Monday Brain Exchange - 2010 Highs/Lows

Each week, Jill over at Finishing is Winning, poses a new topic for bloggers to post on.  This week the topic is around your race highs and lows for 2010.  This Weeks Question: Tell readers about your 2010 Best and Worst races. What made them so great or not so great?

Y Not Tri Awards

Best Triathlon - Y Not Tri in Cassville, Mo. This was a small triathlon race put on by the YMCA in Cassville and it was my first time to ever outright win an entire race!!! Whoohoo! I was completely shocked to hear my name called as the race winner. It was so fun to share the moment with friends and I was so giddy when I called my sister to share the news.

Worst Triathlon - I didn't actually have a bad race this year.  I would say I had a horrible pre-race for the Cats Sprint Tri in Conway.  For some reason I just couldn't sleep the night before the race.  It was miserable, my head just kept going round and round with the battle of trying to fall asleep. 

Best Run Race - Chile Pepper 10K hands down. This race has owned me for the past few years and I finally showed it who is boss. I had a solid mental performance and massive PR in this race which was a big break through for me.

Runner Up Run Race - Run for a Child 5K. I loved this race because it was my sister's first race in several years.  I ran with her and helped push my niece in the jog stroller up and down the hills around Pinnacle Promenade.  I'm so excited to be able to share the fun of running with both of my sisters.

Worst Run Race - Tulsa Route 66 Half Marathon. Where Chile Pepper was a mental breakthrough for me, Route 66 was a major set back.  The weather was very unfriendly on race day with warm temps, high humidity, and strong winds.  But really my lackluster performance was because I gave up under the pressure I had set with trying to break my PR.  I'm still working on my mental stamina, especially in adverse race conditions.

Best miscellaneous - Fourth of July Firecracker Open Water Swim. I still can't believe I swam 1.8 miles! Last year, the lake swimming really freaked me out and my first open water swim during my first tri this season was a mess.  This event really increased my comfort level with lake swimming and I enjoyed it a lot.  I still have my souvenir rock from the island destination sitting near all my medals and running memorabilia.

Totals:

5K Races - 8

10K Races - 1

Half Marathons - 2 (maybe 3- might run one 12/19)

Swim meets/Open Water Swim events - 4

Sprint Triathlons - 6 (Whoa!)

Bike events - 1

Misc. Runs events - 2 (Turkey Trot and Pub Run)

What a Year!!! I couldn't have done it all and had so much fun without the awesome coaching of Mike Rush, the support of the Rush Running Team, and the great friends and training partners who each push me to be a stronger athlete.