Seeing as how I set two running-related goals for myself, I figured it might be a good idea to start a blog and keep myself accountable.
Goal #1: Run 1,212km throughout the year and complete 12 races in each of the 12 months of 2012.
Goal #2: Run a half marathon in each of the 50 states before I turn 50.
On the right-hand side of this blog, you will find my total number of races run since I started running (15), total number of half marathons (3 so far), and my latest personal best finish.
My sister is the one I will blame for my desire to run. I actually do not like running. I think it's more of a love-hate relationship. I hate most of the training that goes into preparing for a race. I only do it so that one day I might look like Monica Brant-Peckham (my all-time favourite figure competitor). I hate running on hot days, windy days, rainy days and extremely snowy or icy days. In Canada, that accounts for 75% of the year. You can see where I'm going with this: much of the shit I run in is shit I hate.
But the part I love is race medals!
To counter my hate for running, I started registering for races. With races booked and paid for, I have something to work towards and a reason to run. Then I realized that some races have finishers' medals. I call this "Race Bling". I run for race bling. If a race doesn't have finishers' medals, I probably won't run it. Some would say I am a race medal whore. I would argue I am a finisher's medal gold-digger.
I've quickly realized that some races have way better medals than others. This is important. I'm not busting my ass for 21.1K (and it's that last 100 meters that's the real shitty part) only to have a crummy medal hung around my neck. In a future blog entry, I'll have to touch on best and worst medals. This became apparent after I trained for and ran my first half marathon last year in May 2011. I ran all that way, staggered through the finishing corral and someone put a medal around my neck. Then they asked if I needed medical attention. Did I look that bad? I don't think so. But, when I finally got a look at that medal, I thought "Are you kidding me?! I flew all the way to Halifax for this?!"
I'm a medalhead. I run for medals. I don't feel any shame in admitting that I can be bribed with a really swank medal.
If you've ever run a race (5K, 10K or half marathon) and you got some really awesome race bling, let me know! I'm always adding to my list of potential races.
Come run with me.
I don't particularly enjoy running, but I will run for cool race bling!! I'm a self-proclaimed finishers' medal gold-digger. Which means I only run for the finisher's medal I get at the end. So, if your race doesn't have a medal, I won't run your race. You don't really expect me to run 21.1km for nothing, do you?!
My Next Race
Nice page! I hear you about not liking to run in crap weather....I am the same.....only worse than that I prefer running at night, which makes my window of liking when I run even smaller. TG for treadmills eh? LOL
ReplyDeleteJust found your page - and I totally agree how important it is to pick a race for the medal! Silly, indeed, but the thought of the bling is what gets you through the training self-doubt in the months before the race. I don't think I would've gone through with my first half marathon if it wasn't Detroit Free Press - thank god for that bridge and that bling!! Now training for my first marathon and if it weren't the Marine Corps I would've quit at 21.2 km...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a shame how many GTA and Canadian events run by certain mega-running-event planners don't seem to give a crap about medals - or should I say, they gave a crap, and that design is what popped out! Fortunately our US friends and Canadian race organizers outside of the big city marathons know that if you want to lure registrants you need to bring the bling! It looks like you've already done most of the stylish-medals events I can recommend around GTA/southern Ontario, but may I suggest Dearborn, Michigan's Martian Marathon (or other events by the same organizer such as the Sleepy Hollow Half) - cute medal + sponsored by chocolate milk!