2015 Racing Awards + My 2016 Racing Schedule

The year is almost over.  And now it’s time to look back on all the awesome races from 2015!

I’m linking up this week for Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie at The Fit Foodie Mama, Angelena Marie at Angelena Marie: Happy, Healthy & Balanced, Michelle at Fruition Fitness, and Nicole at Fitful Focus!  It’s the last Wednesday of 2016, wow!

[bctt tweet=”How did you like your races in 2015?  And what are you looking forward to in 2016? #bibchat #runchat #wildworkoutwednesday”]

2015 Racing Awards

I am so pleased with how great 2015 turned out to be for running races!  This is the busiest I’ve ever been and I’m finishing the year injury-free!  Here’s what I knocked out in 2015:

• One stair climb
• 1 10-miler
• 1 5K
• 3 10K’s (one virtual)
• 2 mud runs
• 2 half marathons

With all that said, I thought I’d join in this fun survey hosted by Erika from MCM Mama Runs to reflect on the races of the year.  I participated last year and it’s so fun to get lost in the memories!

Most scenic course:  While I really enjoyed the sights of DC and Annapolis,  the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half Marathon was the most scenic race I had this year.  I’m a sucker for trail running, so running along Pennypack Creek in Northeast Philadelphia was absolutely wonderful!  It’s an area I need to spend a lot more time exploring!  Not to mention, lots of people dress up in lederhosen so that keeps things interesting!

Most challenging course:  I think I’ve been pretty clear that the Annapolis Classic Half Marathon was the toughest race for me this year.  Once I got to the top of the Navy-Memorial Bridge, it was all downhill…no pun intended.  The rolling hills after the first 6 miles killed me.  The half marathon course is not for the faint of heart!

Best Course Support (aid stations, volunteers, people cheering you on, etc):  I really enjoyed the energy at the Cherry Blossom Run.  The course was pretty packed the entire way, so I was constantly surrounded by funny signs and people cheering on the crowd.  It was a really great day for a race, especially with the cherry blossoms in full bloom!

Best expo:  I really liked what the Philly 10K put together – a really fun bib pickup party on the Friday and Saturday before the race with food trucks and cheap beer!  There was a photo booth too that was pretty cool.  I just wish the swag was cheaper!

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Best swag:  Zooma Annapolis!  Free Feetures socks (which I now LOVE!) and a really nice tech tee, plus a 10K medal!  Honorable mention goes to the Gone For a Run Virtual 10K for really nice swag that shipped to me perfectly!

Great swag from the Zooma Annapolis 10K!

Great swag for the Gone for a Run 10K!

Most unique medal:  I have to say the Cherry Blossom Medal is definitely my favorite from 2015!

Best Post-Race Food/Beverages:  The after parties were really good this year!  But in 2015, it’s a tie between the Annapolis Classic Half Marathon and the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half Marathon.  Annapolis had tomato soup and oysters while the latter had that great German food that was so filling, not to mention cookies, candy, and desserts at the finish line!  Honorable mentions must also go to the Zooma 10K (wine!) and Philly 10K (Beer and Shake Shack custard – though they ran out).

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Best Race Shirt:  I didn’t really get any awesome race T-shirts this year, not like in 2014 where I had a 3-way tie!  But the 1/4 zip top from  the Annapolis Half is great and I finally got to wear it on my run two weekends ago!

Favorite Overall Race:  It’s so hard for me to choose my favorite race this year, so I will cop-out – The Philly 10K was my favorite 10K and the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut was my favorite half marathon!  Both were so well-organized and full of local charm (aka they were not packed to the brim), and I can’t be upset with getting a PR at the Philly 10K!

Race You Are Most Proud of Yourself for Completing:  I’m really proud of myself for doing my first (and possibly last) Tough Mudder.  It was a really fun experience thanks to the great people on my team who helped me along the way, but only I could slide into a pool of ice water on a 40-degree day in October!  I really proved to myself that I CAN push beyond my limits.

Tentative 2016 Racing Schedule

I’m really looking forward to racing in 2016!  I’ve already signed up for a few races, but as the year progresses, I know more events will pop up that I will want to do, so this racing schedule is subject to change!  In any event, I’m so excited and hopeful for another great year.  And maybe I’ll try out some new distances??

January

• 1/24:  Chilly Cheeks Run in Reading, PA – on the fence!

February

• 2/14:  ZOOMA Run Love Virtual 10K – make sure you sign up to join in the fun!
• 2/20:  Frostbite 5 Miler in Ambler, PA – on the fence!

April

• 4/3:  Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run – I’m so excited to be a Social Runner this year!  I’ll be blogging all about my training the next few months, so stay tuned!
• 4/10:  Love Run Half Marathon Relay – I’m looking forward to finally checking this race out, and with a new format to boot!
• 4/16:  Clean Air Council 5K/10K – a tradition, but on the fence for which distance!

May

• 5/22:  King of Prussia 10 Mile Race – this is supposed to be a crazy hilly race, and I am going to work my butt off to do a good job!

June

• 6/4:  1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half Marathon – I can’t wait to see how I do the second time!
• 6/12:  Oddyssey Half Marathon – they’re going to have a relay this year and I’m very much on the fence!  I haven’t run this race since 2012.

August

• 8/28?:  The Philly 10K – Maybe they’ll change the course and date again?  It’s hard to say!

September

• 9/24:  ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon – hello, racecation!

October

• 10/16:  Runner’s World Half Marathon – by hook or by crook, it’s finally happening, and I can’t wait!

November

• 11/6:  Run the Bridge 10K – it was fun in 2014 so I’m thinking of going back!
• 11/20:  Philadelphia Marathon and Half – will I attempt my very first marathon in 2016??  Stay tuned…

December

• 12/3?:  Ugly Sweater/Holiday Run – a fun way to end the year!
• 12/18:  Winter Solstice Trail 10K hosted by Wissahickon Wanderers

Workouts for the Week:

Monday 12/21:  No workouts…

Tuesday 12/22:  Another busy day of work led to no workouts, but I did a TON of walking downtown for my Christmas shopping!

Wednesday 12/23:  It was my last full day of work and of course it was busy!  I got a decent amount of steps in by helping decorate for the annual Christmas party at work…I stayed for an extra 2.5 hours!

Thursday 12/24: Christmas Eve was all about the Christmas party!  I was helping in the Carnival games section – we had a game very similar to Beer Pong (smh), hula hoops (in which I excel), Twister, cornhole, jump ropes and hopscotch.  I was really nervous about interacting with the kids, but it went really well and I had fun!  Better yet, it ended up being quite a workout!

Friday 12/25:  Christmas day was fun but overall pretty chill.  I planned to run on the holiday, but it didn’t work out.

Saturday 12/26:  Redemption run!  I ran 4 solo miles in my sister’s neighborhood.  It was nice weather and I felt really good, though I did almost get a little too close to a dog that I’m surprised didn’t jump the fence to attack me…

Sunday 12/27:  Early morning run with my sister with the Laurel Black Girls Run group (which will be my next Running Club Roundup)!  I ran 5 very hilly miles with 2 very nice ladies.  I also got back to the abs and squats challenge:  20 sit-ups, 70 crunches, 85 squats.

Monday 12/28:  Bret was finally home from Nebraska! I ended up taking it easy and only doing some clamshells  – 30 on each side.  I lost my Fitbit charger somehow since my last charge so I was super frustrated as I tried to find it – it’s now dead :(.

Tuesday 12/29:  The day didn’t go as planned…I wanted to run at lunch, but work was too busy.  I planned on doing abs and squats when I got home, but I ended up crashing early, maybe even before 9 pm.  Work has been exhausting!

What were your favorite races in 2015, and what races are you looking forward to in 2016?