Happy Holiday! Just a few more days till we ring in 2018!!
I will end the year with 156 races (10 in 2017). I didn’t race as much as I would have liked to but I am happy with the races I did. I had a goal to run at least 1,000 miles but sadly I did not meet this goal. Will try again next year.
So now let’s talk about my 5 best races this year in no specific order.
1. Great Alaskan Half Marathon. In July I went on The Great Alaskan Running Cruise and ran 4 races but the half marathon was my favorite. Running in Alaska was state #38 for me in my goal to run a half marathon in each state. It was a small race and the view was spectacular! It was on this cruise that I finally met Elizabeth.
2. Elmhurst Running Club 4 on the 4th. I’ve been running this race since 2013 and absolutely love it! It is cheap, not too far from home, plenty of parking, and the only 4 miler race I do. This year I met up with a few Oiselle girls. July 4th is extra special for me because it was on this day in 1978 that my family and I came to this country from Mexico. Double the celebration!
3. Run Mag Mile 10K. This race was lots of fun! I enjoyed running along Michigan Avenue and eating some delicious food after the race. The hoodie and medal were cool too. Oh, and I love that we got FREE race photos.
4. Utah Valley Half Marathon. Utah was state #37 for me. I met up with a few bloggers (Marcia, Judy, Teresa, Holly, and Mary Beth) and had a great time with them. The course was downhill and beautiful but I was sore for days. We had great weather and while it was sunny, I never got too hot because the course through the canyon was shaded.
5. Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle. This is another one I do every year. This race was my first one this year. My goal was to finish it in under an hour and finish time was 56:26. I knew I wasn’t going to PR because I’d been running here and there due to various injuries in the beginning of the year. I already signed up to run it again next year! I love the course and the medal is a plus!
What was your favorite race this year?
I’m linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday 2.0.
How cool you went on a Running Cruise. I never heard of one. You now have me intrigued about one.
Do it! Definitely a great one to go on filled with many adventures and a great time.
We came close to doing that cruise a few years ago!
I love a good hoodie from a race & you can’t beat free photos.
I’m not sure what my favorite race was this year!
It is an awesome cruise! Definitely consider it again.
Some day. Although I haven’t made up my mind if I want to do the cruise or do a half & explore there — we’ve done a regular cruise to Alaska.
Either option will be fun! By the way, totally unrelated to this post, I have tried leaving comments in your posts but mine do not post. Can you check the spam folder?
I will! Things do get dumped in there for certain people — don’t know why — sorry!
Oh, no problem. Just wanted you to know. 😀 The dame thing happened to me and I had to check my spam folder too.
I remember reading about your Alaskan running cruise and it looked like a blast and such a fun way to see Alaska. Hope to make it there one of these days!
Hope you do! It is beautiful and fun in Alaska.
I loved reading all about your time in Alaska – what a cool experience!
Thanks!
I did 3 races, and they were all fun. I might say Vegas stands out a little bit since I did it pain free!
I understand about Las Vegas. That is a great race!
I can’t name one favorite race this year…I think every race was significant in one way or another. The five races I was able to do this fall, though, were pretty stellar in that they symbolized my return to running after my summer sabbatical 😉
Oh absolutely!
Oh! I’m going to do the Shamrock Shuffle in March. I took advantage of the $39 special they had one day. I don’t remember the last time I paid $39 for a race in Chicago! Will you be there?
Yes, me too! I think I signed up when I saw your Facebook post.
I think I have to pick the NYC Half as my favorite, although it is a tough call. Still jeaous of your cruise!
I almost put my name in the lottery but backed out when I saw the cost of it. Now I think I regret not doing it. Maybe next year!
The Alaskan Half Marathon sounds wonderful! My favorite race this year was a toss between Earth Day 50k and Ice Age 50 mile.
50ks huh? Wait, I just realized that one is 50 miles. Wow! Impressive! I’ve done a 50k and that was tough and cannot imagine 50 miles.
That cruise sounds amazing! You had a great year of running and racing. Happy New Year!
Such great races! I would love to run in Alaska…definitely a bucket list destination! Congrats!
Thanks! Definitely go to Alaska!
You had some really cool races this year and I’m so glad that I got to meet you in Utah!! Hopefully we can meet up again in 2018 …Happy New Year!!
The Alaska running cruise sounds like such an amazing experience! And I love free race photos 🙂 My favorite race this year was probably the Avengers Half Marathon at Disneyland.
That is one race I would love to do! But that’s in CA, no? And aren’t those the races that were cancelled this year?
Yeah, sadly they cancelled these races 🙁 Hopefully they bring them back after the constructions is done.