Why yes, yes I am a runner!

Well, my 2011 racing season is officially over now that the Santa Run this past Saturday is in the books.  At the beginning of the year, I set a few goals, reached and exceeded them, and challenged myself in ways I never thought I would or could.  Going into 2011 I set out to make this the year of the 10K, after 2010's year of the 5K (my first running year).  I eased in to it with some 5K's, 8K's, and a 5 miler, and eventually got up to the 10K.  Once I was there, I knew I could reach for more.  I doubted myself often, wondering if I was doing more than I was capable of.  I had to talk myself out of quitting altogether once or twice.  Now that 2011 is drawing to a close, I am so glad I didn't quit.



Finished my first HALF MARATHON!!

I went from running once a week on a weekend morning (in 2010) to running a couple nights a week plus a weekend, to running whenever I had the chance.  Often, the goal was not exercise, extra mileage or pace work, rather it was a release that my body and mind needed for my own happiness and sanity.  I never thought I'd be able to say this, but there's nothing like an easy four mile run to release stress and toxicity from your body and mind.  It wasn't too long ago that I told my husband that if he didn't want our family to be on the news, Mommy was going for a run that day.  OK, so we wouldn't have really been on the news, but you know the old addage, if Mommy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!
I am not good at saying it, but, I am rather proud of myself for keeping with something that can be difficult to keep with.  I am thankful to have met an inspiring group of runners with whom I can run outside all winter, and thankful that I don't have to retreat to an indoor track for the duration of the cold, dark winter. 

My next step is to find something to do with all my race bibs, ribbons and medals.  By no means am I a highly decorated runner, but, the little bulletin board I've got all my bibs pinned to is well overcrowded and the bibs are all begging to be seen, rather than stacked on top of one another. 

And with that, my 2001 race summary.

2011 Races
March 13 - St Paddy's Shamrock Shuffle 5K - time 28:07
April 10 - Chicago Shamrock Shuffle 8K - time 44:24 (with a 5K PR time of 26:54)
April 17 - Equestrian Connection 5 miles - time 49:16:5
April 23 - Egg Shell Shuffle 5K - PR!! time 26:03
May 26 - Chicago Corporate Challenge 3.5 miles - time 29:10
May 29 - Salute Inc. Memorial Day 10K - time 59:32:3
June 5 - United Run For The Zoo 10K - time 1:00:41
June 11 - CVS Run to Stop The Cycle of CVS 5K - time 26:03
July 3 - Frontier Days Stampede 10K - time 1:01:28
July 30th - Running in the Brook 5K - time 28:03
September 4th - Buffalo Grove Stampede 10K - time 59:37
October 1 - Itasca Oktoberfast 5K - time 26:10
October 16 - This Run's For Jack 5K - time *23:55
October 29 - Team Ortho Chicago Monster Dash Half Marathon (13.1)- my first half - time 2:05:39
Thanksgiving Day!  November 24 -  Long Grove Turkey Trot - 8K - HUGE PR - time 42:27!!
December 3 - Rotary Santa Run 5K - time HUGE PR here - 24:25!!
{My first thought in the first mile of this race of just over 1,000 runners was, "You know it's a non-competitive race when *I am in the lead pack, or at least in the first 25% of the field!"}

*Sold as a 5K, the uncertified course fell short, coming in at 2.86 miles (on my Garmin)