Official Results

372nd out of 9395 finishers for top 4%
61st out of 5755 women that finished for top 1%
8th out of 858 for my age group for top .9%

A friend pointed out that my finish of 8th out of my age group put me in the competitive runner’s finish, I really hadn’t thought about it till I managed to get those statistics, that is if I’m doing the calculations right…who would’ve thought. I believe I was in the bottom third of runner’s for my first marathon. It’s amazing how things can change and how just the right training and motivation can really move you. Just a year ago my big goal for a half was to break 2 hours and my big goal for a marathon was to break 4 hours…now I’m focusing on getting a Boston Qualifier and really curious to see what I can run a half in if I train and focus on just that race.

I ran competitively in high school. I joined track when I was in 7th grade and due to a limited number of runners for varsity, I somehow ended up on varsity in 7th grade, I think I ran a total of 2 junior high meets my entire track career and I lettered from 7th grade through 12th. I feel I maxed on my potential in 9th grade with my best times of 5:40 for the 1600 and a 2:30 or so for the 800, I ran right around 60 seconds for the 400 and those were my events (although usually my 800s and 400s were relay legs, those were my best solo times). I ran very sporadically after high school and actually went only to the elliptical trainer for a time for my cardio, I didn’t really like running, but then 4 years ago I had a PT suggest running and listening to books on tape while on the treadmill (I liked the elliptical becasue I could read while I was on it), I was back on after that…and then I found one on-line group and eventually a few others and started talking running with people…4 years ago I said I’d maybe run a 5K someday, 2 years later, and a month after I turned 30 I ran my first marathon. It wasn’t great, my time was a 4:48…but I ran and finished with really poor training. Then just after my 31st birthday I ran and finished in a 4:42 or so…again not great, but going down…Chicago that fall was a 4:20 and then the break through training of this spring that led to my 3:42:53 current PR. I’ve also improved my half marathon 2:14 to a 1:44 (of course the first one almost doesn’t count as I ran it after having ITBS issues during peak training). I don’t run a lot of races, mainly because they are kind of expensive around here and I’d rather spend the money on running shoes, but at some point I'm hoping to try some shorter distances and see what else I have in me. That will probably be the goal I have after I get my BQ and run Boston. Although next year I really do think I'd rather just run shorter distances and have a bit more free time, but it really is unreal the results you can see though, when you put your mind to it.