TOLT: Every Picture Tells a Story

Every time, I run a half marathon, I like to look back at my previous half marathon races.

All 13.1 miles, yet all are so different.

I can’t believe that this will be my 20th.  And 15th after my ankle surgery.  (So Dr. Ortho, I will run again!!)

#1 – My first and BEST was the Naples Half Marathon in January of 2011.  My goal was just to finish and I did.  It is one of my proudest moments. Plus it was on my wedding anniversary and my hubby was there.

#2 – I immediately registered for the 1st annual Lake George Half Marathon in April of that year.  Unfortunately, I had to run in sleet & freezing rain for 13.1 miles & without my Garmin. I was happy to survive and my time was a PR until 2014.

# 3 – Out with strained Achilles for 6 weeks during the summer of 2011 delayed my training for the Adirondack Half Marathon  (so I walked the 2nd half of the race.)  It was still fun because I was running it with lots of friends and you got run into the lake after crossing the finish line.

# 4 – Again impulsively, I decided to sign up for the inaugural Fall Foliage Half Marathon as a training run. This was my hilliest half but I finished injury-free. All was good.

# 5- My goal race of that year (2011) was the Santa Clarita Half Marathon that I was running with a friend in California.  This time it only poured for half the race and I finished with a disappointing time.  So did my friend and we lamented over Bloody Marys.

After 5 half marathons in 2011, there were NONE in 2012. (The year of the broken ankle & foot stress fracture.)

#6 – My next Half Marathon, the First Watch Half Marathon in Sarasota, Fla, came in 2013 16 months after serious ankle surgery and 5 months after a foot stress fracture.  I was just glad to be running again. The course was beautiful, my friends were waiting at the end and I was so happy.

#7 – The Mohawk-Hudson Half Marathon in the fall of 2013 was supposed to be the one where I would be seriously training and hopefully get a PR. Then I broke my foot. With a late start to my training and my weekly miles not what I would have liked, again this half marathon was just “I’ll be happy to finish.” And I did. I enjoyed it since it was my first half where I slept in my own bed the night before. My hubby was waiting at the finish line and we headed right up to the lake afterwards.

# 8 – For the Love Run Half Marathon in the Spring of 2014, I was injury-free for the whole training but I trained during an awfully cold, snowy winter.  Despite running in monsoon rains, I managed to PR. I made new running friends and we had a lot of fun during our weekend in “wet” Philly. We plan to re-unite in Cape Cod this September.

#9 – That summer, after running a 10 mile race, I impulsively registered for the Saratoga Springs Half Marathon.  This taught me to never run one in the summer.  It was very humid, I felt sick and for the first time, I struggled to finish upright.

#10 – Impromptu and free. I registered for the Hangover Half Marathon for New Year’s Day 2015 and ran it as a training run on a cold, windy, lonely, boring course. And it was my fastest.  Go figure?

#11 – Training in frigid temps and running in Florida in January I thought would give me problems but the stars were aligned and I had the BEST.HALF.EVER in West Palm Beach. Beautiful weather, awesome scenery, a big PR and age group win.

#12 – I had awesome aspirations for the Asbury Park Half Marathon in April 2015. But foot pain ended that and I had a disappointing finish time. Still, it was fun running along the ocean in Bruce Springsteen’s hometown.

#13 – The Vermont City Marathon Relay on Memorial Day weekend was an unplanned race. Although, my finish time was slow, I thoroughly enjoyed this race in beautiful Burlington, VT and sharing it with AJH.

#14 – The Walkway Half Marathon was my 5th of 2015. I was looking forward to running this inaugural race and especially to seeing this new and highly publicized bridge. I had not trained much since April, overslept and ran without my Garmin so I was not disappointed with my slowish time. And I enjoyed the course. I have since returned to walk it with friends.

#15  – I had really been looking forward to running a RNR race.  Unfortunately, the first annual RNR Brooklyn Half Marathon in October 2015 was very poorly organized plus I had a painful backache during the last half of the race. Still I unexpectedly met a former student of mine and enjoyed sightseeing during my weekend in Brooklyn.

#16 – Another race-cation in Florida for the EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon in December 2015.  It rained the whole time I was there except for during the race.  But it was so warm and humid that I wished that it had. I was disappointed in that I was hoping for a great finish time like the last time I ran there. Moral: you can’t control the weather.

#17 –  I decided to try Florida again in February 2016.  This time it was for the Sarasota Music Half Marathon. This is, so far, my favorite race, despite the cold windy weather.  If I ever repeat a half marathon, it will be this one!!

#18 – I ran the Celebrate Life Half Marathon in March because the money went to victims of cancer and their families. The course were horribly hilly but the weather was perfect.  It was fun taking a bus to the race with other local runners.

#19 – The Lake George Half Marathon in April was almost a repeat race except that the finish was different and it was run by a different company.  So I expected the hills. The weather was perfect and I enjoyed Barbara’s company.

#20…. Vermont Marathon City Marathon Relay

I’m excited to run this race again.  I will be running the second half of the marathon course instead of the first (like last year.). I don’t feel prepared at all to run 13.1 miles so we’ll see how I do.  Just hoping for good weather, no injuries and I’m sure I’ll have a fun weekend in Burlington.

Since it is Thursday,  I’m also linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

Happy Running! What are thinking about today? Please share.