running ahead in 2014

One ¹⁄₃ of the year is gone. While the year started bang, since then I haven’t been running much. My desire to road has been dampened by the ‘harsh’ 2013-14 winter weather.

Yet, I’m still looking ahead at what my 2014 running goals might consist off. For the last two years I’ve been consumed with the Goofy and Dopey challenges. I love the runDisney events, I love getting away to warmer weather… but I need a slight break from the runDisney events. I know I will be kicking myself in late October for passing on the Wine & Dine again this year. I will feel like the perfect chance of complete the Cost-to-Cost Challenge slipped away when the first Avengers Half marathon nears. I’m nearly certainly want to be in Florida running when Marathon Weekend rolls around in January.

I wanted this year to be a local year, and start out with the Fifth Third River Bank Run. The race is the largest 25k race in the country, the event even has a 5k/25k combo. I seem to enjoy doing these challenges, so maybe… but what about the fall? I could stay hyper-local and run the Brooksie. I didn’t get excited with either of those races.

Then I learned about the Ground Hog Marathon & Half Marathon, and reading the FAQ the event seemed intriguing… but that is definitely not a race I would like to try anytime soon. However, I found out the race director also puts on the Grand Rapids Marathon and I just love Grand Rapids. While I don’t want to put in the time and effort to run another full marathon I also have a deep desire to run another full. So in the back of my mind I’ve been targeting this race.

I still needed to do something in the spring. One late night I ventured online and purchased a bed, then I entered the uber-local Let’s Move Festival of Races. It is so local I can walk to the start line.

Then today, I found out Cedar Point has an inaugural half marathon coming up, and since Kings Island is also a “local” park (and worth a visit) and they are the same company I wondered if they have a race as well… and they do. One is in the spring the other is the fall. Maybe this will be a nice runDisney replacement?

I have to May 15th decide upon the Grand Rapids Marathon.