As the year closes

2014 is quickly drawing to a close, but I had one final running surprise: an award from the Atlanta Track Club.
I received the David Jordan Bunny Award for running all six Grand Prix races in 2014. I missed the awards ceremony (I had a race that morning and won in my age group!). So I emailed the track club, thinking what I was going to receive was a certificate and could they send it in a PDF so I could include it in my scrapbook.
Nope, I had to come pick it up because it was a physical award.

An award for being persistent and consistent

Nope, that definitely won't fit in the scrapbook, but it sure looks nice on my shelf!
This is likely the only year I will get this award. The award is for running all six Grand Prix races the track club sponsors, as I said, and next year there are 12! Not that I couldn't challenge myself to do all 12, but some of them fall on weekends when I plan to be racing in other states.
But what I really appreciate about this award is it's not for being the fastest, or the "best." It's for being YOUR best. Just showing up and running each race, and crossing the finish line, no matter what the time was on the finishing clock. It's for trying, and completing.
And that's what racing is now for me. I'll likely never win a track club race. It's so rare for me to even win in my age group. Remember, it has to be raining and only five people need show up! ha ha.
So I very much appreciate this award.
And, since it is nearing the end of the year, I counted up all my found money for 2014.
Remember him?

Found money pig

I collected $7.65 this year, but that was only because I found a $5 bill in the grocery store parking lot one day. I had far fewer coins collected this year. If you take the $5 out, I netted just $2.65. Maybe it's because I was busier this year pushing myself and not stopping for cash on the ground. :)
So, here's to filling the pig up in 2015, and working toward new running goals and awards.
Cheers!

Final 5K of 2014

I've run my final race of 2014 and am now taking a nice little two week break from running.
I hope that will help ease some of the running-related aches and pains I've been feeling lately.
I ran the Inman Frosty 5K last Saturday to finish out a great running year. This year's race was cold but dry, unlike last year when it was cool and rainy. The only thing that would have made this year's race better was if I could have run it with my friend Erin. Last year we ran a lot together, but this year, she and her husband have been vagabonds, traveling the world. They spent about six weeks in Central Europe and from the looks of her Facebook posts, I think they hit every Christmas market they could!
The end of the running year lets me reflect on my accomplishments, and I really had a great year.
Four more states were added to my bucket list (and I've done 16, rather than the 15 I thought I'd done. Don't know how I missed adding Nevada!)
I'm already signed up for two half marathon races in new states for 2015, Kansas and Washington state. Looking forward to both of those, especially the Kansas one, which is Wizard of Oz themed. I've already seen what my finishers for the Wicked Half Marathon will be: flying monkeys!!

Finishers medal for the Kansas race

I've seen the finisher's medal for the race in Seattle, too, and it looks sweet as well.
And I'll have a terrific place to display them when I cross those finish lines, thanks to a beautiful birthday gift from my brother this year:

Finisher's medal display

I ran races with friends in each new state, or made new friends, such as I did in Mississippi.
All in all, it was a great year. One I'll look back on very fondly.

Here's to a Fifty-One-derful Year

Well, my 51st year has certainly started out quite well!
I ran the One Love, One Heart 5K on Dec. 6 and came in first in my age group!
The weather in Atlanta that day was horrible. About an hour and a half before the start of the race, the sky opened up and it just poured down rain. I broke out the rain poncho and headed out.
I honestly did think that if I went to the race I might stand a chance of winning in my age group, simply because it's a small community race and the rain would keep some folks home.
But it really was a nice surprise that I actually DID win my age group, with a time of 36:11 no less.

First in age group!

And I was paid a very nice compliment, too. When I put my time slip in the proper age basket, I asked if I had won my age group because there were no other slips in the basket. The race director was nearby and said "Check her ID. She can't be 50!"
I hope that is a good omen for all of the races I have planned for the coming year. I hope it truly is a Fifty-One-derful year!