13 in 2013 recap

Hi everyone! I'm so excited that it's Christmas week! There's something so fun about Christmas when you have little kids. I've been having some issues with a foot injury and it's been making running difficult so today I thought it would be nice to look back at my races of 2013! 

About a year ago I saw the idea of 13 in 2013 floating around. There was a Facebook group so I joined and figured it wouldn't be that difficult to run 13 5Ks in a year. I never dreamed that by the end of the year one of my 13 races would be a marathon! I actually ended up doing probably closer to 20 races total but the ones that I recorded for my 13 in 2013 all were special for a reason. 

My first race of the year was the Resolution Run 5K on New Year's Day. This was the first virtual race that I ever did! I signed up because I was jealous of other runners who had medals and I was 99% sure I would never win an age group award! I didn't think I would probably ever run a half or a marathon where you almost always get a medal. With most virtual races you get a medal no matter the distance. Running 3 miles was a great way to start 2013!

Race #2 was my birthday run on January 25th! This was another virtual that after I saw the medal I had to do. I loved running a 5K on my birthday and it helped me not feel guilty at all about the birthday cake! :)

My next race was a 10K virtual on Mardi Gras. The medal was beads melted into a medal and it is still one of my favorites! During the month of February I was in the middle of training for my first half marathon. I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to do the training because I had been unsuccessful before. I decided that doing virtual races would be a great motivator. I wouldn't hang the medal up until I did the long run for that week. It worked great

Race #4 was the Cupcake 10 miler. It was my first ever double digit run and I was so excited when I finished!

Next up was the Frosty 5K and my last virtual race of the year. I will always remember these 3 miles because they were the weekend before my first half and I was so nervous that it felt great to get out there and run some of my energy off!

Race #6 will always be one of my greatest running memories. The Rock n Roll Dallas half marathon was my first half and I was so excited to cross that finish line. This race gave me the confidence that I could do anything if I worked hard enough and believed in myself.

#7 was the hardest half marathon I have ever done! The Hogeye Half Marathon was two weeks after Dallas and I thought I would sign up and try to qualify for half fanatics. Well I forgot one minor detail! The race was in Fayetteville and it is incredibly hilly there. The Ozark mountains are no joke! I really struggled the last five miles because they were uphill the entire time. It was never ending!

For my final half to qualify for Half Fanatics I ran the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. It was such an amazing race. There is a sunrise service before the race and to sit there and see the memorial when it's still dark outside is a powerful moment. They have a moment of silence for each victim of the bombing before the start and it just left you speechless. This year they added a moment for the victims of the Boston Marathon and played Sweet Caroline at the start. Every time that song comes on my playlist it reminds me of Boston and the OKC half. If you ever have the chance this is a must do race!

Race #9 was a 5K in a small nearby town on the Fourth of July. I hadn't planned on running this race but when I woke up that morning it was 70 degrees out which is not normal for Arkansas in July! I thought I might be able to get a PR on this course and I did! I beat my old 5K time for this race by 8 minutes! All my speed work was paying off!

My next race was such a special moment. Colton and I ran the Neonathon 5K together! We had a great time running in the dark with our glow sticks! Crossing that finish line with my son and knowing that I had put in the work to be healthy and able to run 3 miles and keep up with him made me feel awesome!

Number 11 of 2013 was my first ever official 10K. I had ran several virtual 10Ks but that's it. I was nervous the night before and I have no idea why! This was two weeks before my marathon so I had just ran my last long run of 23 miles so I should've been pretty confident I could run 6 miles! I met the nicest runner and we started talking because we both had on our Half Fanatics gear. We ran together until the 10K and half split and I loved it. I run by myself all the time so if was fun to have someone to chat with!

Race #12 really doesn't need any description! The Route 66 marathon. 26.2 miles. I did it. It was worth every second of work and I can't wait to do it again. :)

And finally #13 from just this last week. The Christmas Lights 10K. This race was a struggle because of my obnoxious foot issue but I got it done!

I loved having the 13 in 2013 goal this year. I started the year off thinking I would do all 5Ks and ended up finishing the year off with a marathon. A year is a long time and you never know where you might go during that time! It has been fun to look back on my year of running. Thanks for taking this little trip down memory lane with me. You never know what is in store for 2014. I think 14 in 2014 has a nice ring to it! :)

I hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and Santa brings you many many happy runs!

~Michelle