Tag Archives: running

Boston :: Run to Remember

Posted by Melissa on April 16, 2013 No comments

I still cannot wrap my head around the events that unfolded yesterday in Boston. This is the third time I’ve attempted writing this post. Normally when rendered speechless I can count on being able to put pen to paper and let the words flow. But in the past 24 hours it’s been impossible to collect my thoughts.

The first time I laced up a pair of running shoes I was unaware of the amazing, tight-knit community I’d become a part of. Runners are incredible people, as are the spectators that line race courses across the country. I can’t help but think of the many times friends and family have waited for me at the end of my races. Never in a million years would I have thought a horrifying event of this magnitude would occur at the finish line, a place normally reserved for overwhelming joy.

I can tell you this for sure:

I will not quit racing.

I will not stop running.

I will NOT be afraid.

If anything, what occurred on Boylston yesterday has ignited a fire in me to run stronger, to run faster. I will run for those who can’t and run for those who lost their lives.

I will run to remember. And I will never forget.

Boston – you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Austin 10/20 Expo

Posted by Melissa on April 13, 2013 1 comment

Yesterday at lunch I made the trip out to Norris Conference Center to pick up my packet for the Austin 10/20. The 3M Half Marathon expo in 2012 was held there but I still managed to get all turned around since I was coming from 360 rather than 183.

The expo opened at 11 and I arrived shortly after that. There wasn’t much of a crowd at all which made getting in out extremely easy. Once you entered the conference center, you picked up your bib (or register, if you hadn’t already) in the room on the left.

Then you headed across the hall to the expo, where you pick up your shirt. When I registered I went up a size to be safe, but for once a race had shirts that were true to size and it ended up being too big. The volunteer swapped sizes out for me without a problem and then hit the expo.

The vendors were the usual suspects: SPIbelt, Spartan Race, CEP, A-Line, Marathon Charms & Gifts, and Active Sol Eyewear. Texas Running Company was there selling shoes and apparel.

I made two loops around the room to make sure I didn’t miss anything and then headed out.

I really liked the shirt this year. Honestly, I’m not that picky – as long as it isn’t white, I’m okay with it. They had gender-specific shirts, which is always a nice perk.

Now I’m on a mission to update my playlist. My iPod has been loaded with the same songs since January and I’m pretty sure I’ve beat it to death. This one already landed a spot:

Completely unrelated to running, but after seeing them perform at ACMs I need to get tickets to see The Band Perry ASAP.

Fall Racing Decision :: Will Run for BEER

Posted by Melissa on April 12, 2013 4 comments

It might seem a little premature to be talking about the fall racing season as the spring one hasn’t even wrapped up yet. However, the racing scene in Austin pretty much shuts down (with the exception of 5Ks) after April. The Austin 10/20 is coming up this weekend and then I head to NJ the first week of May for the Long Branch Half.

And after that, I’ve got nothing on my radar.

SO! It’s time to think about the fall. Every year since I started running I’ve done a fall destination race. 2010 was Disney’s Wine & Dine Half, 2011 was Marine Corps Marathon and 2012 was Philly Marathon.

I had a few half marathons in mind for 2013: Hartford, Wineglass, Mohawk Hudson River Half, OUC, ZOOMA Cape Cod. But after mapping out our travel schedule for the rest of the year {with Nuun Hood to Coast tentatively penciled in *fingers crossed*} we realized a fall destination race probably isn’t in the cards.

The plan for the next 13.1 is to stay semi-local. I’m 90% sure we’ll be heading south in November for the 2013 Shiner Beer Run.

This race combines two of my favorite things: running + Shiner beer. 4 complimentary frosty beers at the finish for each runner? A medal that doubles as a bottle opener? A race that starts and finishes at the Spoetzl Brewery? I’m having a hard time coming up with reasons NOT to run this race.

My sub-2 goal might get pushed to the beginning of 2013 considering the arch issues I’ve been having lately. Long Branch is not going to be a PR attempt and I’m absolutely okay with that. It’s part of a vacation to New Jersey to see my family and I’ll just be happy to see how far the area has come since I was up there in November post-Sandy.

If I had to guess, I’d say my sub-2 attempt will be at 3M in January 2014. But that’s REALLY far away, so we shall see!

Do you have your fall goal race picked out yet? Is it a destination race?

Keep Austin Hydrated {2013 Nuun Hood to Coast Application}

Posted by Melissa on April 8, 2013 18 comments

Last year when Nuun announced they were putting together teams again for Hood to Coast, I knew I had to enter. I had stalked Twitter for updates and read recaps post-race the previous year, incredibly jealous of the women chosen to run for my favorite hydration company.

My secret weapon is procrastination. Whenever I leave something to the last possible minute, I seem to get the best results. A huge case of anxiety and maybe a panic attack, but the best results nonetheless. Nuun had tweeted last year about not waiting until the last minute to submit so the app could be viewed with fresh eyes. I liked the sound of that! So I rushed to throw together my app and sent it in.

And then I wasn’t chosen. I knew I should have spent a little more time on it and turned it in last minute like the original plan.

So this year, that’s exactly what I did. I started brainstorming early, compiling a list of ideas, consulting internet friends, taking photos, doing research, driving all over Austin, and teaching myself how to use Movie Maker. The completed video is a labor of love. I spent a lot of time tweaking it, getting it exactly how I wanted and making sure my love for Nuun was properly conveyed.

On Sunday evening, just a few hours before the deadline, I uploaded the video to YouTube and clicked ‘Submit’ on my application for a chance to run Hood to Coast with Team Nuun in 2013:

Nuun’s 2013 Hood to Coast Team will be announced on April 17th. Wish me luck!

2013 ZOOMA Texas Race Recap

Posted by Melissa on March 31, 2013 5 comments

Last weekend was the Texas edition of the ZOOMA Women’s Race Series. It was the culmination of months of training by our Muscle Milk Light Athletes and Ambassadors alike.

Race day started at 4:30 for me since I wasn’t staying on property. I definitely recommend staying at the Hyatt Lost Pines if you can! The resort is gorgeous and you can stay cozy in your bed right up until the last minute on race morning. If you don’t stay at the Hyatt, there are several parking options for you.

I parked at Cedar Creek High School around 6am and hung out in my car for a bit to stay warm. The forecast has called for a warm, humid day with a chance of thunderstorms. However, it was a windy, chilly (for my Texas blood!) 50 degrees that morning. I dressed for the former, which would come back to haunt me later. Close to 6:30 I hopped on a shuttle over to the Hyatt.

A few of us met up at the information tent pre-race for a photo op:

Caroline, Erika, me, Kelly, Rhonda

Before we knew it, it was time to head to the start! Everyone (with the exception of Ashley and I) was running the half so they jumped into the starting corral and got ready to go.

About a week before the race I made a decision to run the 5K instead of the half. After a hill workout on the treadmill my right arch was giving me a little trouble. I had the same issue after Philly and Decker, but fixed the problem by changing shoes. Then it came back. So anyway, I dropped my race distance down to the 5K just to be safe.

The 5K course isn’t nearly as hilly as the half, but still enough to be challenging. It obviously wasn’t going to be a PR day with my angry arch so I took it easy. It’s been a long time since I took on such a short distance – last summer maybe? I actually kind of miss it. In fact, this resulted in a 5K race registration for Brad and I on April 21st.

Anyway, back to ZOOMA…

When I made the right onto Pope Bend, I saw someone in the not-so-far-off distance pickup the Mile 1 sign that had blown away and put it back on the side of the course. I don’t think this was exactly where it was supposed to be because when I passed the marker, my watch registered 0.75 miles. Now I know there are all sorts of things that can alter Garmin accuracy, but to be off a full quarter mile seemed a bit much.

When I passed the Mile 2 marker, my watch beeped simultaneously. So we were back on track! Just in time for this beautiful hill.

After that it was pretty much flat for the remainder of the course so I cruised along and rocked out to my music.

Passing the start line on the way to the finish…

Done! Official finish time was 39 and change. Not my fastest showing but I really enjoyed the race. The atmosphere of ZOOMA races just can’t be beat!

I positioned myself at the finish line with Erika and watched for a few of our friends to come through.

Here comes Carmen, a member of last year’s HEB Girlfriends Program:

And fellow ambassador Ashley:

The wind was really whipping at this point and after stopping running, it was really cold (again, it’s all relative – my southern blood has a different interpretation of “cold”). It was time to hit the post-race refreshments and grab a cup of coffee.

But I got distracted on the way…

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, this shouldn’t surprise you in the least bit.

Wine at 8:30am? Don’t mind if I do!

And THEN I made my way to the coffee. My priorities are certainly in order.

I downed two cups in attempt to warm up a bit before heading out to spectate the half marathon but with no luck. T-shirt and shorts was perfect to race in, but not so much for hanging around afterwards!

Erika and I camped out near mile 10 near the entrance/exit of the golf course so we could see runners at both spots.

Lisa, from Growing Up Mo

Once all of our Muscle Milk athletes and ambassadors had come through, we headed to the finish.

Love this shot of Nora’s daughter
running in with her!

Muscle Milk Athlete Nora and ZOOMA Ambassador Lisa

ZOOMA Ambassador Missy

Kelly, Rhonda, Shannah, Nora, me, Lisa

I am so proud of all of the Muscle Milk Light Athletes and Ambassadors. Every single one of them has inspired me over the past few months and I’m so thankful to have met them. They are all amazing!

Please check out their ZOOMA Texas race reports to hear how it went:

Nora In the Books
Missy Race Report, Sort Of
Lisa ZOOMA 2013 Race Report – A Calling
Leigh Ann ZOOMA Texas Half Marathon Recap: Battling My Demons to the End
Caroline ZOOMA Texas Half-Marathon – I did it!
Jennifer Race Recap: My Take on ZOOMA Texas

And a huge congrats to fellow ambassador Jennifer Fisher who won ZOOMA Texas!

It seems this year’s ZOOMA training and race flew by SO fast. While I ran the half last year, the 5K was a fun change of pace. I’d highly recommend either race distance. Don’t be discouraged by the hills – I saw quite a few women walking around with PR medals.

What other race will give you a water bottle AND a yoga mat in your race packet? This year’s tee is an awesome color and the fit is PERFECT (not too short or super tight). I’ve been using the cute bag to carry my lunch to/from work.

Grab a few of your closest girlfriends and register for the 2014 race!

2013 LIVESTRONG Austin Half Marathon Race Recap

Posted by Melissa on February 18, 2013 11 comments

Yesterday morning I ran my third LIVESTRONG Austin Half Marathon.

I’m going to end up buying this one once all the photos have been uploaded, so don’t get upset that I borrowed it, MarathonFoto.

While 3M may be my favorite race in town to really race, LIVESTRONG Austin is my favorite race to run. It starts just north of the Capitol building, runs south on Congress past many amazing restaurants + bars before turning to come back into the city on South First, heads west on Cesar Chavez to Mopac and then takes 15th Street back east to end up finishing just south of the Capitol building. It’s an awesome way to see this amazing city!

The course isn’t flat or fast, in fact, it’s pretty damn tough. Rolling hills miles 1-3, uphill miles 3-6, downhill 6-9, uphill 10-11.5, a little downhill followed by a hill that will make you cry at mile 12, a little downhill to recover and then back up the San Jacinto hill to the finish.

The weather was absolutely perfect yesterday – 42 at the start and roughly 55 at the finish, with beautiful blue skies and bright sunshine.

Miles 2-6

Miles 6-9

Miles 9-12

Mile 12 (where “The Hill” lives) – Finish

From my 2011 recap:

What I thought of the Enfield Hill:

And, DONE!

Overall, I highly recommend this race, whether it be the half or the full. It might not be your goal race for the year or a super speedy PR-producing course, but I can promise you will NOT be disappointed. Everything from the expo to the finish line is incredibly organized and well executed. There may be hills but the course is scenic so there’s a lot to keep your mind off of the elevation side of things.

Never been to Austin? Sign up for the race, book a hotel downtown, and take in all this great city has to offer. You will eat the best food you’ve ever had in your life while you’re here. Yes, IN YOUR LIFE. No exaggeration. You’ll fall head over heels for the Live Music Capital of the World – I guarantee it!

The finish line of the LIVESTRONG Austin Half Marathon also marked the end of the Austin Distance Challenge. Brad and I covered 61.7 miles worth of races between October and yesterday, side by side, stride for stride. (I still feel bad that his first half marathon was Decker. Yikes!)

If Brad thinks he’s going to hide four chocolate chip cookies behind his back in the picture and not get caught, he’s clearly mistaken. Busted.

I loved every minute and mile covered together over the past few months. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in the future!

2013 Rogue 30K & 10K Race Recap

Posted by Melissa on February 7, 2013 7 comments

The Rogue Running 30K & 10K was race #5 in the Austin Distance Challenge and 2013 is the first year it’s being held up in Cedar Park. I was really looking forward to this race, but unfortunately it was disappointing in a couple areas. Let’s back it up to packet pickup…

Brad stopped into the north location of Rogue Running to pick up our packets for the race. Each runner received a long-sleeved tech shirt, throwaway gloves, a ticket to a minor league hockey game, and discount card for a local men’s grooming center.

The shirt was a little short, which tends to be the case with 90% of the tech shirts I get. While I appreciated the fact it wasn’t white, I noticed others tweeting & instagramming photos of blue women’s shirts. There wasn’t an option on color at pickup, only black was available, so I though that was strange. On race morning there were quite a few women wearing the blue shirt as well. Not a huge deal, just curious why some were different.

Also, when we registered for the race there was a list of things every runner would receive, including running gloves and a Rogue Running pint glass. I thought this made the $45 race entry fee a great value. The running gloves actually ended up being throwaway gloves, and that pint glass? No one seemed to know anything about it when I asked at the Rogue tent at the finish. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. Eventually a woman walked up and told me they had pulled it down from the website recently and no one would be receiving them. Interesting.

The starting line was at Cedar Park High School and parking was pretty efficient. The 30K was scheduled to start at 7am so we made sure to be at the school and parked by 6:30. We met up with Jeanette and Trinity, hit the restrooms (indoors! awesome perk of having the start at a high school!) and waited around until our race started at 7:20.

I’m not sure what the cap on the 10K was. It started at 400, but Rogue eventually opened up more spots (an unspecified amount) after it sold out. Either way, the course was never crowded.

The 30K runners started twenty minutes before us and ran a different course. The 10K had a simple out-and-back through a residential area.

Less than a mile into the race I heard a car horn behind me. A quick glance over my shoulder and I saw a long stream of cars waiting for the runners to move so they could get through. Um, what?

Cars in the middle, runners on both sides. I could understand if we had a lane blocked off with cones, but it worried me a bit that we were sharing the road with the cars. Not exactly the safest situation.

Brad and I moved over to the right and continued running.

While I had stopped to take some photos both Jeanette and Trinity had passed us so after the turnaround I made sure to snap a few action shots of them:

Here comes Jeanette!

As you can tell, the course wasn’t much to write home about. After the turnaround, the race was pretty uneventful.

Once we crossed the finish line we headed straight to the Distance Challenge VIP tent to meet up with Jeanette & Trinity. And grab breakfast tacos + homemade chocolate chip cookies. Priorities. I’m going to miss these VIP tents after the Distance Challenge is over!

On our walk back to the car we realized the first 30K finisher was about to cross so we ran back to cheer him on!

Overall, it was a pretty good race. I was disappointed with the “running gloves” and the pint glass that wasn’t, but I guess you could say those were petty things. The traffic issue was my main complaint and think it’s a pretty valid one. If you’re not going to close the road completely to cars, at least block off a lane with cones so the runners feel a little bit safer. Still a little confused by the whole thing considering this isn’t the first race Rogue has sponsored. I’m willing to chalk it up to growing pains for the new location of the race (previously it was held in two different areas down south) and if they’re ironed out for 2014, I’d definitely return. It’s a pretty fast course so PRs are possible!

Another race in the books for the Austin Distance Challenge. One more to go – the Austin Half Marathon!

2013 3M Half Marathon Race Recap

Posted by Melissa on February 4, 2013 10 comments

Austin’s 3M Half Marathon is one of my favorite races and I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off racing in 2013. I mean, with an elevation chart like this, how could you go wrong?The temps on race morning were 35-40ish. Race start was scheduled for 6:45am, so we were parked by 6:25 and made the short (windy!) walk to the race site shortly after. It really wouldn’t have felt cold that morning – the weather was actually PERFECT – but the wind made it worse than it actually was.

photo courtesy of Paula

We dropped speedy Paula off near the 2:10 pacer and headed to the back of the line where we’d be able to settle in to our “fun run” pace.

photo courtesy of Paula

We had absolutely no time goals for this race (although secretly I wanted to get Brad in under 3 hrs, which would be ~30 minute PR) and since it was only his second half marathon, we were planning to just run and have fun.

from the 3M Half Marathon Facebook Page

3M is a point-to-point race. It starts in North Austin at the Arboretum, right in front of NXNW Restaurant on Stonelake Boulevard, and runs south through Shoal Creek, along Mopac, past the University of Texas, and finishes just north of the State Capitol.

It’s by no means a scenic course, but the elevation more than makes up for it. The first nine miles are “mostly” downhill. I say mostly because there are a few minor uphills but you hardly feel them. The elevation map 3M provides is a little bit different than the one from my Garmin:

For the most part, the course was exactly the same as last year. Except for one thing:

In 2012, 3M was held on the last weekend of January. This year, it was held on January 13, which happened to fall on move-in weekend for the University of Texas. Rather than continuing down Duval and running through campus as usual, we made a left onto 26th, right on Red River, and then a right on MLK to take us back towards the finish line. Unfortunately, this added an unwelcomed hill around mile 11. If there was a spot we struggled, it was certainly during this stretch. My legs were pretty fatigued once we made the turn onto Red River and the downhill didn’t feel as easy as it should have.

Paula finished quite a bit before us (you need to read the speed demon’s race recap) so she stationed herself near the finish where she could see us come in.

We managed to sneak in under 3 hours, landing Brad a new PR!

And I’m borrowing this one from MarathonFoto in all it’s watermarked glory because I like it but not will-pay-$34.95-for-it like it.

And then a non-stolen photo (unless you count me jacking it from Paula) of her and I before brunch:

And the standard post-race shot with fellow Austin Distance Challenge runners, Jeanette & Trinity:

Yet again 3M put on a great race! With roughly 7,000 runners, it’s the perfect size – not too small, not too large. The race start is self-seeded and everyone seemed to line up accordingly. Water stops were well-stocked and had plenty of volunteers. APD did a great job of blocking off the streets and rerouting traffic so we could get our 13.1 miles in that morning. We waited less than 5 minutes to hop on a shuttle back up north to grab our cars, so that process was efficient as well. Absolutely no complaints from us!

If you’re looking for a January race which pretty much guarantees you a fast finish & PR, the 3M Half Marathon is one worth looking into! Registration opens June 1st for next year’s race, which will be held on January 19, 2014.

2011 3M Half Marathon Race Recap

2012 3M Half Marathon Race Recap

Exiting the Comfort Zone

Posted by Melissa on January 8, 2013 27 comments

In reflecting over the past year of running, I can’t help but be disappointed with my race (and even training) performances. 2012 started off with a bang, knocking out a 5K PR on the first day of the year and a 23-minute half marathon PR on the last weekend of the month.

After that though? Things sort of fizzled out. My half marathon times gradually slowed, I stopped racing shorter distances, and after a not surprisingly spring burnout, I ran myself right into my first ever DNF at the New Jersey Marathon. After getting my ass kicked at the Spartan Race, I took a full month off of running. This ended up renewing my love for the sport and fueled the fire to begin training for the Philadelphia Marathon.

Halfway through July I began to reassess my goal time for Philly. The 90-degree evenings were beginning to take their toll on me at the track and my long-run pace was nowhere near what it should have been. I’m not the fastest runner to begin with, so to say this was discouraging is an understatement.

Once September rolled around, I threw all pace goals out the window. My goal for Philly was to finish. I registered Brad and I for the Austin Distance Challenge, putting races on our calendar every month through the middle of February. We knocked out a 10K and 10-miler in October, I ran Philly in November, and then finished an incredibly hilly half marathon in December. I closed out my running year on December 29th with the Operation Jack 10K, as I do every year.

So now I’m here. It’s January 8, 2013 and I’ve got a blank slate for the year. So how am I going to tackle it?

Here’s the plan:

{spring} Focus on the half marathon distance. I really want to get my PR (2:14) down. Ideally, I’d like to get it under 2:10 at the Long Branch 1/2 Marathon in May. (NJ Marathon course redemption? I think so.) I have 3 half marathons in between now and then (3M, Austin, and ZOOMA) but plan to use those as training runs. Long Branch will be my spring goal race.
{fall} run FAST. Yeah, this one is kinda huge. A sub-2 half marathon. Coming from someone with a (year old) 2:14 half PR, it’s terrifying to consider crossing that finish line in 1:59:59 or less. Sure, I have other race goals for the year – but this is the important one. Before December 31, 2013, I would like a sub-2 half under my belt. The race is TBD but I have the Shiner Beer Run tentatively penciled in. Any other suggestions for a fast fall half marathon? Open to traveling!
Do NOT register for any full marathons. This one directly stems from item 2. I would like my half PR to be under 2 hours before registering for another full marathon. In other words, I’m shelving the 26.2 distance until 2014.
Stop running races just to finish. Do you know what kind of problem this is? An expensive one. The city of Austin makes it incredibly hard for me to resist clicking that “Register” button. Obviously you can’t commit to racing every.single.race you enter, but I need to work on managing my schedule better. 4 half marathon in 4 months? Not necessary. It definitely makes achieving my goals harder by putting this much stress on my body. This being said, I probably need to adjust my 13 Races in 2013 goal. Quality > Quantity.
Find the perfect pair of running shoes. Good lord, I’ve been searching long enough. Right now I’m running in Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12. Great shoe that keeps my shin splints at bay, but my arches HATE me after about 3 miles. Lose one pain, gain another. I also have a pair of the Mizuno Wave Inspire 9 that I bought back in November. They’re still in the box, with a fresh pair of Oiselle laces, ready to go! I’ll probably test them out at the end of January and hopefully (as long as I’m shin splint free) use them for the Long Branch 1/2 training cycle. Maybe they’ll be my perfect pair? Only time will tell but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Dig deep & exit the comfort zone. While reviewing my current PRs, I noticed the paces are VERY similar. {5K 9:29, 10K 9:55, 13.1 10:13} I nearly hit my 10K PR during 3M last year! I’d love to drop the 5K pace to high 8’s, 10K to low 9’s and 13.1… well you know where I want that one to be. I know I have more in me, but I need to dig deep, push harder, and exit the comfort zone. I need it to feel uncomfortably hard. I need to really RACE.

So that’s it. My running goals for 2013. My list of non-running goals is a work in progress, but I’m getting there. The running ones absolutely deserved their own post though – hey, this is Melissa RUNS after all.

Running in 2012 :: A Fun Q&A

Posted by Melissa on December 24, 2012 13 comments

I came across this 2012 running recap Q&A on Ashley’s blog last night, which was actually started by Amanda, and couldn’t resist joining in! This year certainly had its ups and downs on the running front but I think in the end I came out on the other side with a more positive attitude. Let’s take a look…

1. Best Race Experience: 3M 1/2 Marathon. I was absolutely blown away by my race performance at 3M. I thought I had no business running that pace during the first few miles, but as I hung on right through the finish – it was clear that running is {obviously} just as much mental as it is physical. I told myself I could do it, pushed through the discomfort, and came out on top with a PR that I didn’t think was possible.

2. Best Run: A small, local 5K run with Brad. This was the beginning of Brad’s foray into running and it made me SO happy! Little did I know only a few short months later he’d agree to participate in the Austin Distance Challenge with me. I never thought the day would come where I’d run a half marathon with him, let alone 3 in 3 months!

3. Best new piece of gear: Pro Compression socks. I had a few pairs of socks and sleeves from other various brands, but Pro Compression swooped in and won me over this year! Their products and customer service are seriously TOP NOTCH.

I’m all for supporting smaller companies and I’m pretty sure I’ve done that this year since I now own every single color marathon sock they make!

4. Best piece of running advice you received:

“Don’t make excuses! Don’t call yourself slow. Just work hard, if that’s something you want, at getting faster. Don’t have huge goals – have mini goals, that won’t bring you down. Mentally its too much pressure.”

Sometimes you need advice, HONEST advice, to kick yourself back into gear. I’m very thankful to have Ashley to put me in my place when I need it

5. Most Inspirational Runner(s):

Jocelyn from Enthusiastic Runner. I started reading her blog about a year and a half ago, and it’s amazing how far she’s come in such a short time. She’s slashed over an hour off of her marathon PR and I can’t wait to see her crush Eugene in April 2013. {Read her Philly recap – hilarious!}
Lora from LV Runs NYC. She was plagued with injury during her recent BQ-attempt and is now making her comeback to running. Definitely another one to track at Eugene – girl is FAST! Also hands-down one of the most well-written blogs in my reader.
Lauren from Health on the Run. Another incredibly well-written blog, SPEEDY runner coming back from injury. 2013 has big things in store for her, like Operation #goodbye318. I don’t doubt she’ll smash that goal next year at VCM!

6. If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?

Humbling. Amazing. Fast. FUN!

I’m looking forward to cranking out the miles in 2013 and pushing outside of my comfort zone. And as I said in my Philly recap…

I’m ready to put in the work. I’m ready to push hard. I’m ready to dig deep and run strong.