Good Morning!
First of all, it is finals week for this girl… so posts may be few and far between! But no worries, I will be back strong next week 🙂
Now, a huge thanks to Miss Zippy for the wonderful idea to round off our year with some Running Highlights!
Here we go!
- Best Race Experience? Even though the Marathon was great, I would have to say the Boilermaker Half Marathon. I blew my previous time out of the water. It was totally unexpected. I felt great and powerful, and it was at this race when I KNEW this whole “gain weight to get healthy” plan is what my body was craving and convinced it was for the best.
- Best Run? This is a harder question than “What’s your favorite movie?” I had so many. But here are some top ones–Trail Run(s), Chicago 20 Miler, This One,
- Best New Piece of Gear? My road racing shoes– New Balance 1400’s. Fast and Light!
- Best Piece of Running Advice You Received? NOT training (i.e. long recovery weeks w/o running) IS Training. Take a long break, relax, put on some weight even….Your body will thank you when it comes time to hit it hard again.
- Best Inspirational Runner? My Dad. The guy is 60 years old and is going for a Boston Qualifying time next spring at the Carmel Marathon. Also, some running blogs I follow and gain incredible running tips and training ideas from– StridingStrong, HungryRunnerGirl, and CarrieOnAndRun. They are such talented runners and kind souls!
- If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would it be?
Eyeopening. A true learning experience. Trust in my body, Trust in myself. Treat yourself well.
Have a great Monday everyone!
One thing from your weekend?
Thing you are most looking forward to in the coming weeks?!?!
Morning Runner Girl 
Good luck with finals this week! It’s always a rough time! I started filling this out for me but haven’t gotten around to finishing it yet. Busy time of year 😉 LOVE that your dad is your running inspiration (runspiration?) although I can’t say I’m surprised
haha for some reason it makes me happy to hear you are “not surprised” over my dad as my Runspiration– means you really do know me 😉 Finals week—blahhhh but the end is in sight!!
I agree with the advice of NOT training. During marathon training, I had to take 2 weeks off right before the race. Iwas freaking out but ended up having no pain on marathon day and a 33 min PR!
I’m currently on a running break until spring training 🙂 It feels good to just run whenever I want, though I’ve only been running about 1-2 miles a day….but I’m ok with that!
WOW now that is totally inspiring to hear!!! Crazy how our body just needs that rest and it thanks us with a PR when we do!! 🙂 Great job!! Have fun on your running break…relax and take it easy! That is my plan!! whoohoo!! have a good one!
Sounds like you had a great year!
I’m most looking forward to the Disney Dopey Challenge. I’ve been training for months and months, and now it’s so close!
Thanks I loved it!! YAYYYY YOU ARE SO CLOSE!!!! I am so excited for you! Seriously! Is that weird how pumped I am for you to conquer this amazing feat?!?!
THANK YOU! I know what you mean, I love running so much and I know all that goes into training that I get very emotional when I see other reach race day. I usually have to fight back tears at starting lines when I look around and think how all these people worked so hard to reach this goal!
Good luck with your finals girl!!! Love this post!! Especially the last bullet. My year was definitely eyeopening as well, seriously, mentally I’ve grown so much, especially with how I look to the future and at myself. Looking forward to my boyfriend coming home on Friday, and looking forward to my new runnings shoes coming!!!
Thanks so much!! That is incredible to hear about your progress as well. Isn’t it funny how much running and life in general go hand in hand? i don’t know which one effects which one, or if it is a “loop”… but sounds like running has been a part of your growth as well 🙂 Nothing better than a boyfriend and running shoes!! win-win for sure 🙂
Thank you so much Andrea, I find YOU incredibly inspiring! I have learned so much from reading your blog because of you sharing your journey and being so open and honest with your readers. I am so happy that you have such a great trio of professionals supporting you along with such great family support and I’m grateful that you share the advice you receive from them, because I believe all of us can at least take something you learn from them and apply it to our own lives. Especially the not training part, going through this injury has been tough (like they really get any easier huh? 😉 ) but it’s better to be taking this time off now than to make my injury worse and not be able to do any running for a while..and who wants to bring in the new year that way!? Not me! Your blog always puts things into such great perspective and it’s so refreshing to know that other people deal with similar struggles..but at the end of the day we are all alive and well thanks to God and his plan for us. I also gotta say your dad is pretty dang inspirational to me too! And finally (not that this comment wasn’t long enough or anything..;) but that half marathon you did ROCKED!
That means so much to me Hailey, thank you so very much!! I know you know you made absolutely the right call on sitting out and resting before the injury got any worse, and I look at that to motivate me to take it easy for a few weeks here as well!!! You are so right that at the end of the day, regardless of our time/pace/race/run/injury/etc… we are blessed to be alive and doing something we love–God is good 🙂 ((I very much got that out of your post this morning and your friend Sally…)) Stay MENTALLY strong on your rest time here and you will be ready to go for your marathon! I got faith in you 😉
such a great year of running!! loved reading your highlights!!
Thanks so much!!! It was fun to look back over the year!
Hey we have the same racing shoes!! Those are the best huh? Mine are bright turquoise and I love love love them. This was a great post and thank you for referring my blog!
Same color as mine 🙂 LOVE them!
Thank YOU for your inspiring posts! I enjoy them so much!! Have a great one!
My year in a word….trying, especially because of the injury nonsense…but also amazing because i got to move to Denver!!
two GREAT words!! I can (and have experienced before) the “trying” times that an injury brings. And may I say, you seemed to have handled it beautifully. You found activities you could do and stayed active and planned ahead for future races! Sounds perfect to me! And you know me and Denver… AMAZING just about sums that up perfectly 🙂
Your year has been truly inspirational :o)
Thank you so very much!! Looking back I can’t believe just how much I have learned and grown! Time is a funny thing that can do wonders! 🙂 Have a great evening girl!
Such a great year of running!! Can’t wait to follow you through 2014 and see all that you accomplish!
Thank you so much!! It was a whirlwind to say the least!!! Cant wait to read about your races as well!! Have a great one 🙂