Friday, January 4, 2013

Race Inventory 2012

After surviving my first Ironman last year, I wasn't sure how I was going to top it for this year...so I didn't really try. However, it was still a very good year for racing and improving as a mediocre age-grouper athlete!

Here's the short version.

  • 8 half-marathons
  • 4 marathons
  • 3.5 half-iron triathlons (one was shortened due to weather)
  • 1 30-mile trail run
  • 4 triathlons of assorted distances (two winter indoor tris not listed below)
  • 1 olympic-distance duathlon
  • 3 assorted running races

I used one half-marathon as a long recovery walk/jog, and took advantage of the opportunity to walk it with someone dear to me. That was a nice break and a welcome chance to relax.

This year saw my first "double" -- two longer races in two states in one weekend. I survived, and actually had a good time. Saturday was the Mississippi Blues Marathon in Jackson, MS, which turned out to be quite hilly. After the race, I drove to Mobile, AL, and mingled over dinner with a lot of other crazy people who were also doing both races. Sunday morning was the First Light Half/Full Marathon. I opted for the half, but many people were doing another marathon. It was an interesting experience, and I learned a little bit more about pacing and recovery. Much to my relief, AL was also flat.

An enjoyable 15K trail run in March became a bittersweet reminder of how precious life truly is, and how important it is to live in the moment.

My second ultra, a 30-mile trail run in April, resulted in a new friend and running partner. We have plans to try our first 50-miler together next April.

I became more comfortable with the half-iron distance, doing three-and-a-half this year (one, Muncie, was shortened due to extreme heat). Kansas saw winds like I've never experienced combined with some impressive hills. Steelhead felt more like a reunion between old friends, and was a perfect day, if tinged with a hint of sadness. Augusta was a mini-vacation that ended in a personal best and a thoroughly enjoyable visit to a little town in Georgia.

Instead of a full Ironman this year, I tested my ability to recover. In the span of six weeks, I did two half-marathons, a half-iron tri, and a marathon (in that order), took a week off, then did another marathon. I survived unscathed, save for a few hours of aching feet and legs. I consider that a "pass".

Perhaps the most unique marathon of all was the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey in Nashville, TN. This is a small race (300 or so), completely irreverent, and highly sarcastic. In short, it was loads of fun. It was also quite challenging, with 7500 feet of elevation change crammed into those 26.2 miles. I highly recommend it.

Next up: Starting 2013 with a marathon on New Year's Day. Doesn't get much better!

Below is a more detailed list of the year's events.

Santa Hustle Half MarathonDec 162:19:47Indianapolis
Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey MarathonNov 185:17:01Nashville TN
Detroit Free Press MarathonOct 215:10:31MI
Chicago MarathonOct 75:07:23IL
Ironman 70.3 AugustaSep 306:32:39Augusta GA
Quad Cities Half Marathon (walked with Paula)Sep 233:45:07Moline IL/
Davenport IA
USAF Half MarathonSep 152:14:04Dayton OH
Ironman 70.3 SteelheadAug 196:45:59St. Joseph MI
Eagle Creek Sprint TriathlonJul 211:26:03Indianapolis
Buckhead Border ChallengeJul 153:34:24Jeffersonville IN
Ironman 70.3 Muncie (shortened due to heat)Jul 73:48:01IN
iChallenge Indy TriJun 242:11:11Indianapolis
TNT Trail Run 10KJun 191:08:41Indianapolis
Eagle Creek Sprint TriathlonJun 161:27:40Indianapolis
Ironman 70.3 KansasJun 107:57:40Lawrence
Geist Half MarathonMay 192:19:03Fishers IN
Muncie May DuathlonMay 123:17:09IN
Wisconsin Half MarathonMay 62:17:37Kenosha
PA Winona Lake Trail 30 MileApr 146:48:53Warsaw IN
Opossum Creek 10KApr 71:04:24Granger TX
North Carolina Half MarathonMar 252:18:21Charlotte
DINO trail run 15KMar 101:39:01Indianapolis
Rhythm & Blues Half MarathonFeb 192:16:00Houston TX
Bop to the Top 36-floor Stair Climb (Triple Challenge)Jan 2131:28Indianapolis
First Light Half MarathonJan 82:28:21Mobile AL
Mississippi Blues MarathonJan 75:13:14Jackson MS

4 comments:

  1. You're amazing, Carla! Awesome!

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  2. I saw this post while scrolling through Google reader, paused at the bit about the race in March, and thought, "Hey, she's from Indiana!" (I'm on the Dino FB page, even though I don't live in IN anymore, so I remember the story breaking.)

    GREAT year for you. Well done! I haven't done many races since I returned to university, but I have a half next weekend that I'm pretty excited about. Here's to 2013!

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    1. Great to hear from you! What was your half? I'm assuming it was last weekend? How'd you do?

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  3. Carla, you are amazing! Hopefully we will race together soon and I can bask in your mojo :) Love your blog!

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