with my sister from another mister. When I announced that I wanted to run another marathon, Christine asked if she could join me. This was a moment of redemption for her, too, as her first marathon had not gone well and in fact she never planned to run another marathon again. We made good training partners – she pushed me and I kept her from pushing herself too hard. Marathon weekend was so much fun – going to the expo, getting dinner with our running friends, and having our biggest fan (my hubby!) tagging along with us. We were able to run most of the marathon together. Towards the end I knew she was capable of more than I was, and I pushed her to go on without me. I am glad that she did because she got a PR that day, and even though I didn’t finish with her I got one too. We both felt so much better after that marathon than we had after our previous ones. It was an incredible experience and I am so looking forward to seeing her crush that marathon time at the 2019 Mercy Health Glass City Marathon!
• Finding out that I had been selected as an ambassador for the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon. I was so surprised and honored to be chosen! It was so much fun to promote my favorite race and I got to meet some amazing people through that experience.
• Having an awesome time with my friends Bayshore weekend. Although the race itself was pretty tough, I still did a lot better than I thought I could given the conditions (hot and humid is NOT my fave). What was more fun was our adventures getting to the race and after the race, from deciding custody arrangements of our friend Nick, to our lunch outing, the party bus, and a delicious breakfast before leaving. It was a wonderful weekend getaway.
• Our girls weekend in Ludington. Yes, this counts as a running memory because we did run a 10k. Paula and I pushed and pulled each other through the race. It was a beautiful course. It was an even better weekend spent with friends, some that I hadn’t seen in quite some time!
• How our running community came together in the wake of a tragedy. When our running friend April was killed tragically in September, the whole running community in our area felt it. I had just run the Run For Your Heart half marathon with her the weekend before it happened. It was amazing to see everyone step up to help her family – from providing meals for them to donations. We raised money for a memorial bench in a record amount of time. Her viewing and funeral were full of her running family. She made such a huge impact on so many lives and it was just incredible to see the expanse of her impact. Although this is a sad memory for me, it is an important one, because it really restored my faith in humanity to see the love and support of our awesome running community.
• Running my first relay race. I had such a blast running on a team with my friend Jenny and my hubby as the “Beauties and the Beast”. I definitely want to do another relay!
• Working for an awesome race company. This year I started working for TriToFinish, helping with setting up, putting on and tearing down running and multi-sport events. It was challenging and gave me such insight and respect for what happens behind the scenes at races, and it was also a total blast. Through this opportunity I have gotten to know so many people in the running and multi-sport community. I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with them in 2019.
• Beating my “A” Goal at the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon. The whole race was just incredible for me. It was the first marathon that I ran without a running partner. My training had gone phenomenally. The weather was perfect marathon running weather, at least for me. And when I saw that finish time as I approached the finish line, I felt like Shalane Flanagan at NYC – “F$&@ YES!”

Races Run in 2018

Listed from shortest distance to longest and from fastest to most “velocity challenged” times:

• 1/20/18 BARC Freeze Your Fanny 5k – 31:05, 10:00/mile
• 12/1/18 Dashing Through the Snow & Fire 5k – 32:02, 10:20/mile
• 10/6/18 Bruckelaufe 5k – 32:45, 10:33/mile
• 2/17/18 BARC Mardi Gras 5k – 35:59, 11:35/mile
• 5/5/18 MoM 5k – 36:05, 11:38/mile
• 3/18/18 BARC St. Pat’s 5k – 36:54, 11:53/mile
• 4/29/18 I Ran the D 5k – 37:12, 11:58/mile
• 10/27/18 Trick or Trot 5k – 37:52, 12:11/mile
• 7/4/18 Volkslaufe 5k – 40:02, 12:53/mile
• 11/24/18 Hungry Turkey 5k – 42:55, 13:49/mile
• 12/31/18 Resolution Run 8k – 52:50.04, 10:38 min/mile – last day of the year got me a PR!!! 🙌🏻
• 2/3/18 Winterlaufe 8k – 57:52, 11:39/mile
• 3/18/18 BARC St. Pat’s 8k – 1:05:17, 13:08/mile
• 6/19/18 Ludington Lakestride 10k – 1:09:30.15, 11:13/mile
• 8/25/18 Crim 10 Mile – 2:07:04, 12:43/mile
• 9/23/18 Capital City River Run Half Marathon Relay –
  1st leg 4.59 miles, 49:36, 10:49/mile – total team time 2:32:20.2, 11:38/mile
• 9/8/18 Run For Your Heart Half Marathon – 2:37:11, 12:00/mile
• 5/26/18 Bayshore Half Marathon – 2:39:54.8, 12:12/mile
• 10/21/18 Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon – 5:40:23, 12:59/mile
• 4/22/18 Mercy Health Glass City Marathon – 5:59:27, 13:43/mile

That is a total of 20 races: 10 5ks, 3 8ks, 1 10k, 1 10 mile, 2 half marathons, 1 half marathon relay and 2 marathons. The only distances that I PR’d in were the half marathon and marathon. (JK! I ran an 8k today and got a PR!! Woot woot omg very unexpected!!) And that’s okay, because those were the two distances that I was the most focused on. I had only planned on running one marathon, and getting a sub 6 hour time, but when I found out that I had been selected as a 2018 Race Ambassador for the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon in late February, I decided I would give Detroit another chance. I accomplished my sub 6 hour goal at Glass City so I didn’t set lofty goals for Detroit… yet I still killed it!

In 2019, I would like to PR every distance with the exception of the 5k (if I could get another sub 30 5k, that would be awesome!), 10 mile (because I won’t be running the Crim this year – sad, I know, but it is for a good reason!) and possibly marathon if I don’t do one this year. I also don’t plan on doing a 25k or a triathlon this year… but I would like to do my first duathlon!

Banking the Miles 2018: The Final Tally!

• January 2017: 73.83 miles / January 2018: 66.50 miles
• February 2017: 33.39 miles/ February 2018: 74.53 miles
• March 2017: 51.51 miles/ March 2018: 89.00 miles
• April 2017: 68.68 miles / April 2018: 70.75 miles
• May 2017: 61.50 miles/ May 2018: 100.19 miles
• June 2017: 51.62 miles/ June 2018: 78.57 miles
• July 2017: 70.38 miles/ July 2018: 79.76 miles
• August 2017: 104.54 miles/ August 2018: 136.95 miles
• September 2017: 136.86 miles/ September 2018: 137.30 miles
• October 2017: 72.28 miles/ October 2018: 80.11 miles
• November 2017: 52.86 miles/ November 2018: 63 miles
• December 2017: 57.54 miles / December 2018: 103.33 miles
• TOTAL 2017: 835 miles / TOTAL 2018: 1080 miles / GOAL: 1000 miles, 108%

The only month that I did not beat my mileage from last year was in January. Every other month I was able to beat my 2017 mileage! I reached 100+ miles in 4 months this year… that’s 1/3 of the year.

So what is my mileage goal for next year? That’s a good question. I am only planning on one marathon in 2019 (if that), compared to two in 2018, which will cut down on my planned mileage. But I have also surprised myself this year with being able to reach out and grab goals that I thought were not possible. I think I will be safe and say that I just want to beat 2018’s miles, so if I can accomplish 1081 miles, that would be great!

Overall, 2018 was a great year for running. It may not have been my fastest year in all areas, but it was one of the most fun years I have ever had. I was focused on my own goals and accomplishments rather than feeling pressure from others to do things a certain way. I had some great new experiences, met some wonderful new people, and spent a lot of quality time with my oldie but goodie running buddies. I am really excited to see what 2019 has to offer!