2020 JANUARY

I kicked off a new year and a new decade- although I guess there is controversy about when a decade actually starts - by not having a lot on the calendar but having fun at those things that were scheduled.

January 1st - we kicked off the 465 Virtual Challenge. The goal of the 465 Challenge is to complete at least one virtual loop around Interstate 465 in Indianapolis which is 53 miles. This challenge runs from January 1st thru February 29th. To make it one loop, you would need to average .88 miles a day. You can complete the miles however you choose: running, walking, cycling, swimming, etc. There is no right or wrong and - like all virtual races - it is on the honor system. There are also 2 "sub-challenges" within this event. The 24 Hour club - for people who completed the 53 miles in a 24 hour period. Most of those folks have been cyclists. The other group are the Loopers - if you make it around twice (106 miles), you are a Looper. I was confident when registering, I could at least complete 2 loops. Time will tell how many I finally complete.

Naturally my very first run needed to be 4.65 miles!

Within the Facebook group I try to stay active but not overpost. On Mondays, I post a #MondayMotivation to the page and then on Wednesday's I created a "Little Susan" that visually tracks my progress around a map of 465 that I enlarged and put on my wall. People say that they have enjoyed watching my/her progress!

On January 22nd, I was able to report that I had started my second loop. 

So Little Susan began running with a pennant that had the number 2 on it.

I don't do many virtual races but one of the thing I've loved the most about this one has been the Facebook group of participants. Everyone is so incredibly encouraging to one another. It has been amazing to be part of that.

January 4th - the RUN(317) ambassadors had a post-holiday Holiday Party at Tracie's house and it was a blast. I adore these people and am incredibly thankful to be part of the group! 

But "no shoes worn in the house" was enforced!
Rules are rules

January 8th - we had our first official RUN(317) meeting of 2020. There are some exciting changes coming this year and I can't wait until we can tell everyone about them. 

January 11th - I noticed on Facebook the night before that there was still a need for a volunteer at a night-time trail race at Eagle Creek Park. Volunteering for races is good running karma and since I didn't have anything else going on, I agreed to help. The people that did this race definitely are mentally stronger than me. First of all, I'm not really a fan of trail races and certainly not at night. But the weather for this one was awful. It had rained almost all day on Friday and continued to rain on Saturday. This didn't make pleasant conditions for me either. By the end of my shift, I was wet and cold! But I really did enjoy being out there helping to keep those participants safe. 

January 23rd - this date marked 100 days until the Indy Mini Half Marathon on May 2nd. I was contacted a couple of days prior by a staff member at the 500 Festival stating they wanted to feature me on this day since the race will be my 100th INDIANA half marathon. 😎 Naturally, I was okay with this. You can read their blog post here: 100 Days Until Susan's 100th Indiana Half

And that pretty much sums up January 2020. 💋

2019, 04-06 Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon

I hadn't really planned on doing this half marathon again but then...I saw the medal! Celebrating their 55th year, it was going to be a 5 dollar bill and 5 pennies. It looked amazing and naturally I needed that for my collection and couldn't pass it up. I think I was able to register prior to a rate increase. Where I had some initial difficulty was with the hotel. Springfield, IL doesn't have too many options and I wanted to stay at the host hotel - where I had stayed before - since it was super close to the start / finish lines. But the group rate was full and if I still wanted to stay there, they had rooms available but I had to book at two night stay. Ummm....NO! I did go ahead and reserve a room there because I could cancel it and I was hoping that I could call back closer to race date and something else would be available. I then also book a room at the other hotel as well.

I got lucky and I was able to get into the preferred hotel and didn't have to have the two night minimum. I didn't get the group rate but I felt like I got a win out of the situation so I was pleased. Later I learned that the other hotel wasn't in a very nice section of town so I'm glad I didn't have to stay there.

I worked half day on Friday and then left from downtown Indy to Springfield. They are an hour behind us so that helps. I arrived at the hotel around 3:00 PM local time and was able to pull up right in the front and go check in. If I remember correctly, I somehow got upgrade to a suite. It was nice!

I had some time to kill before packet pickup opened so I went and checked out the Old State Capitol. It was closed when I was here for the race the first time. So much history in this building!

Went back to the room and unpacked a little before heading down to get my bib. Packet Pickup = what a cluster. People were standing around kind of nilly willy and it was tough to determine where the true beginning of the line was. And it only got worse as more people showed up before they opened.

Later in the evening I met some of the 50 Staters at a restaurant near by for dinner. It is always super fun getting to know club members that I'm meeting for the first time. J and her husband were the only people I knew but really enjoyed all the folks from Springfield. (And I have now been to several other races with these ladies and they are awesome!)

We gathered pre-race for the 50 States Half Marathon Club photo.

Since this was only my 2nd half marathon of 2019 and I'm still not doing ANY training or other races longer than a 5K, I was pretty sure that my finish time would be over 3 hours but I got it in at 2:56. I'm pleased with that because this course has some hills. I got my post-race picture with Abe and Mary Todd and then hurried back over to the hotel to shower and load everything back in to the car to head home. I'd be losing an hour going back to Indiana.

Across the street from where I had parked was this cute popcorn shop so I got a treat for the ride home.

But one last stop at Lincoln's tomb for the medal photo shoot.

2018 - Let's try this again!

First of all...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I failed miserably at trying to recap everything I didn't post in 2017. Maybe little by little I'll still try to get some of the highlights out here.

This morning I drove downtown to do the Resolution Run Indy 5K. 

At 8:00 AM this was the temperature:

I'll admit that the thought of just staying it bed sounded like a great idea. But I had set out all my clothes the night before and the race didn't start until 11:00 AM. Plus I wasn't about to start the new year with a DNS. I had several of those last year and I'm not proud of that.

I got to PanAm Plaza around 10:30. Everything was inside; packet pickup, REAL restrooms and everyone stayed in there until 5 minutes before the start. Because of the extreme cold, race created a 1/2 way point (also where the one and only water station was) and people had the option to make that the turn-around. So I guess instead of doing a 5K, it would be a 2.5K 😃 However, if you didn't do the "full" 5K, you weren't eligible for any of the prizes. They also changed the course to an out-and-back. Unless I felt like the wheels were falling off, I was going to do the 5K!

I feel like I was dressed properly; I maybe shouldn't have had a sweatshirt on as a 3rd layer with a windbreaker as the 4th. But I was worried that only 3 layers might not be enough. And I'd never run in a full face mask. I'm not sure it was technically a running mask but it did the job. The only problem I encountered was that my breath was fogging up my glasses.

I'm not sure if I looked like I was going to run a race or commit a crime! So I didn't actually put this on until it was time to walk to the start line.

I also put duct tape on my shoes. This is a tip my friend Allison told me about and she does it all the time. I meant to wear 2 pairs of socks but forgot to put the 2nd pair on. My feet never got cold so I guess I'll say this tip works. Plus if your feet get too hot, you just take the tape off. I took the entire roll into PanAm Plaza and let several other people use it as well.

Not too much to say about the race. I finished in the average (SLOW) 5K time I usually do. They were serving hot chocolate - with marshmallows - back inside of PanAm Plaza so I helped myself to a cup and waited around for the results to be posted. I didn't have my reading glasses with me but I could't find anything on the list that even looked like my name so I pointed that out to the timing people. Turns out that I was given the wrong bib number when I got there! Sadly I didn't age group place but I'm proud of getting out there today and doing the entire 5K course.

There obviously was a New Year's Eve party in PanAm Plaza the night before and it looks like it would have been fun! I knew all of that confetti was going to make a great backdrop for a post race picture.

It warmed up considerably by the time I got back to my car to drive home!  LOL 😏

So with the start of a new year - along with almost everyone else in the world - I will make some resolutions/goals/intentions. 

Here's what I hope to accomplish:

1) I really need to drop these 10-15 pounds that I've put on. Going through perimenopause has kicked my butt. I know that's part of the reason that my finishing times have slowed so much.

2) Do a better job at sending cards to friends on birthdays, anniversaries and just when someone needs to know you are thinking of them.

3) I'd like to do 23 half marathons. That will put my year-to-date total at 150. I like the sound of that. Initially I was going to try to at least cross one more state off the list but since I am still helping care for my Mother, I feel like I need always be close to home.

4) I'd like to run at least one mile every day. I've never done a run streak so.....

5) And I need to do a better job of keeping up with this blog!

Whatever your hopes and dreams and goals are for 2018, I wish you the very best at being YOUR best.

Until next time,

~ Susan