Since my first month of what I consider myself as a runner (July 2010), a lot has changed both mentally and physically for me. July has always been my favorite month (mostly). It’s my birthday month, it’s the month I started running and even when I was in year round school in the UK we had most of July off. (Of course most schools both high school and college do too!). So July is always a fun month for me. I guess we are nearly halfway through the month but never too late to look back at various years and reflect.
Here are some interesting personal July Running facts…
July 2010:
July 4, 2010. I completed a local 5k in 21:44. Coming from a girl who had nearly failed the mile in gym class three years prior (I passed 12:12) this was pretty much my biggest athletic accomplishment…nevermind the time spent with swimming…
I emailed the college cross country coach saying I really wanted to run for the team and went out on a limb.
I remember completing my first seven mile run. I had prepped myself all day for it. I was so nervous but it went
by quickly.
I won the Allen Stone Run-Swim-Run. My first overall win ever!
July 2011:
I got my first running injury from poor training. Hello stress fracture. It was devastating at the time and I spent many of posts wailing about it but it taught me so much about running and how to train that I am thankful I learned those lessons.
July 2012:
I PRed in the 5k (18:57) at the Allen Stone Run Swim Run. I got second overall.
I logged my first 80 mile week in preps for a stellar cross country season.
July 2013:
I don’t know but Ido hope for an injury free and good month.
Question for you: What is your favorite month?
July is my favorite month, too, for sure! It’s my birthday month as well and it’s the month where I normally am able to have a vacation and travel so that’s always nice. Plus I love the hot summer days.
I always thought I really enjoyed summer, but the other day I was thinking about autumn, and more specifically November. I don’t think I have come to terms with it being my favorite season because, well in upstate NY you know what comes after…But really November, cool, crisp air, pumpkin EVERYTHING, sweaters, scarfs, etc.
July is a great month for us too! We got married in July (July 31, 2010) so that’s special. September is also good because it is when we met and March is my birthday month, but March typically sucks other than that since it is so cold.
September for sure, favorite running month, birthday month, all of it. It’s just my favorite time of year, it always feels more like a “fresh start” than January/New years does. Things start changing, and it’s just a great month! 🙂
I love seeing how far you have come, truly inspiring! 🙂
I am all about May-that’s my birthday month and coincidentally the birthday month of a lot of my friends so its a fun month!
May 2013 was spent building up my mileage again after an injury in April.
Favourite month is October. Birthday month, Halloween and Canadian Thanksgiving, plus it’s just so pretty outside.
My favorite month is probably September. It’s still relatively warm but not scorching hot. The leaves are changing and you can wear sweatshirts without people looking at you like you’re insane. Also, it’s close to the holidays so all of the good candy starts appearing everywhere as well as pumpkin spice lattes and everything pumpkin related. LOL I’m so weird.
I love your running story. I’ve never really considered myself too much of a runner, but lately I’ve been putting in more mile and have realized that the more you run the more you enjoy it!
My favorite month is June! I get a break from college, the summer starts to heat up, and it’s my birthday month. Summer babies FTW!
So neat to flashback. I love all of the summer months. And I like December (as long as there’s no snow) because I love seeing all of my family for the holidays!!
My favorite month is October… like you, it’s my birthday month. It’s also the month when Halloween occurs, which is pretty cool, and it’s during football season. My husband and I love college football :). AND… tons of road races in October here! So that makes it a good month all around.
Summer months are great too though. Yeah, it’s hot down south, but it’s fun to hang by the pool and just enjoy a slower pace of life.
it is crazy to look at how late you started running yet how quickly you got the passion for it. Kind of amazing. My start was the same way – a long time soccer and ballet girl who all of a sudden wanted to run long. haha
Defintiely February. (when it comes to running). I completed my first race – a half marathon, in 2012. And then in 2013 – I PR’d my half marathon by 22 minutes. Plus it’s probably the coldest (aka 50-60s) in FL and low humidity… which I CANNOT say for July. July sucks for running right now but Happy birth-month 🙂
Neat blast from the past! Any workout that combines swimming and running is killer … although doing a run-swim-run race sounds intriguing. 😉 In terms of workouts, I love running and biking in the fall; the heat isn’t stifling, yet it’s warm enough to be outside.
I love June for the same reason you love July, my birthday. (I also love the start of summer, long days, and the promise of vacation.)
This is a really cool way to take a look back. Year recaps are great and all, but snapshots in time really show how far you’ve come!
I’m a December person… almost the opposite of July. 😉 I love Christmas, snow, and getting to see family! It always seems to be a lucky month for me, too.
Hmm.. I think I like September… Temperatures are normally nice and growing up in upstate NY it is a beautiful time in the fall. All the greenery turns into firey reds and oranges. Having a house on the lake for the last umpteen years completely spoiled me during the fall, the ring of nature is gorgeous!
Wow, Hollie- what an awesome story!! I was one of the slowest in the mile in my 5th grade class… always had my nose in a book. But that summer, I started running laps around my parent’s house, I was determined not to be at the back of the pack!
And Happy Birthday!!
I ran my first 5k on July 4th 2010 in 21:27! Kind of amazing that the next May I ran an 18:40. Oh those were the days. July definitely has been a really great month for you in sports… i mean even the stress fracture, as frustrating as it was, it definitely a learning experience. I think my favorite month at the moment is August. My birthday in early August during break and the start of school later in August is fun. I just love back to school season – so much excitement!
Awe this is awesome! Happy birthday girl! I wish I was coming home sooner but just to let you know our get together at the end of this wonderful month is to celebrate. I might come with breakfast cupcakes as a breakfast dessert 😉 I am not sure what my favorite month is now that you mention it! Maybe August? not sure why I just don’t recall a bad August in my life
july is definitely my favorite month! i hope you have an injury free year as well! so impressed you are training for a marathon