2017 Race Season in Review

I have had a pretty crazy race season!  It started in late April, just like last year, and just wrapped up yesterday.

I followed the same training plan I used all last year, and ended up beating some of my race times from 2016.  I was hoping to replace half of my race bibs on my “power wall” with new PR’s this year, and I ended up replacing 4 of the 7 from last year, and adding an awesome race to my race schedule.  So… I’m happy!

4/29 Drake ROADS Half Marathon

• 2017
  • 429/857 Overall (50.06%)
  • 128/381 Women (33.6%)
  • 18/46 Division (39.13%)
  • Finish Time 1:59:09 = 9:06 Avg Pace
  • PR for this race and big advancement in the rankings!
• 2016
  • 489/864 Overall (56.6%)
  • 186/422 Women (44%)
  • 30/59 Division (50.8%)
  • Finish Time 2:04:18 = 9:30 Avg Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • So happy to PR this race – I worked hard to beat last year’s time
  • Was THRILLED to be in the top 50% of women in my division
  • I never expected to be in the top third of women – not expected!
  • Already signed up for next year!

5/13 Market to Market Relay

• 2017
  • Leg 1 = 4.4 miles with 8:13 pace
  • Leg 2 = 5.78 miles with 8:24 pace
  • Leg 3 = 4.27 miles with 8:55 pace
  • Killer pace for legs 1 and 2!  Because of those, I’m considering this a PR for this race!  
  • Coming in at an 8:55, sub-9:00, for the last leg is a big win considering how I felt during that run
• 2016
  • Leg 1 = 5.7 miles with 8:26 pace
  • Leg 2 = 4.3 miles with 8:23 pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • Was the fastest on the team!
  • Already signed up for next year on the same team!

6/3 Dam to Dam

• 2017
  • 696/2984 Women (23.32%)
  • 70/316 Division (22.15%)
  • Finish Time 2:07:08 = 9:35 Avg Pace
• 2016
  • 559/3456 Women (16.17%)
  • 66/387 Division (17.05%)
  • Finish Time 1:58:53 = 9:04 Avg Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • The weather was TERRIBLE – hot, humid, and people were dropping off like flies on the side of the road
  • Was trained to PR it but the weather ruined that plan
  • No starting mats at the start for chip timing, so place values are not at all accurate (took 10 minutes to get to the start line after the gun)
  • Will do this one again next year because it will be the 30th and final year for it

9/2 On-Own Half Marathon (She Power Half) / Prairie Dog Half

• 2017
  • Finish Time 2:04:02 = 9:20 Avg. Pace (13.3 miles)
  • This is a PR for the “random half of the year” – I had no idea!
• 2016
  • 92/260 Overall (35.38%)
  • 41/160 Women (25.63%)
  • 8/43 Division (18.6%)
  • Finish Time 2:05:48 = 9:36 Avg. Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • I like to run 4 halfs a year – so I’ll always find a random one to do each year

9/17 Capital Pursuit

• 2017
  • 185/346 Overall (53.47%)
  • 53/164 Women (32.32%)
  • 11/28 Division (39.29%)
  • Finish Time 1:26:54 = 8:41 Avg Pace
• 2016
  • 172/334 Overall (51.5%)
  • 62/175 Women (35.43%)
  • 18/51 Division (35.29%)
  • Finish Time 1:26:13 = 8:37 Avg Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • I had the wrong finish time in my head from 2016, and coasted in.  I could have beat my time from 2016, but screwed up my plan by thinking my 2016 finish time was 1:27:13 instead of 1:26:13
  • Obviously should have run at my fullest ability and not just to beat a specific time
  • Did not PR this race
  • I’ll probably do this one again next year

10/15 IMT DSM Half

• 2017
  • 935/3870 Overall (24.16%)
  • 322/2401 Women (13.41%)
  • 33/300 Division (11.00%)
  • Finish Time 1:55:58 = 8:53 Avg Pace
  • PR for this particular race and a PR for half marathons overall!
• 2016
  • 916/4378 Overall (20.92%)
  • 328/2737 Women (11.98%)
  • 40/350 Division (11.42%)
  • Finish Time 1:56:44 = 8:55 Avg Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • Rankings are outstanding for the field of runners in this race
  • I was shooting for a 1:56:00 the entire time, and I paced myself perfectly for it!
  • I said I wouldn’t do this one again last year.  HA!
  • Yep… will do again next year!
• New Half Marathon PR/PB

11/5/2017 On Own / Hillbilly Hike 10K

• 2017
  • Finish Time 53:34 = 8:38 Avg Pace
• 2016
  • First Place in my division
  • Finish Time 50:35 = 8:08 Avg Pace
  • 10K PR
• Thoughts on this race
  • I was all ready to do the Hillbilly Hike 10K on 11/5 when I found out at 11:00 PM on 11/3 that it was the NEXT DAY, not Sunday
  • I skipped the race for a myriad of reasons (I’d run 3.5 miles the night of 11/3, my friend who was to run the 10K with me dropped down to the 5K, it was going to be cold and dark the morning of the run, and I didn’t sleep well the night before) but decided to push myself into a race-paced 10K on the day I thought the race was – 11/5
  • Decent pace for running on my own and on hills
  • Can’t see myself doing this race again next year

11/11/2017 Dirty Duatholon (runner)

• New race in 2017
• Asked by an old friend to be his running partner and he’d do the biking
• Lap 1 (2.31 miles): 22:59 = 9:57 Avg Pace
• Lap 2 (2.3 miles): 23:37 = 10:16 Avg Pace
• Thoughts on this race
  • Was super fun!
  • So happy with my lap times!
  • Would do again next year

It was a super great year of running – probably the best I’ll ever have!  I will need to find a half marathon in 2018 to be my 4th next year, and then focus on finding a half marathon in 2019 to replace Dam to Dam.