2013 review and highlights

So I had a pretty eventful year overall.  Here's a summary of everything.  As you can see, I maxed out over 200 miles in August and the majority of my miles are running.

Miles Run:  1,495 miles

Miles Bike:  88 miles

Miles Swam:  1.30 miles(Ha!  That includes my only triathlon too)

Weights workouts:  91 workouts

Yoga workouts:  141 sessions

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Some of the highlights of the year.  I ran 26 races this year which is more races than I've ever run in a year.  I loved every single race but, of course, some more than others.  I ran:

• 1 - one mile race
• 7 - 5k's
• 1 - 5.6 mile race
• 4 - 10k's
• 2 - 10 mile races
• 9 half marathons
• 1 full marathon
• 1 sprint triathlon 

The half still remains my favorite distance.

2013 race schedule
Freeze Your Franny 5k(Shelby Township, MI) 1/26(completed)
Super 5k(Novi, MI) 2/3(completed)
Corktown 5k(Detroit, MI) 3/10(completed)
Shamrock 'n' Roll 10k(Plymouth, MI) 3/17(completed) - race ambassador
Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon(Grosse Ile, MI) 3/24(completed) - race ambassador
Bald Mountain Mountain Man(Lake Orion, MI) 4/7(completed)
Lansing Half Marathon(Lansing, MI) 4/21(completed)
Great Lakes Bay Half Marathon(Midland, MI) 5/19(completed) - race ambassador
Dexter to Ann Arbor Half Marathon(Dexter, MI) 6/2(completed)
Kona Run 10 mile(Northville, MI) 6/8(completed) - race ambassador
Charlevoix Half Marathon(Charlevoix, MI) 6/22(completed)
Rockin Relay Detroit(Detroit, MI) 6/29(completed)
Alpenfest 10k(Gaylord, MI) 7/20(completed)
The Legend Half Marathon(Sleep Hollow State Park, MI) - Trail 8/3(completed)
Stony Creek Offroad Triathlon - Sprint(Shelby Twp, MI) 8/11(completed)
Michigan Mile(Flint, MI) 8/23(completed) - a new PR!
Crim 10 mile(Flint, MI) 8/24(completed)
Brooksie Way Half Marathon(Rochester, MI) 9/29(completed)
Sleeping Bear Half Marathon(Empire, MI) 10/6(completed)
Detroit Half Marathon(Detroit, MI) 10/20(completed)
Wicked Halloween Run 10k(Plymouth, MI) 10/28(completed) - race ambassador
Monumental Marathon(Indianapolis, IN) 11/2(completed)
Mustache Dache(Detroit, MI) 11/9(completed)
Kona Chocolate Run 10k(Plymouth, MI) 11/17(completed) - race ambassador
A Christmas Story Virtual 10k(Shelby Township, MI) 12/7(registered)
Christmas Present 5k(Clarkston, MI) 12/8(completed-free race)
Jingle Bell Run 5k(Shelby Township, MI) 12/22(completed)

I ran my first triathlon - the Stony Creek Off Road Sprint Tri - and it was a fantastic experience.  It was much harder than I ever thought it would be, but it was off road so that made it more difficult.

Stony Creek Off Road Tri

A bit harder than I thought

I had one one PR and that was for my first one mile race ever.

Michigan Mile - Flint

All my other PR's are for 2011 and 2012.  I guess I'm getting slower!  I did, however, get two age group awards including a 10k AG award at Alpenfest in Gaylord which was the second year in a row I placed in my AG.  I also placed 3rd in the Great Lakes Bay half marathon, the first time I've ever placed in this distance which was exciting before because it's usually fairly competitive at that distance.

I ran three trail races this year and loved them all!  I also ran eight races outside of Southeast Michigan.  I ran my first race in Indiana and added a third state to my marathons.  This was also my first failed attempt to BQ.  I won't be attempting a BQ in 2014.

I was fortunate enough to have five race weekends as vacations this year including three with my running buddies.  These included Midland, Charlevoix, Gaylord, Glen Arbor and Indianapolis.  These weekends are so much fun and the plan is to do more of them in 2014.

Great Lake Bay Half - Midland

Gaylord Alpenfest 10k - AG win!

Hey - who's that guy to my right with no beard?

Sleeping Bear Half

Monumental Marathon

Of all 23 races I ran, I ran 17 races new to me for the year.  I love trying out new races so I get a variety.  Of course, I had some favorites that I ran again as well.  You can read my "best of 2013" post HERE.

Overall, it was a really fun year of training and racing and I look forward to seeing what 2014 brings.  Given my schedule is already fairly full through August, I know that I'll be having lots of fun sharing my races with all of you again.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!