2017 Running Stats

     Instead of doing a month recap, I am posting a year recap with my running stats for 2017. This year was a great year of running for me! I am happy with the progress I made this year, and can't wait to continue to see progress in 2018.

Holiday Tapering

     Happy holidays! My last serious run was on Dec. 17 where I ran 10 miles at a 10:25 min/ mile pace. Since, I have been running 3 or 4 miles whenever I can find time/ get motivated enough to go outside. I didn't intend to taper so soon, but with the busyness that comes with the end of December, it just turned out that way.

Is there a doctor in the house?

It's official. My husband/best friend is now Dr. Craig Owen (though he'd prefer it if no one called him that)! He says that he is not the useful kind of doctor (i.e. medical doctor).

He was hooded at WSU's commencement ceremony a little over a week ago, and has completed the requirements for a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. I feel like that does make him a pretty useful kind of doctor.

Year of Running 2017

This year has easily been the best year of my life (so far...). This summer, I married the love of my life and he graduated with his PhD just last week!

Despite work and wedding planning, I still managed to get in a fair bit of running this year (681 miles as of December 15). Here is a recap:

November Running Recap

83.4 miles

15 hours, 30 minutes, 43 seconds

2,747 feet of elevation gain

Average pace of of 11:10 min/mile

Dairy-free Thanksgiving for Two

Craig and I ended up spending our first married Thanksgiving in Pullman, without family. This was my first year cooking a Thanksgiving meal. Because I have a dairy allergy, I had the extra challenge of trying to find dairy-free recipes. Everything turned out delicious (although I still missed my family)!

Exciting Life Updates

   
     The past few days have been crazy exciting! On Thursday, Craig passed his Ph.D. defense. This a huge deal. It basically means he is finished with school! He turned in his completed dissertation last Friday, so as long as it gets accepted (which it most definitely will) he will be Dr. Craig!

     What's just as exciting: He is currently at a job interview. The company flew him down and is paying for all expenses. From what we can tell, it could be an amazing opportunity!

Eight Mile PR Attempt

Now that I am about 2 months into race training, I am gaining confidence during my runs. I am pushing myself to run faster and further. This weekend, I ran a fast (for me) 5K and 8-miler. 

First Snow Run(s)

I had a cozy-snow-filled weekend. It was a bit of a surprise; We don’t normally get snow before Thanksgiving. I did a long run in the fresh snow and made it home in time to watch the New York City Marathon elite women's finish. 

Self-Bribery

A simple trick to make exercising a habit.

David's tea: a treat I use to bribe myself to exercise :) 

I’ve mentioned this before, but I hate dislike strength training. I can rationally acknowledge its benefits, but for the past year or two I have found myself skipping workouts, to the point where they become so infrequent that I end up quitting altogether.