This is the final Runners Tell All link-up of 2014! Where has the year gone? First off, I want to thank Beka @Sunshine to the Square Inch and Amanda @The Lady Okie for hosting this great monthly link-up this year. I have really enjoyed participating in it, and reading other’s thoughts on each month’s topic. It has led me to some new blogs which I now enjoy reading on a regular basis. It has also given me the opportunity to pause and reflect on various moments throughout my running career. Which brings me to this month’s topic: 2014 reflections and 2015 goals.

2014 reflections: All the miles.

I dubbed 2014 as my “race palooza” year. I decided I just wanted to run any and all races that were within a reasonable distance from where we live, so I did. My other goal was to establish a decent endurance base, to where I could run a half marathon any time I wanted. I guess that worked out, since I ended up “hopping” into six half marathons this year without specifically training for any of them. In total, I ran 18 races, which is the most I’ve ever run in a year.

Oh yes, I made a graph. The miscellaneous category includes a 17.75K race, a 25K trail race, an obstacle race, and an overnight relay.

This year was a pretty big year for me, running-wise. I have run more miles this year than I ever have before in a single year, thanks in part to the Hansons marathon training plan (seriously, these guys should be paying me at this point…). The year isn’t over, yet, but so far I have logged 1,129 miles.

The desire to run my second full marathon topped my race wish list for “race palooza.” I wanted to run a big race, and I did so by running the Marine Corps Marathon in October. Despite not meeting my A, B, or C goals I still had an amazing experience. I hadn’t ever run such a large race like that, and it truly was awesome. Even more so since it was put on by the Marines and there were thousands of service men and women out there on the course cheering us on. They even said thank you to us at the finish line, for running their race. All I could think was “no, thank you for what you do every day.”

2015 goals: More trails!!

I did a little exploring on trails at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. I also ran three trail races. Honestly, after my experience at my very first trail race, it’s a wonder I signed up for another one. It had a really cool name, just not ideal conditions for your first trail race.

But I did sign up for more trail races, and I had an amazing experience at the next two. My second and third trail races were the final two races in a series called the Roanoke Non-Ultra Trail Series, put on by Mountain Junkies LLC.

In fact, I had so much fun that I signed up for the series in 2015. The series kicks off with the Frozen Toe 10K on January 10 and culminates with the Conquer the Cove 25K (25K for me, there’s also a full marathon option) on May 31.

In total, I’ll be running five trail races between January and May! In fact, the only road race on my schedule right now is the Blue Ridge Half Marathon. But let’s face it – despite that race being run entirely on pavement, it’s more like a trail race than a road race. That’s why they call it ‘America’s Toughest Road Half Marathon.’

I can hear the trails and mountains calling my name, and I can’t wait to answer their call!

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