2016 Running Overview

In 2016 I completed 1 full, 4 half marathons, 1 virtual half marathon, 1 10k,  1  5k and a virtual 5k.

I also ran 830 miles for the year, and completed the "Run the Year" challenge to complete 2016 miles in 2016 with a couple gals from my Meg's Miles group. We called ourselves "Team ShellBowGizer." A mash up of all our names, Lashell Head from SC, Julie Bowman from VA, and my running nickname "Annagizer." I called them "Lashizzle-Shell" and "Run-bow." We covered many miles and covered each other in LOTS of prayer over the past year. The bond that was created by this challenge was a blessing and a half! It went beyond the miles, and permeated our lives spiritually. A bond, not only as sole-sisters, but as soul-sisters in Christ.

This is the break down of my accomplishments:
LA Marathon Feb 2016 finished in 5:25:45 

I wrote about this in my previous blog post Last Minute Marathoner. This photo below is now proudly displayed above my medal rack. My Meg's Miles buddy, Doris, and I conquered the LA marathon beast and crossed that finish line together, hand in hand! We both had previously taken almost 6 hours to complete the marathon. Together we beat our previous times and crossed at 5 hours and 25 minutes and some change! It was a beautiful journey alongside an amazing and kind hearted woman. She is a dear friend, and we met through Facebook! (See, Facebook isn't all bad!) And I dedicated my miles as a LIFE Runner, to support pregnancy crisis centers and support Pro-Life and honor the life of all women, even those women struggling with an unexpected pregnancy. We need to be there for these women, and be the voice and advocate for the unborn!

Living Well 10k April 2016 finish time 1:15:42. 

I helped the race director put on this inaugural event. I felt personally responsible for its success or failure. There were only about 6 or 7 people that ran the 10k. Many more chose to do the shorter 5k distance. I led the group through the trails to complete their 10k without having to do the 5k route twice (something runners would prefer not to do). I ran ahead and stopped to make sure each runner made the final turn and then found the turn around point successfully. I was the 2nd to last in. I ran as a "LIFE Runner" and did this as a way to support Living Well, my local pregnancy crisis center. Once we gathered for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medal ceremony they called the names of the people that had won the race and so on. Afterwards the gentleman who won found me and gave me his first place medal! He said if it wasn't for me no one would have been able to figure out the route and I was in front most of the time, until the end. (Because I hung back to make sure every runner had made it in.) I was floored, and very moved. I felt that God had chosen to reward me for the help I offered the race director and the support I showed Living Well. 

So Cal "Ragnar 4 Rett" Virtual 5k April 2016

I ran a virtual 5k for #TeamSparkle2016, to help raise money and awareness for Rett Syndrome. The Team Sparkle Ragnar team put on this virtual event to support their fundraiser while they ran Ragnar. And what can I say, I am a sucker for a good cause. I had run So Cal Ragnar the previous year, but didn't have it in me to do that challenge again. (Plus it costs a bit of money). But I was happy to support a good cause during the event, and live a little bit vicariously through them.

iCure Melanoma 5k May 2016 finish time 30:51 For "Team Paul and Ruth"

I put together a team in memory of my brother Paul and his wife Ruth (they both passed away from Melanoma only 17 months apart), for the 10th Anniversary of this local 5k for Melanoma! Friends showed up to support me from my Run for God group, my Meg's Miles group, and MRTT. It meant so much to me for them to be there, I don't think they even realize how special that was to me. My kids even came and saw a dove release in honor of those who had passed from Melanoma. It brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat as they flew over us. I know Paul and Ruth are looking down from Heaven, proud of me and my running accomplishments and all I have done in their memory to raise awareness of Melanoma and to help find a cure. 

OC 1/2 May 2016 finish time 2:14:20

I was trying to beat a previous half PR,  "Personal Record," of 2:11:23. I ran almost the whole race with a gal from Meg's Miles, Juie Bravo. We tend to be at a similar pace for races. And we have run a few together last year.  She was going at a strong and steady pace and I kept up with her until mile 9. I knew I couldn't keep up that pace for the entire 13.1 miles, so I let her continue without me. At mile 10 there is a ruthless incline, and then the last 3 miles you feel completely spent. All things considered, the finish time was great. And I am proud of my accomplishment that day. It was my best for that day, and my best time on that course. Not too shabby. This race I ran for "Girls on the Run" a charity group that inspires young girls "to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running." Something that I would love my own daughter to become involved in one day!

Rock n Roll San Diego June 2016 finish time 2:31:35. 

This race I ran with my MRTT buddies (Mom's Run This Town) just for the sheer fun of it! One gal I ran with, Miranda,  has a lot of nerve pain issues and is just plain INSPIRING! She released me at mile 12 to run ahead, but in the end we were only separated by about a minute. I should have just stayed with her. Despite all the pain in her body she chooses to keep running fulls and halves. I don't know how she does it. She makes me think of my brother Paul, because he dealt with a lot of chronic pain from a broken back. How anyone with chronic pain can keep a smile on their face and stay positive day to day is amazing to me. But Miranda seems to be able to accomplish this! God bless her. 

The Annual Annagizer Half and Virtual half marathon July 2016

The finish time for this race is not important.  This was my virtual 13.1 race I put on for my birthday in July every year, called the "Virtual Birthday Run." I run 13.1 miles on my birthday for melanoma research and donate funds, from sales of virtual medals, to the Melanoma Research Foundation. It's something I have been doing for the past 3 years. And it's always a very special event for me. This year many of my online buddies ran virtually for me and posted their dedicated miles to melanoma research, in memory of my brother Paul and his wife Ruth. It was very moving. Such a blessing to have so many running friends all over the USA and beyond. 

Long Beach 1/2 October 2016 finish time 2:25:35

I ran this race in my LIFE Runner jersey as well. To honor the life of the unborn and support/ bring awareness to pregnancy crisis centers. This is the race where I got my PR of 2:11:23 in 2013,  I was training for my first full that year. So perhaps its unfair to expect myself to beat that time while just training for the half marathon distance. But I wanted to beat my time at this race really bad! I started this race with my buddy Julie Bravo again. This time she kept with me until mile 6. She said to go ahead as she made a quick stop. I was thinking she would catch up eventually, but she never did. The first 7 miles I was tracking for a PR. But this year the heat reared it's ugly head, and at mile 8 I was faced with a long stretch of beach where felt like I was running in the desert! No shade and no relief in site! By the time I came to the turn to the finish line , at mile 10, all the gas was out of the tank and I struggled to complete the last 3 miles without walking the whole way. I forced myself to keep picking up my feet and shuffling. The PR was gone. But the time of 2:25:35 was actually quite decent, considering my averages for the past few years have been around 2:28. So I accepted it for what it was. A great time, in light of the circumstances. Julie wasn't too far behind me and did a great job in that heat! 

Richmond VA 1/2 November 2016 finish time 2:13:20

During this race I got the closest to beating my previous PR. And it was my fastest half marathon time of 2016. My running buddy for this race was Kimberly Erin. She is from the Meg's Miles group I am in. And she was upset with me for not letting her know my PR goal, she said she would have helped me reach it. No doubt that was true. But honestly, I was feeling the pace as it was and didn't think I was going to be able to run the last few miles. Seemed that lately those final 3 miles were my nemesis. However, running with Kim I was able to push through and keep running. In fact, mile 12 was my fastest mile! 

Kim and I are as OPPOSITE in our view points, including our political views, as two people can get. Yet, we are joined by our mutual love of running and our compassion for Meg's grieving family. In the photo below, the frame on the left is of Kimberly and I crossing the finish line hand in hand. 

If two people as different as we are can cross a finish line hand in hand, there is HOPE for this country! We can all live in harmony and respect for one another. It is possible! We ran together that day for Meg's Miles, and for peace! She is my sole-sister for life! 

I decided to run the half this year. Last year I went to this race in VA and ran the full. The reason I really wanted to run the half this time was to be there to cheer in all the first time full marathoners. After I finished my half I ran back and hugged and high fived many of the Meg's Milers. One was my roommate, Gloria Sisneros, from NM. She and I ran the full last year. Then I ran further back and found our other roommate Nancy Cornect from Canada, she also ran the full the previous year with us. (This year she woke up sick and STILL finished the full!! Amazing!) I ran back just a little bit to find our 4th roomie and my dear friend Kimberly Kidd, who lives in VA. This was her FIRST full! I let her go before the final bit of the route to claim her glory at the finish line! She did an amazing job! Such an inspiration! 

I was headed back into the marathon route once again when I saw Dee, the gal in the center of the photo on the right above, running with Missy (the gal to the right). I had just met Dee in person two days before. We met online on the Meg's Miles Supporters page on Facebook. This day she was running the full. Missy had also run the half and was going back into the route to help other Meg's Milers run into the finish. I ran over to them and hugged Dee. She grabbed my hand and was very emotional. It was just too awesome to be a part of that moment. I can't even describe it! We ran into the finish stretch together, and then she and Missy took off and sprinted the last 100 feet while I raised my cowbell in hand, and whooped and hollered after them, "Go Dee!! Whooooo!! Go, Dee go!!" All the while a HUGE group of Meg's Milers hollered and cheered for her from the sidelines. Once we crossed the finish she was obviously moved that we had done that with her. She said, "I thought no one would come back for me!" Well, Dee. Welcome to Meg's Miles! That is what we do! We run as one! And no man or woman gets left behind! 

In fact, the majority of us stayed until the very end to watch every single member of our group cross that finish line. Including our "reluctant marathoner," Keith Cartwright. He never thought he would run a full. And he did that day! We basically had a party at the end of the race, dancing and cheering the rest of the marathoners in. Even complete strangers were greeted by a mass of Meggers high fiving them! It. Was. Awesome.  

And not to be forgotten, even Meg Cross Menzies' own mother, Pam Cross, finished her first full marathon that day! Talk about a special day.

And that concludes my 2016 running career. 

So, as we say goodbye to 2016, I want to say "Thank you" to all who have supported me along my running journey this past year. Thank you for all the donations. Thank you for the help with all the training miles run, most of which I ran with my MRTT ladies. And thank you for the online support and daily inspiration that has come from my Meg's Miler virtual friends! Especially Team Cross Connections #TCC4ever and #TeamShellBowGizer and my So-Cal Meg's Mile race buddy Julie Bravo who came from that amazing group! Thank you to my LIFE Runner teammates! Particularly my SBFF (Spiritual Best Friend Forever), and LR teammate Karen Patnaude! She is an ambassador for LIFE and for Jesus, and I love her so dearly! #AllinChristforProLife! And thank you to my Run for God group/ Walk and Witness group! Your walks and talks and spiritual support through this year has been invaluable! I love my "Run.Walk.Witness" group!

May God bless you and yours in 2017!

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." 

Numbers 6:24-26