CheapRunnerRhoda’s 2013 Year of Running

Good morning everyone! Happy New Year’s Eve Day!

I am the lucky one that gets to do the last post of 2013!

2013 was a rough year for me. I faced some tough decisions and things were not always easy but I made it through. Running, amongst other things, was one of the things that helped me do that. The tough things threw me off of my running schedule and I didn’t get in my 2013 miles as I had planned but lets see what I did get done...

January

January started off with me being sick. I had ran outside for a few days in a row leading up to New Year’s Eve and then did the New Year’s Eve Resolution run. It had been cold out and New Year’s Eve was no exception. I have struggled with my lungs and running in the cold over the years and it caught up with me again. I was forced to take a few days off of running and take my runs back indoors to the treadmill.

Total Mileage: 192 km/120 m

February

February came and I knew we were going on vacation mid-month and didn’t know how much running I would be able to get in during that week so I wanted to get as much in before we went away. Turns out we were able to run every day while we were there. There were perfect sidewalks for quite a ways and I did an easy 5 km run every morning before we got to the real activities of the day!

Total Mileage: 230 km/ 144 m

March

By March, I was able to start running outside again when I could, which means on the weekends because it is still dark when I am done work during the week. I was able to get my highest monthly mileage ever this month. I ran every day of the month but 5 days. This would mark the only month of the year that I hit every training run on my schedule.

Total Mileage: 288 km/ 180 m

April

Life started to get busy for me in April. Things were ramping up at work and I wasn’t home as much. I also had the Forest City Half Marathon in my plans for April 28th so would have to taper the last week of the month. This was the first half marathon I did and it was in 2012 that I did it. It was also my PR for half marathon. I knew I was not going to PR this one so just gave it my all. I placed 5th in my age group and was the 17th female finisher overall. Time was 1:44:11.  Race recap here

Total Mileage: 205 km/128 m

May

May was such a happy running month as now all of my runs could be done outside!! Loved it! The weather was great and I took advantage of the running paths as much as I could. My sister Miriam also started running with me a few times a month.

Total Mileage: 251 km/157 m

June

June started off with the Niagara Fall’s Women’s Half Marathon on June 2nd. Michelle and I headed there the day before and had a girls race weekend. I placed 6th in my age group and 24th overall. Time was 1:44:21. It was so much fun and such a great race that we registered immediately after for 2014. We even recruited a couple more women to join us. Mike’s mom and sister also registered! I look forward to the 2014 race! Race recap here

Total Mileage: 238 km/149 m

July

July is where my monthly mileage really started to go down hill. Work was extremely busy and I again was away a lot and struggling through some personal things. My heart and mind was just not in it. I was not getting in my long runs on the weekends which is where I was losing the mileage.

Total Mileage: 200 km/125 m

August

August saw a further decline in my mileage. I was working 12 plus hour days, in early, staying late and those paths were just not inviting enough after those long days. I did manage to get my longest run ever in of 30 km with Mike one weekend.

Total Mileage: 171 km/107 m

September

September dropped even more.... I had moved and was in a transition mode and was just not feeling like running. I did complete 2 races that month though. The Springbank Road Race Half Marathon. I finished 3rd in my age group and even got a prize (pair of New Balance Socks). Finish time was: 1:47:33. Then a week later I did the MEC 10 k race. I placed 3rd overall and received a 3rd place medal and a $10 gift card for MEC (Mountain Equipment Company). Finish time was: 48:41, which was a 10k race PR for me. That gave me a boost that I really needed!

Race Recaps here and here

Total Mileage: 142 km/89 m

October

October brought on some travelling races again. The 3 of us went to Disney to do the Tower of Terror run. The next weekend we were in Chicago for Mike to run the Chicago Marathon. 2 weekends later, we were back in our hometown and running the Halloween Haunting race. For that race, I finished 2nd in my age group and 14th girl overall. Time was: 47:59, which would become my new 10k race PR. It was a busy month of travelling and moving as I moved into my new place that month, so my running mileage suffered yet again. I hit an all time low of 141 km/88m in the month. 

Race Recaps here and here

Total Mileage: 141 km/88 m

November

November came and I was determined to get my mileage back up closer to where I wanted it to be and where I needed it to be. I was settled in my new place and things were slow at work so I should have no excuses now. Michelle had discovered another local race where they offered a Half Marathon so I signed up for that as incentive to ramp things up. I ended up finishing 2nd in my age group and the 14th finisher overall. Finish time was: 1:43:47, not a PR, but for the year it was, so I was super pumped!

Race Recap here

Total Mileage: 211 km/132m

December

December. Well, it has not been a great month of running. We started the month off with the Santa Shuffle 5K race so that was fun. My runs during the week have suffered but I have been able to get some longer runs in on the weekends so I am okay with that for this month. There have been lots of festivities going on and it has been a matter of what is more important, running or spending time with those I love... I have been choosing the later option. Tis the season, right! December will mark my lowest mileage month of the year. I am okay with that!

Total Mileage: 96 km/60 m

Overall I look back and am thankful for everything that happened in 2013. I have grown and learned so much. I didn’t achieve my goal of 2013 miles but I did run the most mileage in a year since I started running in 2011. I have enjoyed exploring the running world more than ever and getting to know other running bloggers through our blog that we started this year! Thanks everyone! Cheers to bigger and better things to come in 2014!

Happy New YEAR!!

Was 2013 the year you started running???

What are your New Year’s Eve Plans???