With 1,175.7 miles in five states and Washington, D.C., I had another packed year of running in 2024. From races to group runs to fun-run shapes and new locations, it was a good year.
I got to spectate the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, ran with plenty of great friends, got to see new-to-me areas and logged a new marathon state — No. 13, New Hampshire. I also ran my fastest half marathon since 2018 and completed four races, the minimum to be eligible for awards, in the MD/DC RRCA Grand Prix Series. (I also won my age group because I was the only one who completed at least four of the races.)
I volunteered at several events and was part of organizing on the Eastern Shore Running Club’s first race in recent memory, the Pirate’s Wharf 5K. I also served another year as the Eastern Shore Running Club president.
I also thought I was behind in getting this year in review post out — but I’m one day ahead of last year’s recap.
Let’s take a look back…
Goals: Looking Back
- Run at least 100 miles every month. I’d never set a monthly goal before, and setting this goal reminded me why. I think sometimes I just need the lighter months. I logged 100-plus miles during the first five months of the year — even barely making it in February while I was dealing with an illness (which I probably shouldn’t have tried to run through). Once I broke the streak, I ended up having four months in which I didn’t make it to 100 — June, July, September and December. I still ended up with nearly 1,200 miles for the year — 1,175.7 — but I didn’t meet this specific goal.
- Beat my times in the following standard distances from 2020-2023 — 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon. I only ended up beating my half marathon time, which is one of the ones I thought would be harder to beat. I was excited about my time of 2:18:17!
- Complete another town’s streets. This was the only one of the three goals I achieved. I finished running all the streets in Rehoboth Beach in December.
Races
Here’s how I did in my 2024 races.
5Ks
Fastest time of 2024: Run, White and Blue 5K — 28:37
Faster than 2023? No
10Ks
Fastest time of 2024: Mike Sterling 10K — 1:05:41
Faster than 2023? No
10 Milers
Maryland-D.C. RRCA Club Challenge
Fastest (only) time of 2024: 2:05:45
Faster than 2023? No
Half Marathons
Coastal Delaware Half Marathon – 2:45 pacer
Ocean City Running Festival Half Marathon
Historic Drawbridge Running Festival Half Marathon – 3:00 pacer
Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon – 2:45 pacer
Fastest time of 2024: Salisbury Half Marathon – 2:18:17
Faster than 2023? Yes
Marathons
REVEL White Mountains Marathon
Fastest time of 2024: REVEL White Mountains Marathon – 5:47:15
Faster than 2023? Yes
Other Distances
Tour de Salisbury – The Winter Tour
Historic Stevensville Distance Festival 8.15-miler
This was a total of 16 races and two Tours. I really enjoy the Tours, which I use to see new places and enjoy time with friends rather than race them.
Who did I run with, and where?
I ran with several groups in 2024:
- Eastern Shore Running Club (of course!)
- Delmarva She Runs This Town
- Tour de Salisbury/Winter Tour/Islands Tour groups
- Tim Kennard River Run training run group
- 11:30 Club
- Kent Island Running Group
I also ran in the following places, in addition to all of the race locations and Salisbury, where I live. One place I was excited to get to that was part of The Islands Tour was Tangier Island, Va. — I’d never been there and that was a fun experience.
- Delmar, Md. and Del.
- Washington, D.C.
- New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
- Pocomoke City, Md.
- Ocean City, Md.
- Rehoboth Beach, Del.
- Fruitland, Md.
- Baltimore & Annapolis Trail (Anne Arundel County, Md.)
- Cross Island Trail and surrounding area (Kent Island, Md.)
- Trap Pond State Park – Laurel, Del.
- Pirate’s Wharf Park – Quantico, Md.
Once again, I got in plenty of fun-shaped runs with Delmarva She Runs This Town, kicking off the year with a “Happy New Year” run. I ran on Leap Day, even though I wasn’t feeling well (that opportunity only comes around once every four years).
Per usual, I did special runs for several other holidays, too. On Memorial Day, I went to a new ESRC event hosted by Michelle, and we ran the Woodland Mile; earlier that day, I ran for SP5 Eugene Petty, killed in action at age 22 in Vietnam.
I ran with ESRC for Global Running Day in June, and Mike and I hosted ESRC’s annual Fourth of July Run. I did a run with friends, organized by Carla, for World Mental Health Day in October. I also went to the polls with a group of friends, as we did a Run, Vote and Brunch. I ran the Crouse Family Christmas Day 5K on Christmas, and I also participated in the annual Reindeer Run, which is in the shape of a reindeer.
Other Highlights
I kept up my fast 1600s and continued to run one each month, completing a fourth year of doing this. I broke 8:00 in 2023, but wasn’t able to do that in 2024. My fastest time of the year was 8:10, in January.
I was an ambassador for the DC Bike Ride in September, and ahead of that, I got more into cycling. I’ve dropped off since, but I enjoyed getting out on my bike more. I also did yoga during 2024, though I didn’t go to the gym or do as many DribbleUp classes as I’d have liked (stay tuned for my 2025 goals in the next post).
I enjoyed being able to pace three half marathons this year — one more than the two I’ve paced annually over the past few years. I also continued as a BibRave ambassador — the name of the program changed from BibRave Pro to The Vibe: A BibRave Network.
I’ve already started to make some changes in 2025. Stay tuned!
She Runs by the Seashore 