Beriwck 5 Miler Road Race

Sometimes it’s hard to look back on the year and see all the things you’ve done (or missed out on). Running for me has always been something fun to do, a stress reliever, time to myself, an opportunity to be a better mom/wife and also to take care of my physical and mental health. This year sure gave me a challenge with my running.

For the last few year’s I’ve been doing the “Year of Running” wrap up hosted by Courtney at “Eat Pray Run DC”. Therefore, I’m doing it again!

Best (and worst) of 2017

Best Race Experience: Pacing the 10k at Valley Harvest Marathon with White Rabbit Pacing was my best race experience. I ran with two Garmin’s this time pacing just to make sure I was on pace. It’s such a fun local run and so rewarding when you bring runners to the finish line on time!

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Best run: Running Cape Split with my husband in September. We don’t get to run together often but when we do it’s awesome. I love that he loves to run (and cycle etc.) but when you can go for 1-2 hour run with your husband it just makes it that much better. Best run hands down of the year.

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Best new piece of running gear: My new Garmin Forerunner 230! This was a mother’s day present from my girls and husband. Love it! Well, and my Tiux compression socks – man they were a life saver for me!!

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Best running advice you’ve received this year: There were many nights when I wanted to run but was just exhausted from the busy day at work and with our girls. On those nights my husband would always say “you’ll feel better if you just go”, “put on your gear and just start”. Without those nudges, I would have just missed the run.

Best Advice I Can Give: Listen to your body. When it’s saying enough is enough – listen.

Most inspirational runner: I’d have to say Shalane Flanagan.

Favorite picture from a run or race this year: It’s not a race photo, though I do love the photo above from pacing the Valley Harvest Marathon. However, my favourite photo is this one bloew – running with my husband and daughters on January 1st. We now have a tradition of running our first km on January 1st together….even in the rain or snow!

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Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: Pacing the 10k – 1:10 finish at Valley Harvest. I love this pace and finishing time. Hands down, I’d pace this race again. I’d also repeat running the Berwick 5 miler Road Race – that was a fun distance and I really enjoyed the course.

Worst Running Moment: Hands down, finding out two days before my half marathon that I was having some heart problems. It was strongly suggested that I didn’t run my half that I worked so hard for in September. I was devastated. Luckily two weeks later, I passed my stress test and told to get back to running. But, oh the disappointment was HIGH!

Favourite Medal: These are my daughter’s medals after they both ran 800m and 1200m respectively. They both had a blast and finished with a smile on their faces. I love that they both love to run and enjoy it as much as I do.

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If you could sum up your year in a couple of words what would they be? Physically hard (car accident/heart problems), rewarding (pacing the 10k) and challenging.

That’s how I’d sum up my running in 2017. With a car accident in late March I struggled to get back to running but managed a half in June. Only to train hard over the summer months to be told I had to stop running and then to finish off with pacing a local race made up for some of the devastation of missing my goal half marathon.

What was your best race or run of 2017?

Race you’d repeat in a heartbeat?

Worst running moment?

My 2016 year in running can be found here.

And just like that we’re done week 10 of half marathon training! Despite being on vacation, my motivation to run was extremely low. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I’ve felt this way about running. I just didn’t want to run. The weather has been cooler and very little sun which makes for a kinda crappy week/vacation.

Also, if you missed my August Mileage and September Goals I posted on Sunday, you can check it out here. I’ve finally started bullet journaling my runs. Check it out!

What was Planned vs What Really Happened:

Monday: Stretch & Strengthen | 5k + Osteopath appointment. I wanted to get in a run before my day started so I got in 3k on my own and came back to our house and ran 2k with Carmacks.

I’ve been dealing with back, SI joint and hip flexor issues for a month now so a trip to the Osteopath was in order. That also means, two days of rest/no activity….and I listened which may have had an affect on my motivation for the rest of the week.

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Tuesday: 8k | Rest Day.

Wednesday: 45 minute tempo run| Rest Day + Massage.

Thursday: 5k + Strengthening |3k + Soccer Game. We got nailed 8-0…seriously! I’m taking soccer as my speed work for the week. I ran 3k in the morning with Carmacks.

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Friday: Rest Day | 16.53 km of cycling. Wasn’t having the best day and wasn’t feeling like running so I went for an hour (1:05) bike ride. My bike chain fell off at 16.53 km, so I walked the half kilometre home with my bike.

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Saturday: 8 km | Hiking with the family. I wasn’t really feeling like running or doing much of any activity so we took the girls for a walk on a trail near our house. Carmacks was loving but went into “sled dog” working mode and just wanted to pull. You can’t take the sled dog out of a sled dog!

Sunday: 18 km| Berwick 5 Miler Road Race. I signed up last minute for this race (literally decided the night before to run it). This was the 66th year of this race and it’s only about 10-12 minutes from my house.

My plan was to just run and enjoy since it was last minute but I found myself running faster during my first kilometre (6:12/km). Lately, I’m around 6:40-7:00/km starting off my runs. Yes, it was a 5 mile race or but since I run in kilometres, I had it in my head 8k. I figured I’d later regret my first kilometre as I didn’t think I’d keep that pace for the whole time.

Honestly, I don’t know where it came from but I averaged 5:56/km! My legs were pumping, my lungs felt great and the course was great. It was mainly flat with a few inclines but I pulled off 47:45 (5:56/km) – a pace and finish I haven’t seen in over a year! My last 8k training run was 53 minutes – now that was a training run and a completely different route but taking roughly 6 minutes off your 8k is pretty sweet. With it being my first 5 miler race, it was an automatic PB for me!!! I’d totally do this race again.

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Weekly mileage: 16 km runnning, 16 km cycling, 1 soccer game.

Yup, so that wasn’t the best week of training but in reality, I got some running in and some other activities so I’ll take it. Now to get a little more serious this week with training, back to work and BACK TO SCHOOL for BOTH girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone else’s children going back to school this week? (or just recently)?

Ever register last minute for a race?

Loving or struggling your weather right now?

I’m linking up today with Pretty Lil Mudder, HoHo Runs, MissSippiPiddlin.