I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, but I love goals and challenges. At the beginning of this year I set a goal to run one race a month. I enjoy training for races. It’s oddly exciting for me to have a race on the calendar and a training schedule. This motivates me to work out and gives me something to look forward to.

So here is a look at the first 6 months of races:

January – Sawmill River 10K

February – Snowstorm Classic 5K and the Jones 10 Miler

March – Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day 10K Road Race

April – Plattsburgh Half Marathon

May – Western Mass Mother’s Day Half Marathon

June – Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon and the Lake Wyola 4.8 Mile Road Race

It’s been a really fun 6 months of racing. I even exceeded my own expectations. I have made some major strides in my running this year and I’m really excited about the next few months of racing. Here’s a peek at my summer racing plans.

July – Carlos and I are doing the Run or Dye 5K color run in Hartford. Now this is a fun run and as of yet I’m not signed up for any other races, but I’m going to try to sneak in at least one more race for the month. It will probably be a local 5K since those are the most popular this time of year.

August – On the same day I will run one of my favorite local races, the Bridge of Flowers 10K in Shelburne Falls and later that night Carlos and I will be participating in the Electric Run, a glow in the dark 5K extravaganza. Since my birthday is at the end of August I might also try to find a birthday race.

As of right now my racing plans only go as far as September. While training for my spring half marathons I began to seek out another full marathon for the fall. I had been thinking about it and discussing it with my husband pretty much since I ran the Philadelphia Marathon last November, but with our travel plans this year I wasn’t sure how another full marathon would fit into our schedule. Then one night I got an email announcing a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on September 22, 2013 in Montreal. I quickly checked my schedule, yes I’m off that weekend. I called my husband as soon as I left work in the morning to tell him. Without taking even a second to think about it he said to register for the race. My husband loves all things Canada. We’ve only been to Montreal once for a brief one night stay in the middle of winter. He is thrilled to be able to return for a bit longer at a time when the weather is a little warmer. So without hesitation I registered for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Oasis Marathon.

I’m finishing up week 4 of training. It’s going really well though a little challenging with Carlos out of school for the summer. He was in half day soccer camp this week from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. While he played soccer I ran or cross trained. It doesn’t leave me much time for anything else but a quick shower before heading back to pick him up, but I have come to realize that this part of my life is not negotiable. Exercise has become a fixture in my days. I schedule it on the calendar just like any appointment. When I have to go without it I feel a huge difference in my mood and energy level.

I am beyond excited about this marathon. I have big goals. That’s right Oprah I’m coming for your time sister (Oprah ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 1994 and finished in 4:29:15)! I’m light years from ever qualifying for Boston so I need to shoot for something more attainable. Given the way my training runs are going I actually do have an even bigger goal in mind, but I’m going to keep it to myself for now.