The Best of 2013

As per usual, I am a little late to the party, but I  sure do love Miss Zippy's Year in Review. 2012 was a pretty good year for me and I am psyched to say that 2013 was even better!  So let's get to it.

Best race experience?

This year was pretty stellar when it comes to racing. I PR'ed in the 8k, 10k, 10 mile and half marathon distances. It's too hard to pick just one race so I'm going to break the rules on the very first question and pick 2 races.  For the spring, my favorite memory is definitely the Cherry Blossom 10 miler. I have wanted to run this race forever and it did not disappoint. I had a really strong run and had so much fun running through the streets of DC.

Without a doubt the Philadelphia half marathon will always be one of my favorite running memories. I have had the goal of a sub 2:30 marathon for 3 years now and I finally achieved it in my hometown. Coming off of a foot injury I worked hard all summer and it paid off this November!

Best run?

I had to think hard about this one but definitely my 12 miler in Boston wins the title this year. I love Boston so much and miss living there, so it was awesome to have the chance to go back this past September and run along the Charles and on paths where I first found my love of running. Everything came together perfectly and I had a really strong run that day.

I will always love that dirty water

Best new piece of gear?

I'd have to say my Garmin 10. This year I committed to the Galloway method of training and like having my GPS and interval timer all in one.

Best piece of running advice you received?

This comes from my amazing partner in crime running, Bang: "Stop running like an a$$hole". It might seem a little rough but, not only is it our sense of humor, but it came from a place of love. This year I've learned that pacing myself results in better overall times because I don't go balls to the wall in the beginning of a run only to blow up in the end because I wasted all of my energy in the beginning. I'm pretty sure this is the underlying reason for PRing in nearly every distance I raced this year.

Most inspirational runner?

This is easy for me. After years of running and training solo, I found an awesome running partner and friend. It is so much nicer and easier having someone by your side through all of the ups and downs of training, a cheerleader at races and a therapist when you are injured. This year has been great for my running and I owe a lot of it to her. (Now if only her own foot would get better, I miss her terribly)

#runlove

If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? So much fun! I feel like I progressed so much this year and just had a great time doing it. Reeling from the confidence I've gained, I am so motivated for 2014 where I will attempt even bigger goals!