2012 in 2012: A Look Back

A look back at 2012 miles including many races, many miles and lots of dogs.

January - The year started off strong and I fell in love with my new routine of many 2x a day runs to start building up my strength and endurance.

February - I registered the Miles and Mutts site and attempted to get a perfect photo of my feet plus all three of the dogs feet.  This is far easier said than done, especially when you've got one little beagle with very short little legs in the mix.

March - Ran the Chambersburg Half Marathon, my local half marathon and the race where I ran my first half marathon back in 2010.  Secured a new half-marathon PR.

Ran the HAT Run 50K in lots of rain and mud.  Discovered I do not like running in fields or multiple loop courses.  However, overall, it was still somewhat enjoyable and made me want to keep moving forward.

Although it looks more like I'm just hanging out a picnic, I am actually participating in a race 

April - Took the first shelter dog out for a run.  Xena and I covered 5 miles on our first test at a local rail trail.  She is still available for adoption (anyone need two great running companions?  She and her sister are amazing but need someone who understands high energy hounds!) and has run the most miles out of any of the shelter dogs.

First run!  Thank you to my neighbor who I just happened to run into to ask for a picture.

Ran the Gettysburg North-South Marathon, secured a new marathon PR, all while taking a tour of every Port-O-Potty on the course.

May - Ran the 5K-9 with Hannah.

Ran the Capon Valley 50K.  This was the best trail ultra adventure up to that point.  The weather was great and the course was great.  This race made me want to stick with trail events after all.

Decided Miles and Mutts was 100% worth the time and energy I was devoting to it during a run with Cricket.

June - Had the kinks worked out to allow the first volunteers to join Miles and Mutts.

Ran Highlands Sky 40 Mile which is the race I'm most proud of up to this point in my little running hobby.  It is also by far the most unique and gorgeous race I've ever participated in.  This is definitely the best race experience of the year.  If you like trail events - this is a must do!

July - Ran a 5K on the 4th, secured a new 5K PR and started to re-focus and gain motivation to start gear up for fall training and the JFK 50 Mile.

August - Ran a 5 Mile race with my husband and a friend, where my husband completed his longest race so far.  The next day, ran the Half-Wit Half trail half and enjoyed another day in the woods.

September - Ran another 5K with Hannah to benefit Better Days Animal League.  Several of the shelter dogs were also able to partipate!

Pretty sure I was questioning Hannah's inability to beat the old guy in this picture!

October - Struggled with running while preparing for the JFK 50 miler but managed to have a great time at Freedom's Run Marathon.  Faced my first DNS for a 50K as I faced burnout on work, running and pretty much everything in between.

November - Struggled, but made it through the JFK 50 Mile.  I learned a lot about myself that day.  Being alone on a boring, familiar path for hours upon hours on end will do that to you.

Early in the day, when I was having fun

Late in the day, not as fun, but finally seeing the finish line

The next day, we had our largest Miles and Mutts group yet.  We were able to get 9 dogs out for a run.  A slightly ironic contrast to what I felt the day before.

December - Wrapped up the year with easy running and no specific plans.  However, being lost without a goal, I decided to go for 2012 miles in 2012.  As of today, I'm only 24 miles away from this goal so looks like it'll happen!

I'm also incredibly thankful for what Miles and Mutts is evolving into and am looking forward for an exciting 2013, hopefully with a bit more giving back all around in terms of running.

Running from the Heart

This is the time of year when people start formulating goals for next year, make race plans and take time to reset.  Naturally, I'm doing the same, reflecting on my year and what I'm planning next.

I started this blog in 2010 when I was training for my first marathon.  I'd been reading blogs for years and after getting the running bug slowly added running blogs to my reader as a source of motivation and inspiration.  Thinking it would be a great way to connect with others who were preparing for a first marathon, this blog started.

Somewhere over the summer of 2010, I had the epiphany that I should start a program to run with shelter dogs.  It remained as one of the million ideas and dreams that bounce around in my head at any given time until this year.

That October I ran my first marathon and in November, it was time for a vacation that included a visit and volunteer time at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.  The minute we arrived in Utah, I became quite obsessed over the beauty of red rocks.  The photo from the header on this blog is from Utah and the dog was one of our 'sleepover' dogs.  I've wanted to return ever since the trip and probably mention Utah at least once every 2 weeks.

Shortly after getting back from our trip, the Best Friends blog included a link to the closing speech from their 2010 No More Homeless Pets Conference.  If anyone has 30 minutes to spare, it's well worth a listen (there are two parts).  There is an inspirational running story in it as well as a very important (and true) message for those involved in animal welfare.  I've watched this speech several times.  It really speaks to me.  The message of kindness and the manner in which the organization markets itself has been a very strong model and concept I believe others should pay close attention to.  

As someone who has been somewhat involved in animal shelters and rescues for several years, I never felt I could find the right fit in any of the areas where I was helping out.  At the same time, I still had the Miles and Mutts concept brewing.

Earlier this year, I went back and listened to that speech again when I was trying to get the program off the ground.  Life is short, I want to make mine count.  I want to be driven in my own pursuits, make a difference and do not lose myself along the way.

The first half of the year was spent focused, committed and following my heart in terms of running.  I was in the best shape so far and clicking off races successfully, enjoying every minute of it.  I felt proud, driven and most of all confident.  The confidence I get from running spills over into everything else and that confidence is what allowed forge forward with the goal to make Miles and Mutts a success.  

I was determined to complete Highlands Sky the best I could.  It's one of those races I wanted to run since I started running.  It's one that went from being a goal that seemed impossible to one that seemed possible.  Getting in miles and training was not an issue and I made everything work with my schedule and life fairly effortlessly.  My heart was in it and allowed my mind and body to follow in training and on race day.

  

Then, I signed up for a race not because my heart was in it but because I wanted to say I ran it.  Running miles started to feel like a chore.  I got sick, run down and stressed.  I spent quite a bit of time on the verge of being injured as a result.  My heart wasn't in it and the day of JFK 50 mile proved that 100%.

Next year, my goal is to run from the heart.  It won't be to cross things off a list or say I've done it.  I still want to improve, I still want to go longer, I still have goals.  However, I don't necessarily need to do Race A or Race B because it should be the next thing to cross of my list.

Being able to commit more time to Miles and Mutts will be a focus.  At times I feel like maybe I'm not giving enough towards it and wish I could do more.  However, balance is a key to success and staying focused with the overall purpose is critical.  I must remember that running is my stress relief and peaceful time and I simply can't do it all nor can I expect the program to be able to do it all.

When I look back at the last year in terms of running, the following moments stand out:

-finishing Highlands Sky, overcoming a fear and a 'There's no way' mindset
-the magic mile moment with Cricket, realizing the energy I was putting forth was worth it
-repeating Freedom's Run marathon, fairly easy and effortlessly, proving how far I've come

These were all moments that meant something more than just running some miles and checking something off the list.  Life is short, so including running goals, they should count.  A simple but powerful reminder that I need to come back to every once in awhile when I start to get too wrapped up in things I see going on around me.  

November Recap

Total Miles Ran:  142
Number of those miles that involved me holding a dog and a leash:  9 (so sad!)
Songs with the most airtime on my mp3 player:  Ellie Goulding - Anything Could Happen
Number of P90x or Jillian Michaels Workouts: 6

November was about JFK 50 mile - getting excited for it, running it and then recovering from it.  

This week brought back running with dogs, both mine and one of my favorite adoptables.  Today, I spent my time with Cinnamon, my newest favorite who gives me the saddest eyes if I don't have her in the plan of dogs to take.  Kills me to see her sitting there watching me as we're getting the others out of the kennels.  So far, I've been the only one running with her, she's incredibly strong and can be a bit stand-offish and intimidating to other people.  Fortunately, she seems to be getting much, much better and was great with all the people in our group of runners today.    

Terrible picture of me, but good one of Cinnamon!

Running has been the best kind of running, probably what I've missed the most.  No watch, no planned miles and no feeling guilty with how far I feel like going.  Just running as much...or as little as I feel like it.  

Although, I have to admit, I do have at least one goal for the month of December.  I'm a bit lost without a particular goal.  I lasted two weeks without any goals but as I was tallying up November, I decided how I should close out the year.  

So, for December, the goal is to run 130 miles, whenever or however I feel like it to end 2012 with 2012 miles.