Another year of running has come to a close. I did not run as many races and my mileage was much lower, but there were some interesting highlights.
In May, I received free entries to form a team (Team Kiwi of course!) to run The Color Run in Rochester, NY. What an honor! The race director found my blog and contacted me prior to the event, offering complimentary admission. It was so cool to be able to run a race for no charge. Let’s face it, races can get pricey!
The Rochester Color Run was their smallest race on the tour, but a whole lot of fun all the same. I ran my first Color Run in Columbus, Ohio in 2012. Since then, this race has exploded in popularity. I love that these races are untimed and introduce new runners to the sport. I was also thrilled that I could do this race with my friend and coworker Jeannette – it was her first 5k ever and she rocked it. I also had my Color Run Shirts made into a very cool bag and scarf. And, I had shirts from last year’s races made into a quilt.
In June and July, I completed my first ever Running Streak. I ran 39 consecutive days – at least a mile a day. Of course, this coincided with the hottest and most humid days of the summer, but I did it! I know it does not compare with people who have completed running streaks for years, but I was still proud all the same. Thanks Runners World – I framed and display my badge proudly. I also lost 12 lbs during the streak, a huge bonus.
I tried some unique new races this year including
The Bubble Blast Run in Syracuse, NY. And yes, just as you might suspect, running through bubbles and obstacles was a blast! I also got to meet Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim.
Another highlight was being interviewed for an article in our local paper: 3 things to know about the Southeast Family YMCA Turkey Classic. They also included my photo and a pic of one of my race quilts. 🙂
Kyra Mancine, enjoys collecting T-shirts from various races. She has participated in the Turkey Classic three times, and made a special quilt using the shirts from various races. “The Turkey Classic was the first race I ever ran in 1994, so it holds a special place in my memory,” said Mancine.
Escape From Fright Nights – another Syracuse race. This was a night race, running from zombies and other scary characters. It was a great pre-Halloween event with candy after (of course).
Keeping with the scary theme, I also attended (as a spectator) Run For Your Lives, a zombie race – in Batavia, NY. While I enjoyed watching people get transformed into zombies and seeing them chase their “victims,” I realized that I like to be a participant more than I do a bystander.
A blog post I wrote about Raynauds and Running in 2012 was posted on a Raynauds organization’s Facebook page, resulting in over 500 views and over 170 shares in 2 days. This made me so proud! As a person who struggles with this condition, I was thrilled to be able to share my experiences and information with others.
What the start of a Raynaud’s attack looks like and the conditions that are a perfect breeding ground.
Although I am no longer on the board, I continue to be involved as a volunteer (getting them press, etc.) with Girls on the Run of Greater Rochester. I truly believe this group changes lives.
Photo courtesy of the Girls on the Run of Greater Rochester’s FB page
I finished my running year by doing a new, low key turkey trot in Wyoming, NY on Thanksgiving day. Even though it was FREEZING (in the 20’s), my turkey day race tradition lives on!
My race scarf! This is a great idea for your old race t shirts!
Bottom line time:
This year, I only did one timed race. The others were un-timed. In contrast, in previous years I ran 50-100 miles in races. I struggled with my weight and food, and this resulted in my poor showing. I need to recommit in 2014. I said that last year, but got sidetracked. It’s time to acknowledge my setbacks and try again – no excuses! Running has given me so much, and I can’t let myself throw that away. The Boston Marathon bombing tragedy was a wake up call to be grateful that I can get up and run every day. I owe it to myself to do better.
What about you – how was your year? I hope that you rose to your challenges and accomplished all you set out to do, running or otherwise. Remember, today is a new day. You can do it!
THANK YOU for reading! See you on the roads…
P.S. Happy New Year 🙂
runkiwirun13 
This may be a lower mileage year for you but it was 100% more than I ran! So there you go…and you have good goals for 2014, plus you had FUN in 2013! Seems a very successful year to me. Here’s to 2014!