As 2013 comes to a close, I look back on another year. This was a very "light" running year for me, with lots of travel and some issues with hip pain and injury.
After returning from our holiday in the US, and running in a local event in Boca Raton, Florida, my racing schedule was limited to say the least. The hip really began to bother me, and we had scheduled a series of holidays to coincide with Brenna's school holidays.
I was however able to join some friends for the Brooks 1/2 Marathon in Kuala Lumpur. in March, 2013. I did the 10k, and ran poorly, this was the beginning of the hip getting sore. My performance was poor, and the heat and the pain were a problem, but it was fun seeing a new area of Malaysia that I had not been to before, it was a race I had not done before. so it was a really good time.
Next was our first trip to China to join Brenna for a class choral trip for a music conferance in Beijing. Being able to run past The Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square was amazing. The weather was cool, the pollution was pretty bad, but it was unforgettable and another continent I have run on that I could not have without being blessed with this opportunity.
Next was New Zealand in April 2013. Another amazing vacation, and a chance to run in another place I would never have had the chance to without this opportunity to live in this corner of the planet. Iran a few times in Christchurch, Queenstown, Franz Joseph and Te Anau, of all, Franz Joseph was AMAZING. to run surrounded by that amazing scenery, the cool weather. just incredible. I have to say though of all the places that I have run this year, New Zealand has been the best hands down. Im thinking that 2014 might find me in New Zealand racing.
May 2013 was perhaps the greatest racing experience I ever had in my running life. A "bucket list" moment. The Great Wall Marathon in Beijing. It was held at the Huangyaguan Pass section of the wall and was an amazing experience. Amazingly difficult, Amazingly picturesque, just amazing. This was a race where I truly did not care about timing. I wanted to finish and that is what I did. This is one that I will always have fond memories of...would I do it again...No.
June of 2013, my return to Singapore. The Sundown running event has become a tradition for me know. I enjoy Singapore, its a well run event and its good to establish a tradition. This was again a 10k. I ran, ok. Had a great time being in Singapore, and will be back again in 2014.
July 2013 found us again returning to the US for a holiday. I did run, training only, there are limited if any running events held in Florida during the summer months due to the heat.
August 2013, Penang Eco night run. a tradition for this florida runner, if you can call two years running a tradition. A good local run, tough uphill course, at night so there is no scenery. Just a really well done local race that I have enjoyed running. I will miss this one next year, as we will be leaving penang in July of 2014.
September of 2013, Sydney Blackmores Running Festival, Sydney NSW. Fantastic time! Great City race, well run, fantastic route. If I had been better trained for a race of this distance I am sure i could have PR'd this race and that is not me being arrogant. It is a great course for a PR, generally flat, good downhill sections, some uphill parts but nothing that will tax the body. The fan support is awesome and it is a race I would do again. I will not have that chance though as next year in September we will be back in St Pete. Starting across the bridge, and finishing at the opera house, undertrained and under 2 hours, Unforgettable!
Closed out the year with another tradition, the KRI 10k in Ipoh. I enjoyed this race last year and enjoyed it this year. Beautiful venue, nice route, good friends, two years in a row. Crappy finish time this year 54-56:00 somewhere in there. last year it was 48:00 which I felt sucked, so you can see how my timing has shifted . So that wraps it up for 2013
Looking back I have figured out what happened to make this a bad year when 2012 following the accident was so much better. I stopped doing my core workouts, and just ran. I have figured out that I can no longer do that. I have to cross-train. It might be age, it might be conditions, it is more likely having only been fully recovered for a major injury for a little over 1 and a half years. the doctor cleared me to run in February of 2012. recently I have gone to running every other day or every third day and going to the gym on the days I don't run, ridding the spinning bike, working on the elliptical, and doing my plyometric and weight work, seems to have helped. I have a 10k in the US when we are home, a race I have done in the past. that i am looking forward to, hopefully I will run well.
Thank you loyal reader for another great year, the posts have been sparse and a bit negative at times, thanks for hanging in there with me on this journey. We will be headed back to Florida for Christmas and New Years. When we return we will have 6 months or so before the home we have known for the last 3 years will be a memory (unless Roxanne's company sends us back). I have so many people to thank for so very much.. It will not be easy to repay such kindness, I will do my best in the coming months, to do that. Loyal reader, thanks, and Run Happy!
