A month of races to remember: November 2016

November 2016 was one of the best months for me as a runner. I didn’t break any personal records, and I even got lost once. But it was a wonderful month of running for so many reasons, and it gave me hope for 2017.

I dealt with a lot of demons over the summer and fall of 2016. It was a difficult year. My favorite stress reliever (running) became another source of frustration because I was dealing with injuries most of the year. Physical limitations added to my emotional problems.

In early November, I hopped on a plane to San Francisco to run RAGNAR Napa Valley with friends old and new. I didn’t know what to expect – I’d been hurt and not running, but I was eager to focus on something other than being down.

And RAGNAR didn’t disappoint. It was a blast, as usual. I got lost during my overnight run and ended up 2 miles off course. But I met a neat lady who stuck with me so we could be “lost together,” and ended up having a great time. Our team even won our subdivision – we’re looking forward to getting another batch of cool medals in the mail!

I also had the chance to run two turkey trots this year. The first is a local 4k I do with my dad every year. It’s fun to spend time with him and make a coffee run after, just the two of us.

The second was one of funnest races I’ve ever done. It was a 5k on Thanksgiving morning. Not only did it spare me from the dreaded “Dranksgiving” hangover, it also gave me a chance to hang out with lots of other crazies in the cold – many of whom were dressed like turkeys! The race included many of my favorite things: Live results screens, a fun closed course, and cinnamon rolls the size of your head. Bonus: I got my fastest 5k for the year at 28:01. Not too shabby for having a lame leg!

The highlight of November was participating in my the Girls on the Run 5k with my daughter, Morgan. Girls on the Run is a program that empowers girls to achieve their goals. The kids pair up with an adult and complete a 5k together after several weeks of practices.

We lined up in the corral so Morgan could hang out with her friends and have her hair and face painted. My friend, Emily, met us at the start and wished us well. Then Morgan and I took off with the first wave of girls.

About a mile in, we took our first walk break. I was so impressed that she pushed that far! We took a quick drink at the water stop, and took off again. Emily popped up at intervals along the course to cheer us on, which Morgan said must mean that she is a ninja. We didn’t tell her it was a looping course 🙂

Morgan and I got to what we assumed was the end because there was a crowd of people shouting, “You’re almost there! It’s just around the corner!” So we sped up a bit. But when we reached said corner, we were faced with a steep, quarter-mile hill. Morgan looked at me, took a deep breath, and said, “I’m going for it, Mommy.” She took off like a shot up the hill and around the curve at the top.

As Morgan crossed the finish line ahead of me, my eyes filled up with tears. She was a BEAST. I’ve never had the “eye of the tiger” to finish strong like that.

But if a little girl can climb up a slippery slope to achieve something so big, and with such strength, I know I can learn from her and do the same. Here’s to a better 2017, both in running and in life.