New Year, Old Habits

The next race up was the Arizona Rock N Roll Half Marathon on January 16th.  I went to the race without training but having been completely physical therapy 3 times each week, so my legs were strong.

At the expo I grabbed a knee strap for my other knee as well.  I finished the race, and earned my Desert Double Down medal, in 2:31:32...my slowest race yet, but still not enough to make major changes.  I did a single training run the following week.  I also started considering working on completing a half marathon in each of the 50 states.  I put together a spreadsheet and realized that with the races I already had planned in 2011 I'd be making serious progress towards that goal.  The seed was planted.

I went on to the Mardi Gras Rock N Roll Half on February 13th.  While there I was introduced to a runner who would be doing the full marathon, little did I know I'd just made a life long friend. 

I finished the Mardi Gras in 2:29:21 with no knee pain.  I also began to seriously consider the 50 states club.  The week after Mardi Gras I starting training again...I ran 3 training runs that week.  Then I didn't run again for over a month until I showed up at the Dallas Rock N Roll half on March 27th.  George met me there and we got to catch up/get to know each other better.

Somewhere between the Mardi Gras and Dallas races I began to truly appreciate the way I was seeing new places.  I believe I am truly blessed to be able to experience the cities I am seeing and run through them, seeing the local sites, not to mention the history!  How many people can say they've run past the book depository in Dallas?

or by the grassy knoll and under the bridge there?

I finished Dallas in 2:22:12 with no knee pain, a new appreciation for destination races, and a desire to finish the 50 states.  BUT...with a bad old habit of not training!  I didn't run again until April 10th at the Flying Pirate Half in North Carolina.  Having run so many larger races it was a refreshing change of pace with a small town feel.  The course was amazing with a variety of surfaces beginning on the road, moving onto paths along the waterfront, migrating through the woods, and finishing coming down a sand dune! 

Running past the Wright Brothers Memorial again reminded me of how fortunate I was to be able to see so many sites this way. 

I finished the Flying Pirate in 2:24:42, feeling great and recommitted training to do and be my best.