Running Out of 2017 and Into 2018

Let me start off by saying that I totally blew the one “resolution” that I made for 2017.  I cannot do 100 push-ups, I still cannot do one good solid push up.  Perhaps, that will change this year, perhaps not.  Now on to running.

"Enjoying" the 2017 Polar Dash Half

No marathon, no ultra.  That defines 2017 for me.  I just ran for pleasure and threw in a few half marathons to make it interesting.  After 2015, the year in which I completed my first and only 50 mile run and 2016, the year of my “last” marathon and all the training that went into both, I just wanted to enjoy running and I did.   Did I miss being out with my running buddies on those 15, 17 and 20 mile training runs?  Not really.  Did I miss having to get up at 4 AM to complete long runs before it got hot during the summer?  Not at all. 

Finishing the 2017 Hot Chocolate with Ann, The Rockstar

So what did I do in 2017? I ran or walked twelve 5Ks, one 10K, one 8 miler, one 10 miler, one 100 mile relay (ran about 12 miles) and three half marathons.  I was going to write about each of them but I didn’t.  I ran 1,006 miles in 2017 and stayed healthy the whole year.  Did my pace improve?  No.  Did I lose any weight? Hell no!   Yet, I think 2017 was maybe my most enjoyable running year yet.  I ran when I felt like it, I didn’t get too hung up on pace, and I ran with great people.  As in other years, the highlight of the year was doing the Hot Chocolate 5K with the Cancer to 5K team.  Seeing new people get turned onto running just makes me happy.

2017 is a wrap.

Volunteering at the 2017 Chicago Marathon Expo

2018 is going to be another great year.  I’ve been selected to be a 2018 Chicago Athlete Ambassador which means that I will run some races for them and in exchange write race recaps.   I’m hoping to meet some new people in this role and maybe running a couple races that I’ve never run.   I feel very honored to be selected.  I’m also going to run the Chicago Marathon for the 3^rd time.  I know, I know, I said “never again”.   All marathon finishers know that that’s never true.  My niece, Rebecca, is going to come in from Israel and run/walk it with me.  This time, I swear, I will do whatever I did in training and finish strong.  

Fun with Friends

2018 is also going to be a year of cross training.  I’m starting to get interested in swimming again and plan to work myself up to be able to join the Naperville Waves sometime in the next 12 months.  Plus, I’ve started a Yoga for the Inflexible course and am proving that the course name is appropriate.

It’s only January 11^th, and I’ve registered for three half marathons (F^3 in Chicago, Naperville Women’s Half and the Bjorklund Half in Duluth, MN), and four 5Ks  (Geneva Super Shuffle, Universal Sole Valentine’s Trail Challenge, Shake it Off 5K in Bolingbrook and the Five-O 5K in Libertyville.)  I’m sure there will be a lot more and a lot more fun miles with friends.

I Call it Running, and perhaps it is!!