2013 Mini Goals: January : Plan Your Race Year

The Runner's World article "A Month-by-Month Guide to a Fitter, Faster You" lays out monthly mini goals for the year and January's is to Plan Your Race Year.

Putting a race on your calendar now is one of the best ways to get and stay motivated. You commit to a goal. But staring down a year of race options, you may feel excited or daunted—or both—especially if you've never raced before. Should you tackle a first 5-K? A mud run? The annual mega-10-K all your coworkers sign up for? Aim for a PR in a half-marathon? Here are some guidelines to help you figure out what event—or even better, events—to sign up for in 2013. ... (read the rest of the article here).

Since my main goal for the coming year is to find the fun in running again, I'm trying to cut back on my race schedule a bit, and the longest distance I'm registering for is half marathons - no fulls for a while!

Of course, the temptation of new and exciting races means that my spring racing schedule is perhaps a little fuller than it should be, but I'm really excited about it!  Each race will be with friends and family and in fun and exciting locations, so I couldn't pass them up!

So here's what 2013 has in store for me:

• January 13: Walt Disney World Marathon - Orlando, FL
• February 9: Hot Chocolate 15K - Dallas, TX
• February 24: Disney's Princess Half Marathon - Orlando, FL
• March 23: Firefly 5K - Plano, TX
• April 28: Big Sur 10.6 - Carmel, CA
• June 22: Rock'n'Roll Seattle Half Marathon - Seattle, WA
• July 20: Moo Cow Mini Marathon  - Dallas, TX
• October 12: Baltimore Running Festival Half Marathon - Baltimore, MD
• November 28: Turkey Trot - Austin, TX
• December 8: Dallas Relay - Dallas, TX

Q4U: Have you planned out this year's race calendar yet?  Is it full of races or does it only have a select few?

Room for More?

My Christmas present to myself this year was a "real" medal display (I've been using a tie/belt rack the past few years).  I mounted the Allied Medal Display this weekend on the wall of the office/workout/craft room.  Then I began the painstaking process of deciding what medal went where and arranging and re-arranging the display (which I'm still not 100% happy with and think I will make a couple more placement changes next week).  As the process neared the end, I realized I had misjudged exactly how many medals I have, and how many I plan on earning in the coming year.  Oops.  The medal rack is already fairly full!

New Medal Display as of January 5, 2013

So, exactly what races are on the schedule next year that this is an issue, you ask?  Great question!  Check back later this week to see my post about Runner's World January Mini Goal: Plan Your Race Year!

Q4U:  I'm very excited about having an "official" display for my medals!  How do you display yours?  Are they proudly exhibited on a wall in your house?  Tossed in a drawer some where?  In shadow boxes?  I'd love to hear what others do with their hardware!

2012: The Year of Bonus Bling!

As I told y'all a couple times last year, 2012 was designated as my "Year of Bonus Bling."  It wasn't something I planned from the beginning of the year, rather something I just kinda fell into.  So here's a pictorial representation of a year of "Bonus Bling" races!

First: The New Year's Double in Allen, TX.  I ran the New Year's Eve 5K on December 31st, 2011 and the New Years Day 5K on January 1st, 2012.  Since I did both races, I earned a Challenge plate to magnetically mount the two individual medals.  My friend Janice and I did this race series together.

Second: Disney's Coast to Coast Challenge.  I ran the Walt Disney World Marathon in Orlando, FL on January 8th and the Disneyland Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Anaheim, CA on January 29th.  By running at least a half marathon on both coasts in the same calendar year, I earned the Coast To Coast Challenge Medal.  My dad and BFF, as well as many of my ROTE friends and I ran these together.

Third: Patriot's Challenge in Williamsburg, VA.  I ran the Fit to Run Fit to Dream 8K on Saturday, May 19th and the Run for the Dream Half Marathon on Sunday, May 20th.  By completing both days I earned the Patriot's Challenge medal.  I ran this race series with my friends Megan, Jen, Katie, Dana, and Laura.

Fourth: The Half It All Challenge in San Francisco, CA.  I ran the San Francisco First Half Marathon on July 31, 2011 and the Second Half Marathon on July 29, 2012.  By running the two halfs in consecutive years I earned the Half It All Challenge Medal (it spins!).  I ran the Second Half with my friend Nancy.

Finally: Rock Encore.  I ran the Rock'n'Roll Dallas Half on March 25th and the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Half on November 11th.  By running two Rock'n'Roll races in the same calendar year, I earned the Rock Encore Medal.  I ran the R'n'R San Antonio Half with my friend Rachel.

Of course, the year also included two medals not associated with "bonus bling":  my Wounded Warrior 10K medal and my Marine Corps Marathon medal.  Love them both!

Marine Corps Marathon

Wounded Warrior 10K