2016: Getting Ugly for the Burritos

Idaho Bird Camp: June 2016

You've got to love running. It's ugly, messy, hard as f*ck sometimes....and at the same time one of the most empowering, connecting and worthwhile pursuits I have undertaken. I started 2016 barely able to run, coming back from injury and having to rebuild my base. 2016 ended up becoming the best year of my running life (started running seriously in 2010, occasional runner before then).

Courtney of Eat Pray Run DC is hosting a Year of Running link up and I thought, well why not? So 

• Best race experience: I raced 13 times this year (lucky 13!). I liked them all for different reasons. Every race is a learning experience, which is why I like to race. Anyway, my best race experience was the St. George Marathon. It is an awesome race. The course is beautiful and breathtaking. The support and logistics are great. And it's a Saturday marathon which means I didn't have to travel back home right after the race. Of course, though, the reason it tops my list is because it is my marathon PR, I finally ran a sub-4 hour marathon AND I qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon. Crossing that finish line in that time was the hardest thing I have ever done in my running career and therefore my best race experience of 2016. 
• Best run: My best run of 2016 was also one of my first runs of 2016. It was my longest run (6.4 miles) after two months of barely running and coming back from injury. We were in Manchester, England and it was my last run in England before flying home the next day. I ran round-trip from our hotel in City Centre to Old Trafford (home of Manchester United), where we were going later that day to watch United beat Swansea City. Watching Premier League soccer in England is an awesome experience and if you have the opportunity, you should definitely do it. It was fun running through the streets of Manchester before the city woke up, getting to the stadium as my goal and then running back to the hotel.
• Best new piece of running gear: I do love my Garmin 235 with a wrist based heart rate monitor.  Not new...but I'm going to have to pick my GLUTES. Since late 2015, I've worked on activating, using and powering my push off with my glutes. With the help of regular physical therapy and my own determination, I've become a stronger runner.
• Best running advice you've received this year: The night before a marathon eat a big dessert. Trisha Drobeck, Oiselle Haute Volée, told us this piece of advice at Idaho Bird Camp. She says it guarantees a great race. It worked for St. George!
• Most inspirational runner: I will have to agree with Courtney, Kate Grace. She came back from injury and rocked the Olympic Trials coming in 1st place at the 800m finals (never podiuming before this). She is down to earth and she's superfan!
• Favorite picture from a run or race this year: This one was easy. Crossing the finish line at St. George knowing I not only earned a huge PR, but also qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon. I don't think I every smiled so big or full crossing a marathon finish line.

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• Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: Although the race didn't go as planned, I would repeat CIM in a heartbeat because I want to do better. The race logistics, organization and crowd support were amazing. It was the first race I've run with a large Oiselle Cowbell Corner and running in Sacramento is fun. I love running there. 
• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words: Boston QUALIFIER!