2024 - The Year in Bling

 

Show me the bling!

It’s no secret I love my races, and I love the bling that comes home with me. The medals not only represent all the blood, sweat, and (sometimes) tears that got me to the finish line, but also serve as great keepsakes.

The 2024 bling count isn’t as grandiose as in years past, but all is well. I had a lot of stuff going on with my houses (selling and buying), relocating, and the new job. My available time for proper training just wasn’t optimal, and many weekends were packed with other necessary tasks. Such was my reality, but I remained vertical, LOL.

Anyways, here’s a peek at the bling I brought home in 2024:

Fight for Air Climb (recap), April 8th, Des Moines

This was my 10th time climbing the Des Moines venue onsite (I had to climb it virtually in 2020, thanks to Covid, and have also done the Chicago climb). It’s always a hot and sweaty challenge, and my legs are always trashed by the time I finish…but I simply cannot stay away.

Drake Relays Bull Dog Double, Des Moines

The Bull Dog Double references those who run one of the Drake Road Races on April 21st and also the Grand Blue Mile, two days later, on April 23rd. This year, due to my crazy spring, I scaled-back to the 10K (recap) instead of my usual half marathon routine…which worked to my advantage, rewarding me with a PR.The Grand Blue Mile (recap) also went well, and I was able to secure a 3rd place AG.

Market to Market Relay (recap), May 11th

This was my third time running with our flamingo-themed team, and we had a blast! Our team did well, and placed 7th within our team category. Not a bad showing for a day-long 77+ mile adventure from Jefferson to downtown Des Moines!

Dam-to-Dam Half Marathon (recap), June 1st, Des Moines

I really don’t need to say much about this event, as most know it’s my favorite race every year. This particular year, I was determined to just enjoy the race, and its unique point-to-point route, and not dwell on my pace, splits, or projected finish time. That strategy rewarded me with a much faster finish than anticipated, even with a lot of walking in the final miles. 

Midnight Madness 5K (recap), July 13th, Ames 

Granted, I’ve been a little hit-and-miss with this event. It’s one I try to hit every year, though, and I really miss it when I’m not toeing the start line. With a mid-July date, it’s guaranteed to be a hot one with plenty of humidity to go around. This year was no exception (88F temps at the start time, 7:00PM). As typical, I went out much faster than I realized, and it came back to bite my backside in the final mile. I’m not sure how I squeaked-out a 1st place AG, especially with so much walking in the final mile, but I’m guessing a lot of others had comparable experiences (excessive walking). This particular 5K was also the Summer Iowa Games 5K championship, hence the “bonus” medal. 

IMT Des Moines Half Marathon (recap), October 20th

Another favorite event, I had mixed feelings on how this would play-out on race day. My training had been alright, but nothing spectacular. There had been some requisite long runs, and there had been intermittent speed-training (via 3-mile group runs that seemed to morph into unintentional tempo runs). But I can honestly admit to not being very focused on weekly mileage. Momma N came through, though, and gave us unseasonably warm temps and full sunshine. 

RRC Run the Woods 4-Mile Trail Race (recap), November 9th, Earlham

Succumbing to group pressure from the running club, I registered for this trail race. I was eager for some running group camaraderie as well as the challenge of tackling a few hills in the ripe autumn air. Then Momma N turned mean, and dumped a lot of rain on us during race week…and race morning. We’re talking cold temps (mid-40F’s), rain, mud, and plentiful wind. Most of the rain halted during race time, thankfully, but it left the trail conditions an absolute mess in its wake. Nonetheless, it was a decent conquest scaling all the muddy hills not face-planting. I did get a 3rd place AG, but it certainly wasn’t for my stellar speed or finesse.

Des Moines Turkey Trot 5-mile, November 28th

Finally, let’s not forget turkey trotting! After 12 year as of organizing and running the local trot in my former town, I ran the trot in my new locale. There was the option of a 5K or 5-mile, and a lot of fellow trotters to run alongside. The temps were cold, and there were some white flurries flying around us, but the race went well. I snagged a 3rd-place AG, and brought home a decorative tree ornament (that looks suspiciously close to a medal). Stay tuned, the recap is still in the works, LOL.

Well, there you have it! The 2024 bling and lots of fun memories. 

Was 2024 a good year of racing for you? Any significant finish times? Favorite races? New events?

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