Hey there! I hope you had a great weekend. If you’re already on vacation for the Fourth of July holiday, I am so jealous of you!
I’m participating in the Tuesdays on the Run Linkup with April, Erika, and Patty. Be sure to check their sites to see what everyone’s sharing about running! This week’s theme is about checking in on our running goals!
I’m also co-hosting the #TuesdayTales Race Recap Linkup with Jessica from The Silvah Lining and Dee from The Hesitant Runner. Check the end of the post to linkup your Race Recaps, old or new, and spread the love!
[bctt tweet=”Checking in on my 2015 Running Goals…do resolutions ever work?! #runchat #bibchat #tuesdaytales”]
2015 Running Goals – Did I Follow Through?
2015 was supposed to be a big year for me. After completing the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in 2014, my first in nearly 3 years, 2015 was going to be the year of my official comeback. Thankfully, I can say that I’m off to a great start! But let me look back at my goals bit by bit to truly benchmark my overall performance.
2015 Races:
So how did the first 6 months of racing turn out? Let me look back to my racing plan in 2015 and see if I was on track, or way off the mark.
Here are the races I completed:
- Fight for Air Stair Climb – 100 Flights
- Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run
- Run for Clean Air 5K
- Log Off, Shut Down, Go Run Virtual 10K
- Zooma Annapolis 10K
- 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half Marathon
And the races that I didn’t:
- Valentine’s Day Run: We were in DC and I just couldn’t decide which race to do, plus it was STUPID COLD this winter!
When it comes to running the races I said I would, I’d say that the first half of the year was an A-! While I didn’t do a Valentine’s Day race, I did run the Gone for a Run Virtual 10K, which was a really fun and refreshing experience!
Race Results:
Here is a look at the races I trained for and how I actually did based on the goals I set for myself.
- Fight for Air Stair Climb: This was the second year that I did doing the climb of 100 flights of steps instead of 50. While I was happy to do better than last year, the race was still a drag. I’m going back to 50 flights next year, no more climbing up a building twice!
- Desired: Sub-24 minutes
- Actual: 23:25, a personal record!
- Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run: This was my first big race of the year and I trained so hard all winter in the cold and snow! I had big hopes for this one, and I’m so happy that I was able to have negative splits throughout the race! DC was awesome! The cherry blossoms were beautiful and in full bloom. I was just surprised at the massive crowd, it may have cost me a minute or two!
- Desired: 1:40-1:45
- Actual: 1:38:36…but the race was cut short about a half mile.
- Run for Clean Air 5K: In 2014 the stars aligned and I had my best Run for Clean Air ever! This year though, I knew I wasn’t going to have a 27:11 finish time. What I didn’t foresee was that I’d struggle so much running in the heat and make the dumb mistake of starting out too fast…this wasn’t a goal race though and it was 6 days after Cherry Blossom, so I really can’t be too hard on myself.
- Desired: 28:00-28:30
- Actual: 29:22
- Zooma Annapolis 10K: This was such a fun race! I’m so glad Jo was able to convince me to sign up. We had a great time and she really pushed me to do my best. I was glad that I could handle those big hills throughout the course! I hope we can do it again next year!
- Desired: 1:00
- Actual: 1:02:31
- 1/2 Sauer Half Kraut Half Marathon: Because of the summer heat and rolling hills, I knew it would be a challenge, but I was so excited about the fun atmosphere of this German-themed race! I was a bit bummed about my official time, but I ran the race smartly, running by effort instead of pace. I even survived getting hit by a bike! I’m pretty tough…lol.
- Desired: 2:20:00
- Actual: 2:35:48
When it came to my desired finishing times, I only surpassed my goal with the Fight for Air Stair Climb, so at least I had one PR! Tough weather conditions definitely played in a role in my struggles on the Clean Air 5K and 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut, but I’m still very proud of what I was able to do. Training for 4 days a week with Coach Kristy’s guidance has made all the difference in the world!
Tackling the Rest of 2015
It’s driving me crazy right now, but I am NOT locked in on hardly any races for the rest of the year! Here are the only races that I am DEFINITELY signed up to participate:
- The Philly 10K on 8/30 – it’ll be my first time participating in the 2nd annual race – I was a volunteer last year. They’ve actually changed the course so it should be really scenic though South Philly and Old City.
- The Tough Mudder on 10/18 – this is another race I’ll be doing for the first time. I’ll be doing it in the Philly area with a team of my coworkers. I am absolutely TERRIFIED and hoping I didn’t make a huge mistake! I plan on documenting my training experience, so I hope you follow along on my journey!
Other upcoming races? I’m at a loss right now because The Pope is visiting Philadelphia from September 25-27, which eliminates the Sloppy Cuckoo Half Marathon I was hoping to do that weekend.
So here’s the ever-changing anticipated race lineup for the rest of the year (excluding those mentioned above):
- 9/26: Hands on House Half Marathon in Lancaster, PA
- 11/7: Trenton 10K
- 11/21: Annapolis Running Classic Half Marathon
- 11/26: YMCA Turkey Trot in Buffalo, NY
- 12/5: Rehobeth Beach Half Marathon
Hopefully, I can sign up for these races soon so that it’s official and I don’t keep changing my mind!
I am so happy with how this year is going so far! I really challenged myself, worked hard, and ran some new races, which was all a part of my plan! I finally got out of the rut of the same old, same old races in Philly, so I feel really refreshed. I can’t wait to have a strong and exciting Fall Season with even more new races under my belt!
How has your running and/or race training shaped up so far this year compared to your initial goals? If you’ve ever run Tough Mudder, any tips??
Race Recap Linkup with The Silvah Lining and The Hesitant Runner
the good – the bad – the ugly
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Featured post from last week…
This week’s feature is Amanda’s recap of The Marine Corps 17.75K Race. With this race she received guaranteed entry to Marine Corps Marathon!
About this link up…
It is active every Tuesday – Friday.
Link up your most recent recaps, or throwback to an old favorite. *If your post is unrelated to the theme, it will be deleted.
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Read at least 3 other posts and leave them some love.
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So many races this year- I’m impressed! Would love to do the Philly 10k- jealous you got in!
Great job so far with your running goals! I wouldn’t worry much about the times. It is hot hot hot outside, which makes running so tough. It looks like you have a great lineup for the fall! I’ll be interested to hear how the Hands On House Half Marathon goes. When I was still living in PA that was one I had looked at running.
And yay to the #TuesdayTales– it’s me! Woot woot! Haha sorry, I was so excited when I saw that.
I was at ZOOMA Annapolis too! But I did the half. Be glad you did the 10k . . . I was doing well that first 10k but the heat, humidity & hills on the second half sucked the life out of me & it was one of my worst finishing times. 🙁
And I had a friend who did the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut . . . only she was trying for the full & missed the cutoff by seconds.
Happy running for the second half of the year!
Aww, I remember people talking about the course being cut short for the cherry blossom. That stinks. What is the weather usually like in Rehobeth beach in December?
Yeah, Cherry Blossom was cut short but they really handled the last minute change very smoothly. I’m guessing that the weather for Rehobeth will be in the 30’s or 40’s? I really don’t know! Sometimes December can still be pretty warm so it could be interesting!
I’m jealous of those who get extra days off. I don’t get a long weekend since the 4th’s on Saturday, but I am taking a day off next week for a mental health day.
Everyone will be off on Friday but luckily I’ll get an owed Holiday that I can use for vacation time later! Enjoy that mental health day…those are so necessary!
I love this post…what a great way to hold yourself accountable, and keep the motivation going at the same time. Awesome achievements so far!
Wow, you’re doing an amazing job sticking to your resolution!! Congrats!
I love the ZOOMA organization. I was an ambassador for three years while I lived in MD. Sounds like you will have a busy rest of 2015!
I think you’ve done an awesome job with your goals so far! Looking forward to seeing on which races you settle on for the fall.
Great job on all of the races! Sounds like your year is going great!
Thank you! I’m hoping to keep it going!
Great job with your races this year!! Thanks for linking up with us today!
Thanks so much April! It’s always fun to link up with you guys!
An impressive list of races – they all look like so much fun! Well done – you’re going really well towards your goals. Keep up the fabulous work 🙂
Thank you Gill! I’m just happy to have had such a strong year. I’ve really missed being able to run so much!
It’s making me crazy because I don’t have any races (other than a marathon) scheduled for the remainder of the year. I’ve got to do something about that. I can’t imagine the 100 flights of stairs climb. That had to be TOUGH.
The stair climb was crazy! It’s not as bad as you’d think, but the building is only 50 floors so you have to go up twice…so that adds its own extra mental challenge!
congrats on all the races so far!
Thank you Tory!
Great job on all the races. Thanks for co-hosting this week! #TuesdayTales
Thanks so much Jessica!
Wow, you are a running machine! I’m very impressed as I could never manage running. It always looked like a cool thing to do but I don’t handle it well. Good for you and impressive marathons you have under your belt.
You mentioned Philly & I got a bit homesick. I was born in Chester & spent lots of time in Philly. I miss hoagies.
Aw thanks Tina! It’s taken a long time to get back to this point, I’m so grateful. Aw, yes Philly does know how to make good hoagies! I love it here!
You’ve had a terrific year so far. And such exciting plans!
Thanks a lot Joy!
So jealous of your race lineup! I moved right before they started the Philly 10k and it looks like so much fun! Also, any race in Rehoboth is a blast! Good luck on all of your upcoming races, and I can’t wait to hear all about them!
Good to know running in Rehobeth is fun, my friend recommended the race but I wasn’t sure! Thanks Kristen!
Good job on your goals so far! You may not have meet all of your time goals but at least you finished all your races! I’m doing the Trenton Half Marathon so maybe I’ll see you in November!
Thanks Kimberly! Hopefully I’ll see you in Trenton, I’m pretty sure I want to do the 10K…ah if I could only decide!
I’ll be at the Annapolis and Rehoboth Halves! Hope to see you at both or one of them 🙂 (I know how crazy race morning gets haha).
Awesome! Gosh I hope to meet you this time!
I’m impressed with all the races you’ve done. I started getting into running last year, and you did more races in 6 months than I did all year! That’s awesome!
As for me, I’m just happy that I decided to, and actually finished, a half-marathon. I’ve kind of been looking at smaller local races or kid’s runs that I can do with my family.
Thanks Jayni! Thankfully the first half of the year has gone well. Congrats on your half marathon, that’s a huge accomplishment! I’m starting to like 10K’s because they’re not too short or too long!