Another busy year of running has come to an end! The biggest highlight of the year was finally figuring out what was causing my problem of coughing while running. My running immediately started looking up after I was able to get a diagnosis of irritable larynx syndrome and work on new breathing strategies. Running is just so much more enjoyable now!
This was my first year as president of the Eastern Shore Running Club after several years as secretary. ESRC is really important to me, and I’m proud that our club has grown and is doing so many cool things in our community.
I also got to run in a bunch of cool places and with so many awesome people. I even made it to two new marathon states — Minnesota (which I’d never visited before) and New Jersey.
I worked on my speed in 2022 and was able to improve in many areas. I’m looking forward to taking that into 2023.
Goals: Looking Back
I definitely met one goal and I worked on the other two. Here they were…
- Keep up the monthly 1600-meter runs for speed and run sub-8:00. I did continue to run a fast 1600 at the beginning of each month, so that part of the goal I completed. However, I didn’t quite make it under 8:00, with my closest efforts coming in at 8:05 — twice. I know I can do it in 2023.
- Beat two of my distance times from 2020/2021. This is the one I definitely accomplished. This year, I gave myself two past years to beat, and I was able to beat my 2020 and 2021 5K and 10K times in 2022. I ran my fastest 5K since 2019 at the Run, White and Blue 5K, and I first lowered my 10K time at the Run for the Animals 10K, then ran faster at the Bay Bridge Run 10K.
- Finish the Algonquin 50K. My result for this race was a DNF. However, I did make it further than last year before being cut (read my recap here). This goal will return (again!) for 2023.
Again, I didn’t set a mileage goal, which I think was a good thing, since I took two post-race breaks of about two weeks to give myself a break because of plantar fasciitis. These breaks, along with various other things, helped, and I still ended up running 1,210.66 miles, with my highest month being September, at 158 miles.
Races
I ran many of my usual races in 2022, along with some new-to-me ones. Here are the ones I ran.
5Ks
Fastest time of 2022: Run, White and Blue 5K – 28:47
Faster than 2021? Yes
10Ks
Fastest time of 2022: The Bay Bridge Run 10K – 1:02:37
Faster than 2021? Yes
10 Milers
Maryland-D.C. RRCA 10 Mile Club Challenge
Fastest (only) time of 2022: 1:58:13
Faster than 2021? I didn’t run a 10-miler in 2021, but it was a faster pace than a virtual 15K (9.33 miles) that I ran in 2021.
Half Marathons
I can’t believe I only ran one regular (not pacing) half marathon this year! I wasn’t too happy with my time, since it’s pretty close to my usual pacing times.
Coastal Delaware Half Marathon – 2:45 pacer
Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon – 2:45 pacer
Fastest (only non-pacing) time of 2022: 2:42:19
Faster than 2021? No
Marathons
Fastest time of 2022: Atlantic City Marathon – 5:34:14
Faster than 2021? Yes, by six seconds
Other Distances
Tour de Salisbury (12 courses on Delmarva)
Pemberton 24 – I ran my highest number of 5Ks at this event: 13
I ran in some fun places:
- Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
- Gunpowder North Trail
- Lake Roland trails
- Rockville, Maryland
- Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
- NCR Trail
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida (during a hurricane!)
Other Highlights
I returned as a BibRave Pro and member of the Brooks Run Happy Team. I earned a Zestie award for being part of the BibRave Ambassador team for five years. I attended the virtual Camp Run Happy and later made it to the Brooks Run Club Tour when it stopped near Baltimore.
The Eastern Shore Running Club had enough team members participate in the RRCA Club Challenge to show up on the results for the first time ever. I was excited to be a part of this team!
I enjoyed a lot of fun group runs, including Eastern Shore Running Club runs and fun Delmarva Moms Run This Town/She Runs This Town runs in which we ran in fun shapes and spelled things out. It was fun to meet up with the Kent Island Running Group for a run with a couple other ESRC members.
I was consistent with yoga and started doing strength training with DribbleUp (classes via an app while using a six-pound ball).
I participated in Angie Maske-Berka’s 100 Miles in November for the fifth year.
On to the rest of 2023!
She Runs by the Seashore 