Everything You Wanted to Know About Me & Running

... or maybe you didn't want to know, but you get to anyway. Noshing on Asphalt posted 10 questions about running and while I wasn't tagged, I thought this was super fun so I did it for myself anyway. 

1. Best Run Ever. I'm still coming down riding on my high from Sunday, so I will legitimately say the Allstate ATL 13.1 run last Sunday -- yes, it was a 6-minute PR (who doesn't love that?), but I have never felt that strong in that long of a run. Of the 13.1, I walked maybe a quarter mile of the entire thing, up and down some pretty gruesome hills. I'm so proud of what I accomplished, and I really feel like these next few races will be nothing. 

2. Three words to describe my running. Focused, challenging, and solo. Focused because running has forced me to look at the little things, one mile at a time, and focus is what gets you through a rough run. Challenging because I feel like it should never come easy - you should always feel like you're working for it, and I do! Every run counts! And solo because with few exceptions, I run by myself. It's a nice chance to get away, let go, and focus (see what I did there?) on me for a little while. Looking forward to some upcoming races with friends, but I like my solo time too. 

3. My go to run outfit. Usually, shorts and a tee -- I don't care about tech tees or cotton tees, but I definitely have my favorite go-to shirts (I play favorites). Summer in Georgia also calls for a few good tanks. Winter here is tights, shorts, tee, jacket/hoodie, gloves and beanie. Brrr. Oh, and a Sparkly Soul band. Always. I'm obsessed.

4. Quirky habit while running. Picking a song (usually one not on my playlist)

5. Morning, midday or evening runner?  Morning. Evenings are so inconsistent with work and other random life stuff, but mornings are rarely interrupted. While mornings aren't always easiest, it's nice to start the day by breaking a sweat -- long-run Saturdays are always in the mornings.

6. I won’t run outside when it's... snowing? I've never run in snow. But maybe I'd try it. I like warmth, I've learned to tolerate humidity, and I like the rain. It's refreshing. Snow is a concept I'm not sure I could handle, given how clumsy I am.

Hooray rain!

7. Worst injury & how I got over it.  I haven't really gotten injured while running, aside from that slide into gravel at Zooma. My worst injury(ies) overall, and one that always surprises people when I tell them that I run the way I do, are my two previous ACL surgeries, both from soccer. The first one was an injury from July 2007 (surgery in November), and the second from April 2009 (surgery July). Not easy, challenging both physically, mentally and emotionally, but they've taught me to listen to my body too. When I feel a pinch or a soreness that I can't identify, I've learned to back off or take a day off. Makes me not take advantage of the strength I have currently.

8. I felt most like a bad-ass runner when… I finished my first half. I looked back at my training, realized I had done nearly every day in the plan, and I did it. I made my goal time by 8 seconds (can you talk about timing?), and half burst into tears at the finish line I was so excited, proud, exhausted, overwhelmed. I don't want to lose that feeling and if I do, running is no longer fun!

9. My next race is?  Next Sunday, Athens Half Marathon!

10. Potential running goals for 2013. First full marathon is February 3, 2013 -- on my home turf in LA (Surf City). I am so excited (and terrified and nervous and eeeek!), but am looking forward to the biggest challenge yet. I also hope to go to the Budapest International Marathon in October. Otherwise, I'd like to work on speed (I'm actually semi-loving speedwork!) and working on breaking a 2-hour half!