2012 Stats

I never thought I would have a better running year than 2011. Boy, if I was wrong. 2012 was nothing but amazing. I ran 62 races in 2012: 3 marathons, 43 Half Marathons or up to 20 miles, and 16 races between 5K and 10miles (16K).

I ran 1,851 miles (2,960 Km) and had fabulous daily runs with my running partner. There were never bad runs or races; they could have been hard or challenging but never bad. I don’t measure success because I became a faster runner, I measure success with running making me happier every single day. And because I am very competitive, I indeed chased fast times. The ice on the cake was to get excellent records. I got crowned 2012 10K champion for USATF Pacific Northwest for the F55-59 division. I got in the Washington State Top 5 for the 10K and in the Top 10 for the 5K and the Marathon. I PRd every single of the distances, especially noting 5K-23:08 / 10K-47:50 / Half Marathon-1:45:22 / Marathon-3:56:39, and with the latter, I qualified for Boston, a race that I never thought I would get into, considering than my first marathon was 5:54, 5 years ago. I worked hard for it… And I will continue working hard, racing a lot, and running for happiness; life is short. If speedy times come along, they are certainly welcome, but they don't define me. I love you all my running friends, thanks for being part of my running story... Have an amazing 2013!

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My last races of the year were Santa Run Tacoma 5K; 12K of Kirkland; Seattle Locks Half Marathon on December 30 and Yukon Do It Half Marathon in Port Orchard on New Years Eve. 

Santa Runs Tacoma had a screw up in the timing. I ran it supposedly in 22:58 - 7:24 min/mile. I had been in the top 5 in Washington State for the last 6 months, but somebody bumped me out from the list this December. Today was the last chance I had to regain my spot. I went to this race with a mission: to run 23:03 or faster. I ran hard, won the division, got 22 female out of 611 and though the results say I did get my place back in the Washington Best Times List for 2012 with 22:58, I don't think the official times were accurate but some seconds faster; most of runners agreed that happened. At least all of us were measured under the same clock. Anyway, I hope they fix the results because I don't want to bump somebody that deserves better than me to be in the Top 5.

12K of Kirkland was the race I had been waiting for YEARS... Well not the race, but the results: I ran it in 59:16 - 7:57 min/mile. 5th in the division. I broke my PR of 15 years (my first race ever was a 12K in Caracas in 1997 in 1:07). The race was extremely cold in über hilly Kirkland. Started very windy which made it COLDER (33F.) I went to run as hard as I could. Nice seeing friends and enjoying another day on the road. My splits below are in Km as that's how I started to lap it after I saw the first sign in K.

1- 5:10 
2- 4:47
3- 5:18
4- 5:00
5- 5:31
6- 5:29
7- 4:47
8- 4:31
9- 4:23
10- 4:53
11- 4:50
12- 4:30

Seattle Locks Half Marathon was a hard race but nothing IS hard when I was celebrating 4 years of my surgery. Life is beautiful. I ran a 2:05:10 - pace 9:33. 3rd female overall. Some of the minutes while waiting some traffic lights in very busy intersections (open course by Green Lake, Stone Way, and Lake Union). The weather was great, cold 35F, but dry and no wind. Ending the race running Stone Way uphill and the hill I used to run for hill sprints... well... was very challenging!!!

For those that say that runners should rest: WRONG... After being in my PJs all Christmas week, I felt stiff. Also, NEVER do a new legs-workout 3 days before a race... (that was my incentive seeing Amanda Hoskins Holidays' postings... NOT GOOD. Should've stayed with the wine workout..)

Yukon Do It was also hard. I have not run with sore legs for a while. These soreness, again product of a stupid work out not-running related. At mile 10, the 2-hour pacer told me, if you want to stick with us you can break 2. I was like "What"? I have been running under 1:50 and now I was struggling for a 2:00. I sped up and finished in 1:58:27 - 3rd place division. However, I made the right decision of skipping the Half Marathon on the First Day of the Year. I have done 3 in a row and had been fine, but my legs were simply out of business. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------