2013 Race Calendar

These kids are probably faster than me

I am currently going through the wintertime race frenzy where I register for all of my races for the year in one or two days to get the best deals.  Then I start getting cocky because I'm not officially training and not logging that many miles, so I've forgotten how hard all this running really is.

I do this every year.

But, since I'm still euphoric AND I got a new-to-me treadmill that is much, much nicer than my old one, I'm going to ride this wave.

Here's what I have planned for 2013:

March 10: Ocean's Run 1/2 Marathon
I have never run a 1/2 marathon in March, and this may be the most foolish thing I've ever done, but it's supposed to be a flat fast course, I have that new treadmill if it's super cold outside all of February, and I'm just going to count this as a practice race.  It may be folly, but I also managed to register for half price--you can't beat that!

April 7: Jamestown Bridge 10k
This is my third year doing this race and this is the third year it has been in existence--so I have to keep the streak going!  Also, this year I roped two more friends into doing this race with me.

Going up that hill sucks, obviously, but on the way down you feel like you're flying and the views from the top are just stunning.  Last year this was my first race after tearing my adductor, and I walked nearly the whole thing.  This year will be a PR.

April 28: Newport 10 Miler
This is a new race this year and a distance I've never raced before!  I have tricked four other people into running with me, which is a personal record, and another friend who isn't quite ready for that distance is coming along as a sherpa/cheerleader!  This whole talking your friends into running races thing is quite fun, I have to say.

May 12: Cox Rhode Race 1/2 Marathon
This will be my third year doing this race and I hope to PR. I think this is my favorite race, but that may be mostly because it takes place around my house and I take comfort in the fact that I could just quit the race at any moment and walk home.  Strange, I know.  Since it's so close to my house, I can also pre-run the course, if I feel ambitious (who the hell am I kidding, but it's a nice thought).

June 1: Girls on the Run RI 5k
I'm so excited about this!  I wanted to do the winter 5k with this group, but I stupidly got sick.  I'm going to be a Running Buddy for a young girl who will probably run much faster than I can.  It'll be pretty awesome.

July 13: Jamestown 1/2 Marathon
Last year was the first incarnation of this race and it was a complete and utter gong show. The course itself was beautiful (if hot and crazy hilly) and there was good course support, but the porta-potties got delivered after the race was technically supposed to start (it started about 10 minutes late).  Runners actually had to help unload the porta-potties off the truck (which nearly drove over people), and then even though the race was supposed to have started already, they insisted on making some speeches and playing a CD of Jessica Simpson singing the National Anthem.  That was actually pretty funny though, and there was plenty of pizza at the finish line!

October 13: Newport 1/2 Marathon
I have a love/hate relationship with this race.  The first time I ran this race, in 2009, it was awful.  The weather was terrible--freezing rain, temperatures of about 40 degrees and the race organizers had no contingencies in place to deal with anything less than ideal conditions.  You can read my full report here, but I vowed never to give the Newport marathon another dime.  However, I lack conviction and the course is just so damn pretty!  So I've run it every year since then, and they have made tremendous improvements (except there's never enough pizza at the finish).  My beef with the Newport marathon is over, and I'm looking forward to this year with great enthusiasm.

So there you have it, this is the next eight months of my life and if I managed not to get injured, it should be a good eight months.  What do you have planned?