According to a small collection of official race organizers throughout New England and their chip-timing technology, I ran about 95 miles this year. I'd never thought to add up my miles like this before, and now that I have, I can't believe I came in just under 100 miles. I guess I already have one resolution set for next year. I do know that I ran more races this year than I have in any previous year, so perhaps that counts for something.
Looking back, 2013 was a great year for running. Here's a quick recap of my year in terms of races. I can tell you right now, there will be some repeats in 2014.
Looking back, 2013 was a great year for running. Here's a quick recap of my year in terms of races. I can tell you right now, there will be some repeats in 2014.
March: Rás na hÉireann 5k, Somerville, MA
This race is known for its ridiculously wonderful costumes and the copious amounts of beer available. I run this 5k every year with a group of friends, and this year marked the second year for me (but third and up for many of my friends). My friends and I have our post-race strategy set in stone, because let's face it, this race is mostly about what happens after you cross the finish line. Ours goes something like this: run, finish, get to Redbones ASAP. There are several bars in and around Davis Square that runners and spectators can frequent, and most people go to The Burren. I get it. St. Patrick's day and you want to drink at an Irish pub. We go to Redbones because their free beer offering is usually something I actually want to drink (like Harpoon IPA, or Jack's Abby). Besides the free beer, Redbones also offers complimentary BBQ pulled pork sandwiches to runners. Need I say more?
In case you're wondering, the 2014 race is set for March 16. This race fills up fast, and you can guarantee that I will be there.
In case you're wondering, the 2014 race is set for March 16. This race fills up fast, and you can guarantee that I will be there.
April: Boston Athletic Association 5k, Boston, MA
This was the first race in the BAA's distance medley, a series of three races throughout the year, all increasing in distance. It was a crowded field, as I had anticipated. The course was a good one, winding through the Back Bay and ending at the same finish line as the Boston Marathon. If anything, this race made me want to run Boston even more than I had wanted to previously. That last turn onto Boylston. The straight shot to the finish line. THAT finish line....I can't get it out of my head.
May: Reach the Beach-Massachusetts
In a way, this race was a dream come true. I had wanted to do a long-distance relay race for about three years, but didn't know enough runners, at least not enough who were willing to pile into a stinky van and trek across Massachusetts with me and an assortment of other similarly-minded people.
The most picturesque moment, for me, came during my first leg, an 8.42 mile stretch through Rutland, MA. I was running downhill and around a broad bend, the view of thick and tall trees on either side. The tree line ended abruptly and opened up to the quite still of a lake. The road, a narrow two-lane, stretched across the lake, like a belt. I felt like I was experiencing one of the Rave Runs in Runner's World magazine. I might have even stretched my arms out to either side to try and embrace the image. I was tempted to slow and walk, to be able to spend more time with the landscape, clear water, reflecting white clouds in a blue sky.
The most picturesque moment, for me, came during my first leg, an 8.42 mile stretch through Rutland, MA. I was running downhill and around a broad bend, the view of thick and tall trees on either side. The tree line ended abruptly and opened up to the quite still of a lake. The road, a narrow two-lane, stretched across the lake, like a belt. I felt like I was experiencing one of the Rave Runs in Runner's World magazine. I might have even stretched my arms out to either side to try and embrace the image. I was tempted to slow and walk, to be able to spend more time with the landscape, clear water, reflecting white clouds in a blue sky.
June: Boston Athletic Association 10k, Boston, MA
This was, without a question, the most challenging race of the distance medley. I knew it would be before I even ran it. I knew it when I woke up at 6 a.m. that day and the temperature was already in the upper 60s. I don't think I'll ever be a hot weather runner. Plus, I wasn't the biggest fan of this course; really, I'm not the biggest fan of any out-and-back course. At the same time, I realize how difficult it must be to organize a 6-mile race through an urban area. In the end, the enthusiasm from everyone around me, was what made this race. It was the BAA's comeback in a way, their first race since the Boston Marathon. Even though the course wasn't my favorite, the finish was just as spectacular as that of the 5k a few months earlier. The final turn is from Boylston onto Charles, a spectacular view that is usually dotted with traffic. There's just something about being able to run on the busiest streets that makes road racing so exciting.
September: Reach the Beach-New Hampshire & Tavern to Tavern 5k, Cambridge, MA
So I took a two-month hiatus from running (at least in the officially recorded sense). I covered a lot of miles though, in training not only for RTB, but also for the NYC Marathon. Without a doubt, Reach the Beach was my favorite race of the year. My fitness wasn't where I wanted it to be for the Massachusetts version of the race, but I felt ready to race in New Hampshire. Additionally, I left with a crush on New Hampshire. I don't know that I can pick a favorite moment from this race, because the whole thing was so great for so many reasons. Whenever I think about this race, the moment that usually comes to mind first is my night time run. There was a moment where I couldn't see any other runners. I could feel the cool night air around me, keeping me from getting too hot. I kept looking up at the stars and praying there wasn't a pothole in front of me. My immediate surroundings were a mix of rolling field and trees (and a pesky gas station, though I tried to ignore it and its fluorescent lights and pictured a field in its place). It was a just me and the road moment. My breath, my footfalls. For a more complete recap, click here.
The next weekend, I toed the start line of the Tavern to Tavern 5k, a race that my friends and I have done every year since its inception in 2011. We never race for time, but I always want to beat my best time. Racing is always a competition with myself, whether I've prepared for the race or not. Even though I always want to beat my own best time, I rarely treat 5k's like I do longer races, which means I don't always get enough sleep, or drink enough water. For this race, my preparation, or training if you will, consisted of drinking about three beers and staying up late watching TV. At the start line with my friends, I decided to just take the race easy. I'd forgotten to wear my Garmin running watch, so I decided to run based on feel, something I know I should do anyway. I didn't see a mile marker until the second mile. I had no concept of my pace, and spent much of my time focusing on the man in front of me, who I kept passing on the uphills, only to have him pass me on the downhills. I wanted to beat him. When I started seeing other runners who had finished walking on the sidelines against the flow of the race, I knew I was near the finish, and I picked up my pace. The finish line was on a downhill, and I gunned it, trying—and failing—to pass the man. I immediately felt like I had to throw up after I'd finished, and I knew that I had given it my all. Within a half hour, my results were texted to me: 23:48. I had just run my fastest 5k to date, and I'd done everything wrong beforehand. Mind over muscle. I can't wait to run a sub-23 on a 5k.
October: Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon, Boston, MA
This was the final race of the BAA's distance medley. The course is not bad for one that is entirely urban. It's an out and back, which aren't my favorite courses. But, you do get to run around Jamaica Pond, and the foliage is beautiful throughout this course, which traces part of the Emerald Necklace. This race will definitely remain on my to-do list for years to come. It might have been the swelled enthusiasm for running that came in the weeks and months after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, but this race filled up in a matter of minutes. If you're up for it, I recommend signing up for the distance medley, which will be on January 22, 2014. That way you know you're in for this race.
November: ING New York City Marathon, New York, NY
This might have been the most satisfying race I ran all year, and not because of the distance. I've been thinking about and training for this marathon for nearly two years. I didn't think much of it when I put my name in the lottery for this race back in February of 2012, but when I was selected, this race started to take on more and more meaning. the 2012 NYC Marathon was supposed to be my Boston qualifier, or at least I hoped it would be. When it was canceled due to the devastation from Hurricane Sandy, I knew I had to ensure that I ran it. I feel fortunate that I live relatively close to New York City and was able to return again in 2013. I won't go into details about the race itself and my personal experience of it; if you're interested in that, you can read about it in an earlier blog post. What I will say about the New York City Marathon is that if you've ever wanted to run a marathon, this might be the marathon to do. It's the largest marathon in the world and is lined with screaming spectators nearly the entire way.
December: Cambridge Winter Classic 5k, Cambridge, MA
The race organizers started pouring the free beer for this race before we had even started running. That's exactly the type of 5k I want to run. Plus, this race seems to have brought my race year full circle. The year started with a 5k and friends. A race to the finish and to the bar for a free beer. Running for beer may not be the most admirable reason to run, but it's one of mine. So yeah, I will run for beer. Sometimes I even carb load for a race with beer. You should try it sometime.
So in closing, a brief summary:
Best race: Reach the Beach-New Hampshire
Proudest moment: Running my fastest 5k at the Tavern to Tavern
Most satisfying moment: Finishing the New York City Marathon
Most difficult: BAA 10k
Most beer consumed: Rás na hÉireann 5k
All moments to repeat and add to in 2014. Happy New Year!
Best race: Reach the Beach-New Hampshire
Proudest moment: Running my fastest 5k at the Tavern to Tavern
Most satisfying moment: Finishing the New York City Marathon
Most difficult: BAA 10k
Most beer consumed: Rás na hÉireann 5k
All moments to repeat and add to in 2014. Happy New Year!
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