It’s that time of the year where I recap my running from the past year. Honestly, 2023 was a pretty lackluster year of running. It was the year of getting settled, and I knew that from the beginning. (I remember telling a friend this during a run early in the year.) We bought our house in March, moved in, and then I found out I was pregnant in July, only to miscarry in September. There were adjustments for the boys, finding our new groove here in Minnesota, and figuring out our “new” life here. There were a lot of ups and downs as it was a year of transitioning, and in many ways, I don’t feel like I have much to be proud of from the year.
- I only set one PR by default.
- I ran 8 races, but I ran 6 of them pregnant.
- I tried to start a running group, but it never took off.
- I didn’t run a marathon.
I know this is the way it goes sometimes, but it can be a little disheartening when this is the way things pan out. With that, I can still realize there are still positives about the year:
- Staying injury-free all year
- Meeting running friends in Minnesota, seeing them at races, and having a local running buddy.
- Running with my sister at least on a monthly basis!
A look at my running stats from 2023:
Total miles: 2575 miles
Average daily miles: 7 miles
Average weekly miles: 49.5 miles
Highest weekly mileage: 70 miles
Longest run: 16 miles (less because I didn’t run a marathon)
States I ran in: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Alaska, Florida
Races I ran: 8 races
PRs: mile
2023 Races
4/30/23 – Eau Claire Half Marathon (Eau Claire, WI) – 1:28:48
7/4/23 – Freedom Run – 5 Miler (Waseca, MN) – 32:21*
7/16/23 – Raspberry Run 1 Mile (Hopkins, MN) – 5:30 (gun time), 5:25 (watch time)*
7/26/23 – Tracksmith 5000 (St. Paul, MN) – 19:29*
8/20/23 – Skinny Raven Half Marathon (Anchorage, AK) – 1:31:30*
9/2/23 – City of Lakes Half Marathon (Minneapolis, MN) – 1:35:19*
10/1/23 – Twin Cities 10 Mile (Minneapolis, MN) – canceled
11/24/23 – Farmamerica Turkey Trot “5K” (Waseca, MN) – 19:38
*Pregnant but then miscarried.
(I will be honest in saying that the first two races were at 1 week and 2 weeks “pregnant,” so those don’t really count.)
Top places: 1st (women) Freedom Run 5 Mile, 1st (overall) Farmamerica Turkey Trot
Favorite race: Honestly, none really stand out for me.
Biggest high: working on my speed this summer; no injuries
Biggest low: The year in general?! Is that too depressing?
Hardest workout: 400 meters, 2 x 800 meters, 400 meters–not a hard workout but the splits were FAST! Splits: 400 – 1:19, 800 – 2:45, 800 – 2:45, 400 – 1:18
Favorite memory: meeting more running friends in Minnesota
Coldest run: -22*F (real feel) in Minnesota in February
Hottest run: 102*F (heat index) in Minnesota in August
I am actually really optimistic 2024 will bring a lot more highlights for my running. 2023 was a year of getting settled in our new house and life here in Minnesota after moving from Alaska. I knew it was going to take some adjusting and figuring out what races to run, what goals I wanted to set for myself, and finding my groove here, so this recap shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Now after a low, the only way to go is up, so onward and upward to 2024!
