I’ll be recapping my 2015 running year in a later post, but for now I am joining up with Courtney at EatPrayRunDC to take the year of running survey. See, it’s Tuesday and I don’t have a race recap (but wait for next week!).

Visit Courtney’s page, grab her, code, answer the questions, and link up with us! It’s that easy.

Best race experience
Geez, that is a tough one. I ran a fair amount of races, for me, this year. I think I’m going to go with Redding Road Race (this one sells out in literally days, so sign up quickly if you’re interested in it). Yes, I PR’d it, only to shave a few more minutes off in my fall half and PR Green Mountain Half, too.

It wasn’t an easy race — hilly, an unseasonably warm day (that’s been a theme for my halfs for about a year now and I’m ready for that perfect weather half), but it was just so well “run”. And pretty.

 

Best Run
I’m going to wimp out here and just say my run this weekend. It was sunny, solitary, and soulful. It felt good (no injuries!). I just “wandered” around the park (can you wander while running?), stopping often to take photos.

And then there was the “Christmas Tree” stuck in a path in the middle of nowhere, no signs, if you blinked you missed it, but somehow I noticed it.

Best New Piece of Running Gear
This is probably the easiest one: my Garmin Vivoactive, of course!

Read the review to find out more about it, but I am so happy I bought this watch.

Best Piece of Running Advice You’ve Received This Year
That would probably be to start out slower in my halfs from my USAFit Albany coach. I never started out quite as slow as she suggested, but I did set PRs in 2 out of 3 halfs this year (we just won’t talk about ZOOMA Annapolis).

Runner up: not necessarily advice, per se, but deciding to give Galloway a second chance. Remember, 2 half PRs?

Most Inspirational Runner
This one is so easy for me this year: my FB friend Connie. Although we’ve never met in RL — it’s really too bad I’ve already run my RI half — she has been the greatest cheerleader.

That’s not what makes her inspirational, although I’m definitely glad to have her on my cheerleading squad!

No, what makes Connie inspirational is her drive, her humility, and her willingness to face down her fears.

She’s like me, an adult onset runner, although she’s a much better runner. She would tell you that isn’t so, but she goes out for her easy runs and runs a 10:30ish pace — sometimes slower, sometimes faster. I wish I could do that! Did I mention she’s about a decade older than me?

She was going to run one virtual 5k and be done with it. Then a 10k. Then a 10 miler. But no, she was never going to run a half. Not until 2015, that is!

And get this: she does this all by her lonesome. Races make her anxious so she just races herself, by herself. I think that’s so much harder. In fact, I was so proud of her for finishing, that I sent her my medal from my AMR No Limits winter challenge.

She earned that medal and the “no limits” just fit her right down to a T.

Favorite Picture from a Run or Race This Year
I actually have a lot of great photos from my running this year, but I think I’ll go with this one, from Redding Road Race.

Even though it was unseasonably warm by the finish, it wasn’t insanely windy like Green Mountain or the sweatbath ZOOMA Annapolis was. It was a PR. It was pretty.

It was just a great day to run!

Race Experience You Would Repeat in a Heartbeat
Another tough question! There are quite a few races I do try to run year after year. For 2015, though, I think I’ll pick Firecracker 4.

Yes, it requires getting up super early because parking is so impossible. Many of my running group peeps do it, too, so usually I’m at least able to start with friends.

This year one of my neighbors was there, too, and we got to know each other better (I didn’t even know she was a runner!) and went to another race together later on in the year.

The weather was cool this year; much better than the heat and humidity the previous year.

It’s a tough course, but there’s lots of bands along the way and great spectator support — including spectators with hoses — we didn’t need that this year, but I remember how good it felt last year!

I do love starting a holiday off with a run (New Years 3.5, Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell 5k, upcoming Last Run).

If You Could Sum Up Your Year in a Couple of Words What Would They Be?
Progress, not perfection.

And because my husband and I are still hashing out my half schedule for next year: who’s doing Yuengling VA Beach? Or Wineglass? Because running is more fun with more running friends.

I’m also linking up with MCM Mama Runs, Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and My No Guilt Life for the Tuesdays on the Run linkup; because the more, the merrier, right?