A race every month. I don’t know why I decided to have this goal for 2015. I made it at the beginning of the year when I was setting up my resolutions. I’m guessing at the time I thought it was a great idea. I knew it would challenge me and I wanted that. I thought it would help motivate me with my running, and it has. But it’s been more than I had expected.

Originally, I only planned on running 1 race every month. Not all of them would be halfs, but 3 for sure would be. The rest of the year was going to be shorter distances and obstacle course races that I would do with friends. It started off with the SF HotChocolate 15k in January that I did with my friend Liz. February was the San Jose Double Road Race I ran by myself and placed in my age group for the first time (4th). Then it kind of got a little crazy…..

Race #1: SF Hot Chocolate 15K with my girl Liz.

Race #2: SJ Double Road Race and fist time placing in my age group – 4th place!

March had 2 races. The She Is Beautiful 10K that I did with a big group of No Excuse Moms. A week later was the SF Rock N Roll Half. Two weeks later was my first Ragnar Race – So Cal Ragnar to kick off April. Another race for  was 2 week later, the Capital City Classic 10 miler which I again placed in my age group – this time 2nd place. May brought 2 more races. The Mermaid Sirena 18 miler I used to test if I would even consider doing a full was just 2 weeks after the CCC. Despite being sick, I placed 1st in my age group for that one. A fun obstacle race – The Rugged Maniac with my fellow NEM leaders ended May and again I was sick.

At the Start Line w/ my fellow NEM Group Leaders and members.

Race #3: Free pics from SIB

Race #4: SF Rock N Roll Half

Race #5: 12 girls, 2 vans, 2 days, and 200ish miles from Huntington Beach to San Diego for So Cal Ragnar.

Race #6: Capital City Classic 10 Miler with NEM founder Maria Kang.

Race #7: Sirena 18 miler. Sick and still placed 1st in my age group. Decided to run a full after this race.

Race #8: Rugged Maniac OCR race with NEM leaders Liz and Jess. Liz and I were both sick.

It slowed down a little after May. Part of it was that I was sick and the other part was that I was getting a little burnt out racing every two weeks. June was an easy 5 mile race for the San Jose Giant Race. I was still sick for this one too.Yes, I know I probably should have taken a break, but I’m stubborn. After this race I was put on antibiotics for a sinus infection and it took the rest of June and most of July for me to recover completely.

Race #9: Fun SJ Giant Race 5 Miler – still sick.

My latest race was the 1st Half of the SF Marathon in July. I didn’t get to train much. It was only a couple weeks after I finally started feeling better so I was not prepared for it. It was my hardest race and my slowest time. I had given up mentally the last couple miles because I was so tired of running hills so I didn’t push at the end like I usually do.  I never wanted to run hills again but won’t be the last time I run those SF hills this year.

Race 10: SF 1st Half Marathon – my toughest race and my slowest time.

As much as I want to just stop, I won’t. I want to finish my goal. I have 5 months left. That’s 5 more races – ok more like 6 or 7. From August to November I have a Half every month. SF Giant Race Half for August, San Jose Rock N Roll for September, Nike Womens Half Marathon in Oct – plus a 12k that I’m doing with a NEM team, and the Las Vegas Rock N Roll for November plus the Run To Feed the Hungry 10k that I do with my family every year.

To finish off my crazy year of running, I am ending it with my first Full Marathon in December, the California International Marathon. After the successful 18 miler, I decided to do my Full this year instead of waiting until my 35th birthday. I am pretty nervous/excited about it. Training starts tomorrow! I’ll probably post on my progress with training :-)

Using my Nike+ app to train for my fist marathon = California International Marathon in Sacramento.