My #PlotTwist of a Year - Races & Bling

Oh boy! Has it been a crazy year!

This is the first of a 2-part series of my #PlotTwist of a Year. My Year-in-Review post will be coming soon (stay tuned).

For now, though, let's chat about my 2017 races and the subsequent bling.


January was a cold month in Iowa (I know, #shocker). I only had one race on the calendar, and that was the  Chamburrrr Scurry 5K  (Marshalltown, IA) on January 28. The temps were cold, I had a sock malfunction, and I finished with and a less-than-stellar finish time of 26:58. It seriously "seemed" like I was actually much faster than that, but the wind certainly was a factor.

February had some chilly temps as well, but the temps were actually in the low 50's on race day for the Red Flannel Run 5 Mile (Des Moines) on the 11th. I even wore shorts! In Iowa! Don't be too impressed with my finish time of 37:33, though, because the 5-mile course was shortened to 4.29 miles. And, I earned my first (of many) 4th place AG wins for the year.

Shorts in February...in Iowa!

March gave me three races to partake in, and all of them had different race day conditions to enjoy. First, there was the Sombrero Beach Run 10K (Marathon, FL) while on a mini-vacay with the hubby. This was a 10K with an out-and-back route on a very warm and windy morning. None the less, my finish time was decent (57:17), but it landed me with (another) 4th place AG spot.

With the hubby...after the race

Next was the Leprechaun Chase 10K (Des Moines, IA) on the 11th. This is a favorite race I have done for the past several years, but due to a surprise snow/ice fall the evening prior, the route had to be shortened to a 5K. BUZZKILL. I don't love 5K's, but I am not afraid of them. That said, when you show up expecting to run a 10K, it really throws your mental game into a tizzy having to adjust to the shortened distance. My finish time was a respectable 26:31...but it only garnered me an 8th place AG placing (out of 18). Oh well...

Pay no attention to the photo-bombing hubby...

Also in March was the Wintrust Lakefront 10-Miler (Chicago, IL) on the 18th. This was a rather windy endeavor, but I got to run the majority of the race with none other than Wendy. Despite the crazy wind, I was very happy with my finish time (1:32:51) because this race felt relatively effortless. My stats showed I finished 12th out of 50 in my AG.

With Wendy, and my first piece of 2018 bling

April had me busy as well. First, there was the Live Healthy Iowa 5K (in my hometown, Grinnell, IA) on the 8th. I had a longer run on the schedule, so I ran a 3-mile warm-up run, did the 5K race (finishing in 25:31), and then ran four extra bonus miles afterwards. I got 2nd place in my age group, but don't be too impressed...the field of runners was pretty small.

The hubby and my friend, Barb, ran the race with me, too

The next day was the Fight for Air Climb (Des Moines, IA) on the 9th. This is an event I have done every year for the past five years. Affiliated with the American Lung Association, this is a stair climb event that has us taking on 86 total flights of stairways (among four different tall buildings in close proximity). I have been trying to crack the top 3 place in my age group, but it wasn't meant to happen this year. I got as high as 6th place in my AG (out of 49), missing the top five by 3 seconds. Yeah.

Another Fight for Air Climb medal

Later in the month, I was back in Des Moines for the Drake Road Races Half Marathon on the 29th. I had done this race a few times prior, but they reverted the event back to its original course (which I had never run). This was another cold and very windy Iowa morning, and the route had several rolling hills. My finish time was alright (2:05:58), but nothing close to a PR. I placed 11th out of 29 in my AG.

Brrrrr....I felt nothing but euphoria to be done with that race

May was another month with lots of miles and racing, starting with the Klompen Classic 5K (Pella, IA) on the 3rd. It's true, I'm not much of a competitive 5K racer, but I decided to throw this event into the mix for a speed-training endeavor. Also, this race was an evening event (kicking off the annual Tulip Time Festival). This race was not only fun, but also quite scenic (tulips everywhere), and very well-attended. I wound up finishing in 26:05, which is one of my fastest 5K's ever (I have had a few faster ones, but I believe those were all on shortened courses). Even with a fast-for-me finish time, it wasn't quite podium worthy...another 4th place (out of 60)!

In the Peanut Pub, post race

A few days later, I ran the first-ever Des Moines Women's Half Marathon (Des Moines, IA) on May 7th. This was another race I loved...it felt effortless and we had beautiful weather. Despite a long wait for a porta-potty near the 6-mile mark, I finished in 2:03:10...11th out of 55 in my AG. Total satisfaction with that one!

One of the prettiest medals ever

A week later, I ran in the Market-to-Market Relay (central Iowa), on a relay team with five other co-workers. Our team took turns, in a pre-designated rotation (similar to a Ragnar Relay), running a total of 17 "stages"along the 76-mile route over the course of an approximate 13-hour day. My total mileage (for the three stages I ran) came in just under 16 miles, and I was beat. It was a fun (though long) day spent in constant motion as we not only ran, but also drove our support vehicle back and forth between each of the exchange points. 

for bling, we received pint glasses with the event logo on them

June was where things took a turn for the worse...

Things started off fine with my favorite race (every year), Dam to Dam Half Marathon, on June 3nd in Des Moines. This morning started out much warmer than predicted and continued to get hotter (and more humid) with each mile. I certainly was not attempting a PR, but my finish time was nothing stellar...in fact, it may have been my worst D2D finish yet (2:22:50). They had to reroute some of the course, due to construction, so I guess it was a PR in that sense, right? Thankfully, I made it across the finish line and recovered, but I was very disorientated, light headed, and dizzy due to the extreme heat. I love the heat, but this came from out of nowhere, and there were runners down everywhere. 

My 10th consecutive Dam medal

Two weeks later was my goal race for the year, Grandma's Marathon (Duluth, MN) on June 17th. This was such a fun race! I ran the majority (just past the 22-mile mark) with Rachel, and we had so much fun chatting about all things running and blogging. Up until mile 18, I was feeling great....but then things slowly started to unravel. The temps got really warm and we had a lot of sunshine. I don't think I was dehydrated or under-fueled, but my energy did a major crash and I was never able to recover. None the less, I still squeaked out a course PR (5:00:27), though it was a good 30 minutes slower than what I was hoping for. 

I look just like I felt...about to fall asleep on my feet

Next? Well, there was that unexpected emergency surgery for a staph infection that had gone rampant (June 29th). a week-long hospital stay, continued IV infusions (at home) and being side-lined from running for nearly three months as everything healed (more details HERE).

#PlotTwist

July through mid-September had me doing a lot of walking and (almost) non-stop strength-training/cross-training to maintain my endurance. My main goal was to allow the 6-inch suture seam (over my right knee) to heal completely. That involved limited bending for several weeks, then gradual bending as my range of motion returned. 

My summer reality

Finally, on September 14th, I was granted the green light to resume running! First up was the Kickoff to Kinnick 5K (Iowa City, IA) on the 29th. I had registered for this race well before I knew if I could run it or not...heck, everyone can walk a 5K, right? Since I had been so active with my daily walking over those three months of recovery, my endurance was ready for action. I had been doing run/walk intervals in the two weeks prior, but on race day, I was able to run most of the entire course. My finish time came in at 29:56, and I was absolutely ecstatic!

The heaviest medal ever (and it also has a bottle-opener feature)

A couple weeks later, on October 14th, I ran the Mercy Live Up Loop 5-Mile Race (Des Moines, IA). It was a cool and damp morning, but I was able to run most of this race as well! What's more, I even finished in 46:48, securing me a 3rd place (out of 21) AG win!

Finally! An AG placing above that dreaded 4th place!

November had me running in the Hillbilly Hike 10K (Carlisle, IA) on the 4th. This was kind of a last-minute decision, but I wanted to get in one more race before my Las Vegas adventure. Again, the air was cool and damp (and foggy!), but that often makes for ideal racing conditions, right? Somehow, I pulled off my fastest "average"pace (9:14) since my rally back, finishing in 57:25...and another 3rd place AG victory.

Yes, that's a flannel shirt...it's a hillbilly event, after all 

A week later, I was in Las Vegas for the Rock'n'Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. I had no grandiose ideals of PR'ing this race....not only had it been less than 2 months since I'd been back in my running shoes (and my training had been conservative at best), but this was Vegas. Bright lights and a big city. Why would anyone want to run this race fast and not enjoy all the sights and sounds? Besides, I ran the race with Marcia, and we had plenty to discuss and laugh about...neither of us were in any kind of hurry and my finish time reflects that (2:28:38), but I had a great time. Conquering 13.1 miles was a major feat for my body considering what it had been through in the past five months. 

This little piece of hardware represents a successful rally back

Finally, December....my final race of 2018 happened on the 2nd of the month, the Jingle Bell Run 5K (Des Moines, IA). If there could have been a perfect setting for a grand finale, it was this race. We had beautiful temps and tons of glorious sunshine. I finished in 28:01, definitely not a PR, but my fastest pace yet post-surgery. And, guess what? Another 4th place AG finish...I missed the podium by a mere 5 seconds! Oh well, such is life! It's a good thing I don't base my "success" as a runner on AG placings. 

tis the season for dressing in obnoxious Santa leggings

So, that's what 2018 brought me. There were a few less races this year than in years past (taking a 3-month sabbatical will do that LOL), but I am so happy with how everything played out. My love, appreciation, and respect for the sport of running were reinforced this year. Every run is a gift, whether it's a training run, an actual race, a slog fest, or a fast finish. 

How did your year go? Any highlights from races? Great hardware? Age group recognition?  

**I'm linking up with Marcia and Patty and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run.

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Rachel and Lora for the Running Coaches' Corner.