Keeping dreams alive

• By Lora
• 16 January, 2013
• 5 Comments

Yesterday I recapped the Houston Marathon but didn’t have enough space to address the goals I set before the race head on:

• I would love love LOVE to break 3:30. That is my ultimate goal (and one of my top goals for 2013). I ran a 3:39 in Brooklyn, after taking nearly two weeks off in the middle of training for the wedding, so hey… it could happen.
  
• I want to dominate Allen Parkway. This surprised me last year. I had heard about Allen Parkway before the race and someone said it was an unexpected hill. So around mile 14 or 16, there was a hill… and I thought that was it. And then the 3:30 pace group passed me a few miles later, and as they ran by, I heard the pacer tell the group that Allen Parkway was ahead. This killed me mentally.
• I will not let the rain get me down. There is a high chance of rain for this race, and while the chance of it raining throughout the entire marathon is slim, it may happen. I need to remember to have a good time and go with it! Rain won’t kill me and if anything, it will make a really awesome memory for #10!

#1 – Didn’t happen. I feel like I was so close! This goal will be set again for Boston in a April. I am planning on doing some speedwork and maybe even looking at a new marathon training plan to try.

#2 – YES. Dominated. CHECK. I actually had fun running this this year and it wasn’t as awful as I thought, from last year. The “rolling hills” weren’t terrible, especially since I remembered to enjoy the downhills.

on Allen Parkway

#3 – Without a doubt. I attribute this to Ragnar. After running in the middle of the night, and even in some wicked rain and disgusting weather, I think I can handle a little rain in a marathon. I thought about Ragnar quite a bit during this race and reminded myself that the conditions weren’t ideal there, but we still had a blast.

Maids of Dishonor!

As you can probably tell, I am super happy with this race and my time… you can’t PR at every single race and it’s important to pick out the other great parts of the race. There will always be another marathon to run, and every race you do run is an opportunity to learn something about yourself and make you a better person… on and off the road.

I feel like this quote is so fitting:

I will keep dreaming about that 3:30… aiming for it… and when it happens, it will just be that much sweeter.

What’s your favorite quote? Do you try to PR at every race you run?