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…..

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.

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.

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.

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 :-)