My year of running

Wow I can’t believe it’s been a year since I decided to start running. If you would of asked me that I would be doing these races 2 years ago I would think that you were crazy!

I took a week off from running after the Hot Chocolate race, I started up again this past weekend and it felt good. Now thy I’ve been taping my feet, my plantar fasciitis haven’t bothered me as much as it has before. It still is sore, but it is manageable now. Plus finding the right shoes has really helped as well.

There were many times that my plantar fasciitis hurt so bad that I felt like just quitting, but my ol pet me pushing on. There were many nights of icing my heels, icy hot to help my aching leg muscles and ibuprofen has helped keep the pain at bay, and helped me on tongue my training.

I am already planning my runs for next year, though I like the shirts I got, I really want to start collecting the medals. There are a few that I would do again that don’t have medals like the Shamrock Shuffle and the Race to Wrigley comes to mind that I would run again.

This past year has been a journey for my running and my health, I am happy in what I’ve accomplished and already set my next goal!

Running for Chocolate

For the last run of 2012 I decided to do the Chicago Hot Chocolate 15k

With this run I got a pretty nifty pullover to add to my cold months runs. Instead of a medal you receive a finishers mug with hot chocolate, chocolate sauce and stuff to dip.

The expo needed improvements. We had to wait in a really long line just to pick up my bib. It was like a line you would wait at an amusement park. Once I got my bib we checked out the booths. I ended up getting an ear warmer wrap, which is orange, that said “Would Run for Chocolate”

With daylight savings time we had to fall backward, so it was hard to fall asleep. But usually the night before I have a hard time sleeping already, I don’t know if it is nerves or excitement. Got up at 5 to do my pre-race routine.

I was hoping to see some people I know that was also running, but we got to the start area a little late. I was assigned corral Q, we waited almost an hour to start. With the cold I kept on moving and stretching so my muscles don’t tense up. One we started I started getting warm.

I do like running in the streets of downtown Chicago. We ran for quite a bit inherent streets, it once we left Michigan ave we went on Lake Shore Drive and then the lakefront. I was a nice course and was pretty level, just a couple of inclines. But overall I liked the course.

I finished in 1hr. 54min. 20sec. After the race we headed to the post race area to get my chocolate. The chocolate was so so. They said that there were about 40,000 runners plus some New York marathoners. So my thought of finding people I know was impossible.

I would do this race agin, but I would prepare better net year for the cold weather.