(That’s me after the Freezer 5K on December 15, 2013, which I inexplicably thought was a good idea.  At least I’m smiling!)

In 2011, I was really into running.  I couldn’t even name all of the races I did that year without forgetting at least one or two, but I do remember the two biggies: the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run, and the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon.  In 2012, I only ran one race: the Run Your Heart Out 5K on Valentine’s Day weekend.  I was queasy and dizzy all throughout the race (which was run on snow-packed trails) and nearly collapsed at the finish line (I had to sit down with my head between my knees for a good 10 minutes before I could walk straight).  Six days later, I found out there was a good reason for my weird symptoms (other than just being out of shape): I was pregnant!  I didn’t race again for the rest of the year, but in 2013 I ran three races: the Healthy Strides Community 5K in Burke, VA, and the Buffalo-Niagara YMCA Turkey Trot and Freezer 5K in Buffalo, NY.  And in 2014, so far, I’ve run one: the Moms RUN This Town “Start Your Engines” virtual half marathon.

This year, in honor of my word of the year (bold), I have some audacious running goals.  I’ve been having so much fun training for and running in races over the past couple of months (even though I’m suuuuuuuper slow and will never win – I’m totally cool with that because for me, it’s about fun and fitness, and I’m only competing against myself), but I want to seriously up the ante in 2014.  With the “Start Your Engines” virtual half marathon behind me, I’m starting to piece together a race calendar for 2014, and it’s looking pretty ambitious.  I’m currently registered for one more half marathon and a bike event, but I’m eyeing several more races… and then there’s that big, scary race I mentioned (which I won’t reveal until I successfully register).  Here’s what I’m thinking when it comes to races for the remainder of this year.

May

• Five Boro Bike Tour – This is a 40-mile bike ride (it’s not a race) that touches each of the five boroughs of New York City.  The ride starts in lower Manhattan, heads uptown, swings into the Bronx briefly before heading back downtown through Manhattan, into Queens for a loop, then into Brooklyn and across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to finish in Staten Island.  My dad and brother did the ride last year and I was so jealous.  This year I’m riding with them, along with my brother’s girlfriend.  I’m crazy excited, but a little nervous at the same time – 40 miles is a long ride, and there are quite a few bridge climbs.  I’ll be spending most of April on the bike, training for this undertaking.  I’m currently registered for this event.
• Run with the Rapids 5K – I was sort of waffling on doing this race, but I think I am going to sign up.  I had originally planned to run the Shamrock 8K back in March but decided (for a number of reasons) to opt out, which frees up some of my race registration budget.  This race goes right by Niagara Falls, and I think that sounds pretty cool.  I have a big May ahead, but I think I can squeeze in a 5K on top of my other two events.
• Buffalo Marathon Relay – I wasn’t planning to run the last weekend in May – I was actually thinking of volunteering at the marathon.  But when my Stroller Strides group announced that it would be fielding a team to run the Buffalo Marathon Relay, I decided to be bold and immediately told the organizer to count me in.  There are four legs – three 10K and one 12K – and I’m committed to running one of the 10K legs.  We have three out of our four team members so far, so here’s hoping we can rope in a fourth mama and make this happen.  The stroller mamas did the relay last year and apparently everyone had a blast.  I’m committed to this event, but I’m not the one in charge of registering the team – yay!

June

• 50 Yard Finish Half Marathon – I am really excited about this race!  This half marathon is run through Orchard Park and the finish line is located at the 50-yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium (where the Buffalo Bills play).  I’m not even a football fan and I think that’s pretty neat.  Hubby is especially excited to go out on the field to cheer me across the finish line.  And several of my Stroller Strides friends are running this one, too!  It’ll be cool to see some familiar faces at the start line.  I’m currently registered for this race.

August

• The Color Run – Who wouldn’t want to run a 5K while people throw colored corn starch at you?  I’ve never done a novelty 5K before, so I’m excited about this.  (Plus, it’s called “The Happiest 5K on the Planet” – now, doesn’t that sound like a can’t-miss event?)  Color Me Rad is also coming, so I might swap them out, but I’m pretty sure I want to do the Color Run, because you get a “COLOR RUNNER” sweatband, which is ’80s fabulous.
• Tops Run for Roswell 10K – This one is for a great cause (the Roswell Park Cancer Institute) and I didn’t have a standalone 10K on my calendar (just the Buffalo Marathon Relay, in which I’m running one of the 10K legs).  Sold.
• The Biggest Loser Run/Walk Half Marathon – Maybe.  I’m sort of torn about this one.  I had been really wanting to run a Biggest Loser race – I’d planned to do the DC 10K but got caught up in moving logistics and was thrilled to learn that the BL half marathon was coming to Buffalo.  But the recent controversy about the season 15 finale has me a little unnerved.  (I’m not going to get into a whole discussion about that – this is neither the time nor the place.)  It appears the producers are considering changes to the format to prevent future contestants from taking things too far (which the winner has admitted she did do) so I’m still leaning toward running the race (and continuing to watch the show, which has changed many lives for the better).  I do want to run the BL half, because I know that there are a lot of people who worked hard to bring this race to Buffalo and any national race series coming here is a big deal.  Plus it benefits a great local charity.  But I’m just not sure I’m comfortable at this point.  Fortunately, I have awhile to make up my mind, because the registration price isn’t scheduled to increase for a few months.

September

• Finn McCool 4 Mile Odyssey – Another race I’ve never done before – this is a mud run!  The pictures look super fun, and the obstacles seem to be challenging but not too intimidating, so I’m keen to try it.  (Where I draw the line: electricity.  My father-in-law asked if I’d ever do a Tough Mudder, and my immediate answer was “HECK no, I don’t fancy being shocked in the face.”)  Finn McCool seems to have just the right combination of challenges and hijinks, so I’m psyched.  Plus, the finisher’s medal doubles as a bottle opener, and hubby said he needs a new bottle opener.
• Mighty Niagara Half Marathon – Maybe.  I was sort of feeling like I had enough half marathons on the docket this year, but my high school BFF expressed some interest in running this one together.  So I’m putting it on the list, but currently waffling.  If I decide not to run the Biggest Loser half, I’m pretty set on signing up for this one as a replacement.

October

• BIG SCARY DREAM RACE – This is the month I’m targeting for my “scary race.”  There are two that I have in mind, and while I’m pretty sure which one I want to do, I haven’t quite made up my mind.  (The race that I think is my top choice is almost all either flat or downhill – yay! – but would require me to travel and has a cut-off time for finishers that I’m not totally confident I can achieve.)  If it doesn’t work out, there’s another race, the same distance, in Buffalo later in the month and I’ll probably try for that one.  I hope.  I sure will feel bold if I pull either one off.  I’ll tell you guys all about it once I (1) successfully register, and (2) get over the shock of successfully registering.

November

• Buffalo-Niagara YMCA Turkey Trot – This is getting to be a bit of a family tradition!  I definitely won’t care if I PR this one, though.  It’ll just be a fun race to run with my sisters-in-law.

December

• Freezer 5K or Holly Jolly 5K – Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be up for a race in December, considering the big year of running I have planned, not to mention the fact that I’m still thawing out from the 2013 Freezer 5K.  (“Freezer” was an appropriate name for that race.)  But who knows?  I might decide that I still have energy to burn and that running a holiday race would be fun.  If I do, I plan to run in costume, because why sign up for one of these if you’re not going to get a bit silly?

I probably won’t end up doing all of these races.  I don’t know if this calendar is doable or not, but I’ll revise it as I see fit to avoid injury and put myself in the best position to achieve my main goals.  I’d also love to try a trail race sometime this year, but haven’t figured out which.  (There was one I was planning to run, but it’s the weekend I’ll be in NYC for the Five Boro Bike Tour, so that’s out.  There are a few others that look interesting, but I need to cross-check my race calendar and make sure they don’t conflict with anything I’m more anxious to do – or with the vacation we’re trying to plan.)  And I might find myself tossing in a spur-of-the-moment 5K here or there.  But I’m looking forward to a great year of trying new things and running bold in 2014!

Are you a runner?  Do you daydream about your race calendar?