2016 - A Runner's Year in Review

What a Year!

I did 20 races this year. On Saturday I'm going to make that number 21.

20. FREAKING. RACES. That's a whole lot of training, entry fees, crappy tee-shirts, carb loading, early Saturday/Sunday mornings, and treasured memories I wouldn't trade for a damn thing.

Before the Run your Heart out 5k 2/14/16 - -10* with the windchill

Reston 10 Miler - 3/6/16. This wasn't pretty

I learned a lot about myself this year. Mainly that I'm getting older (duh) and I can't jump into a race dehydrated, under trained, or hung over...

North Face Endurance Challenge - Half Marathon 4/10/16

Loudoun County Half Marathon - 4/17/16. One of my best races this year, clocking in at 1:52:12

Ocean City Half Marathon - 4/30/16. A long sluggish 13.1

Running is a passion that only grows with experience. It's painful, time consuming, but wonderful beyond words. "I've always thought of running as just dancing forward" - unknown

Loudoun Lyme 10k - 1st place in my age group! 5/15/16

Wine Country Half Marathon - my first real bout with dehydration and racing failure. 6/4/16

Twilight 4 miler 6/11/16. Running with my husband again :)

Firecracker 5K - 7/4/16

This year I tried something new - triathlons. I learned I'm not a great swimmer or biker, but I still had the time of my life, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.

Triathlon #1 in Jax, FL - 7/16/16. What an accomplishment!

Triathlon # 2 Jax, FL- 8/6/16. Shaved nearly 4 minutes off my first race with some experience under my belt :)

I faced my first medical blackout during a race at the X2 Hemlock Half trail run. I underestimated how much water I needed, and despite the warning signs I continued on and crossed the finish line. It was a bit reckless, and I should have had a 'did not finish'. I'm glad I crossed the line, but I learned how dangerous running can be.

Hemlock Half - 9/10/16

I completed a second Ragnar Relay and met a whole new crew of running buddies <3 #Yabadabadoo

Leg 3 Ragnar Relay - 9/16/16

Team Finisher Photo - Yabadabadoo 9/17/16

I stayed dedicated to training for a full marathon; something I hadn't done in nearly 2 years. I'm ready to do it all over again - it was fairly painless this go around :)

However, running the race with a UTI proved not to be the best idea. Still reviewing all those medical bills from the aftermath... But despite the obstacles, I finished with a 45 second marathon PR!!

15 mile Training Run - 10/8/16

Finishing 26.2 - Richmond Marathon 11/12/16

And even a seasoned runner, such as myself, can still have new running experiences...

Jingle Bell Jog 5K - 12/11/16

What a great year summed up in pictures. My heart is full, and I can only hope to have just as many adventures to feel wonderful about at the end of 2017,

Recap

Run your Heart Out 5k - 2/14/16 - 24:50

Reston 10 Miler - 3/6/16 - 1:33:24

North Face Endurance Half Marathon - 4/10/16 - 2:24:23

Loudoun County Half Marathon - 4/17/16 - 1:52:12

Spring Fling 5k - 4/23/16 - 25:11

Ocean City MD Half Marathon - 4/30/16 - 1:58:48

Loudoun Lyme 10K -5/15/16 - 52:00

Ringing in Hope 10K - Salute our Troops - 5/30/16 - 53:05

Wine Country Half Marathon - 6/4/16 - 2:21:53

Twilight 4 Miler - 6/11/16 -34:49

Firecracker 5K - 7/4/16 - 25:00

Jax Triathlon Series 2 - 7/16/16 - 1:54:43

Jax Triathlon Series 3 - 8/6/16 - 1:51:03

Hemlock Half Marathon - 9/10/16 - N/A 

Ragnar Relay DC - 9/16 &17 - N/A

Ghost and Goblins 5k - 10/29/16 - 24:40

Richmond Marathon - 11/12/16 - 4:08:06

Freeze Your Gizzard 5K - 11/19/16 - 25:16

Ashburn Farm Turkey Trot 10K - 11/24/16 - 52:14

Jingle Bell Jog 5K - 26:20

Next Up

Hopefully, I'll get an awesome pic to add to this on Saturday at the Ringing in Hope 10K!

Cheers and Happy New Year everyone!

India

Laziness Begets Laziness...

This time of year is hard. We have limited daylight hours, it's getting colder, we start putting on clothing in layers etc. There are a multitude of reasons to forgo our typical exercise routines. And I am no exception...

I am still running, but rather than a five mile loop I'll cut it back to three. Or I might feel 'too tired' to do my scheduled weight training plan a few days a week. The lack of motivation is setting in, and it's a difficult cycle to break. It's also much easier to give into those sugar laden lattes and ice cream desserts... it's all so good.

Motivation

My husband's 40th birthday is next week. That's right, the big 4-0. We've planned a trip to Rocky Gap Casino with friends, and I've purchased a sexy little dress for the big evening. Cupcakes and cold weather be damned, I will continue to crank out intense hours in the gym and on the road. 

Marathon training will begin the second week of January. While I still have a few weeks off from following a specific plan, I need to keep some level of fitness between the seasons. Maybe those 3 mile runs aren't so bad afterall. It's something. If  only I could find the willpower to wake up early and get them in before work... 

A good friend of mine signed up for the annual New Years Eve Ringing in Hope 10K that I've done every year since its inception (2010). I don't want to embarrass myself, so I can't stop running between then and now...

Racing

I ran the Jingle Bell Jog 5k this past Sunday. It was HARD. Maybe because one of the requirements was you had to wear a full santa suit (hat, beard, pants and all). The sub freezing temps were another challenge. Drinking at a winery and brewery the afternoon before also added to my fatigue.  Regardless, mile 2 may as well have been mile 22. It took everything in me not to stop and walk. But the race venue was awesome! For the $35 registration fee you got a Santa suit and a really cool finisher's medal. And, despite my abnormally slow finish time (26:20), I still placed 3rd in the 30-34 female age group (out of 103 women). 

Let me tell you, this was a spectacle. 1,200 Santa's running through the streets of Ashburn stopped traffic multiple places Sunday morning. It was pretty cool to be a part of the inaugural event.  

I also reunited with Chateau! The life-saving sweetheart who stayed with me during my dehydration spell at the Clifton EX-2 race last September.  

We grabbed breakfast and Anita's afterwards and caught up on life. It was great to have company and a racing companion on the freezing morning. 

What's Next

I have nothing planned past the 10K on New Years until the Blue Ridge Marathon. I was recently invited to a Facebook page designated for the BRM ambassadors, where we can share our social media, training progress, and encouragement. It's becoming real! The marathon is coming and I need to get in gear. 

BRMFRIENDS - promo code for 15% off any of the BRM races. Don't wait to sign up! 

I'm sure I will plan quite a few races during the first part of the year. I will keep this updated with any of my upcoming races. 

Cheers and happy running,

India

 

Back to Good

Back to Normal

1st off- no more antibiotics for this girl!!!

Running has taken a back seat lately. I'm easing back in, but only 2-3 days a week. I'm in-between marathon training cycles, so I probably should be cutting back anyways.

Monday morning I finally had my renal lasik scan done. Thursday afternoon I met with a urologist. He was a very young doctor, so I felt apprehensive about his diagnosis. But, he was very professional and competent, so I overcame my initial unease.

A renal lasik scan is an odd procedure. You get an IV full of radio active dye, then they put you in this long machine (like a full body MRI) and watch the dye move into your kidneys, then into your bladder. Then, they inject you with the actual lasik, which forces everything in your renal system to empty. Not painful, you just feel the need to pee for an hour (and you can't, because they have to watch your system).

The urologist said my system was 'impressive', and he hadn't seen anything like this before. We watched the video, which showed that my left kidney filled and emptied within 4 minutes. My right kidney took 28 minutes. My right kidney has less than 14% functionality; my left kidney has taken over all of the burden.

Sounds scary, right? Well, apparently some people are born with one functioning kidney. It usually takes 25-30 years for people to discover this, because that's when health complications start to show up. For me, these complications are an increased risk of urinary tract infections, or even kidney infections. There is no remedy except kidney removal. Unless I have a life threatening emergency, (or I decide I can no longer tolerate my susceptibility to UTIs), I really have no reason to remove the kidney. How weird it is to know you have an essentially dead organ hanging around.... I may seek another opinion. I just feel so odd about the situation.

No lifestyle modifications required, although I should avoid high contact sports. Afterall, I only have one kidney. If I lose that I'm SOL.

Running....

Now that I know I'm cleared to run, it's time to get back out there. Marathon training starts 1/9/17 for  Blue Ridge.

Until then I have a 5K next Sunday and a 10K on  New Years Eve. 

I'm just glad to know that running Richmond isn't what caused kidney damage. Extra hydration and rest time will be built into my next training cycle.

Cheers and happy running!!!

India