Twenty-Eight!

Whoa, how is it November already? This year has been so jam-packed, it has absolutely flown by. And I've doing a lot of running since my last post about the Love Run! (Side note: I must be a masochist because I registered again for next year's Love Run. Surely it can't be a monsoon two years in a row, right?)

So, here are all of the races I have done since then, stories to follow:

8	4/6/2014	Cherry Blossom 10 Miler
9	4/13/2014	19th Annual Gift of Life Donor Dash
10	4/19/2014	5k Run for Clean Air
11	5/4/2014	Broad Street Run
12	5/18/2014	Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk
13	6/1/2014	Penn Alexander School Run for Arts & Science 5K
14	6/14/2014	Baltimore 10-miler
15	6/29/2014	Freedom 5K Run
16	7/3/2014	Red White & Zoo Fun Run
17	7/9/2014	Runbucks Christmas in July
18	7/20/2014	Stoehmann Back On My Feet in24 Philadelphia Midnight Madness
19	8/17/2014	CCFA - Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's Guts and Glory 5K
20	9/6/2014	The Philly 10k
21	9/20/2014	Rock'n'Roll 5k
22	9/21/2014	Rock'n'Roll Half
23	10/5/2014	XPN 5k
24	10/12/2014	Justice for All
25	10/18/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
26	10/18/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
27	10/19/2014	Runner's World Half Festival - Hat Trick
28	11/2/2014	Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge

Here are the highlights!
The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Washington D.C.
This one was pretty special. I took the bus down with friends, did packet pickup and checked in to my hotel. Got to meet up with a friend who lives in the area and his girlfriend (who I know from undergrad as well!) for dinner, which was lovely. We hung out until much too late for the night before a race, and then I hustled back to my hotel room and got to hang out with another D.C.-area friend who split the room with me to be closer to the race start. We chatted for a bit, made sure everything was laid out and ready, and hit the hay. Race morning was fun, getting ready and walking over with my friend, meeting up with my Philly friends and then a chilly but lovely run. The cherry blossoms were just starting to come out, but it was beautiful. After the race and getting cleaned up, I ventured out to Sticky Fingers (vegan) bakery for some brunch and goodies to take home. It was a really great weekend, and I would love to do more D.C. races. Running around the Mall is tons of fun, and the change in scenery makes the miles fly by!

Broad Street Run
This one is a staple for me - Broad Street was my first venture into distance running, and the spirit along the course is unrivaled, I think. The start and finish are incredibly crowded, which is the biggest downside. The crowds make a PR a challenge, but the past few years the weather has been quite pleasant. This year was extra fun as my D.C. running buddy came up and we had our own gluten-free pasta dinner the night before, a friend from Baltimore came up for the weekend and we carpooled with another Philly friend, E. The three of us started together, and E and I ran all the way together which was fun. A good day!

Penn Alexander School Run for Arts & Science 5K
The PAS run was the spring season 5k for Girls on the Run Philadelphia, and we had a great time! I think it was fun for the Girls on the Run participants to get to run with a bunch of other kids, and to run through Penn's campus and the new(ish) Penn Park. I enjoyed the race and getting to the finish to cheer on the rest of the finishers. It's always so great to see the GOTR girls crossing the finish line at a sprint - even if they've been walking parts of the race - and finish with a big grin amongst the cheers of their friends, family, volunteers and everyone else. Love it!

Baltimore 10 Miler
The folks in Baltimore know how to put on a great summer race! I took the train down and met up with my friend, and we enjoyed a nice dinner at a great Thai restaurant. I spent the night at her place so we had plenty of time to catch up, and then got to sleep for an early morning. The race starting line was not too far from her place and we got there in plenty of time to hit the porta-potties and get to the starting line with no stress. So what makes this a great race? Cold washcloths and watermelon slices as soon as you cross the finish line. Genius! The race premium is very nice as well, a lightweight Born long-sleeve quarter zip. I've been enjoying it now that the weather has turned cool! Noodles & Company was a sponsor and all the race participants received a coupon for a free entree, so after getting cleaned up post-race we went and enjoyed ours. Another great weekend!

Alright, that's enough for one go - next up the in24 Midnight Madness! Soon, I promise. Meanwhile, I'll be tapering and trying to stay fit and healthy for the marathon coming up on 11/22. My right knee has been sore, so I am trying to walk a fine line of resting it and staying in shape for 26.2. Wish me luck!