"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way...to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart." Deuteronomy 8:2
I thought I would do a simple monthly recap of 2025. I hit most of my goals, but I had some slip out of reach. I believe it is where we fall short, we learn the most. My racing season is not what defined me for 2025. It is FAITHFULLNESS.
When I stay focused; failures, set-backs and injuries, what matters most is a posture of FAITHFULLNESS.
January: 267 mi
JUST START
The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." John 'The Penguin' Bingham
The Best way for me to start has always been to sign up for a race. Every year I hold the same goal, to run a race a month. And 2026 I accomplished this goal. I didn't race them all, many I used as training runs.
February: 255 mi
It's Good Training
If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far." John Bingham
My miles dropped but so did my motivation. The cold is relentless, the days are short, and the winter slumber creeps in. Add slush, ice, wind, and if you get laced up, that is the greatest victories in February. But these miles MATTER. They build more than fitness-they build resilience.
March: 336 mi
Trust
"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started." Steve Prefontaine
The weather began breaking and I got to run in Florida. I even qualified for Boston in crazy heat. My brother and SIL chased me all over Stuart Florida helping me to the finish. I had put the work in, but I had to TRUST the training. These Miles were important training miles for my "A" race in June. A 100 miler.
April: 342 mi
Discipline
"Pain is Temporary. Quitting lasts forever." Lance Armstrong
I started training more elevation and finally got to run more trails. I signed up for a 50K as part of my training runs and even placed 1st in my age group. Running can be competitive, but for me even when racing I try to stay disciplined. Races and runs all have a place when you have an "A" race. Disciplining the EGO is very important.
May: 312 mi
Endurance
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." Oprah Winfrey
I ran a new race with friends in Traverse City. It was a 100K. It was HOT.
May was a good reminder to stay steady in both life and running. Especially as my distance was adding up, I was beginning to feel the pressures all around.
I had gotten sick right before my "A" race, Sulphur Springs. The very end of May. I was doubling down on my prayers and trusting The Lord to give me the strength, stamina spirit to finish. And The Lord carried me through with sweet victory, 23hours 07 minutes
June: 240 mi
The Prize
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Tim.4:7
I was exhausted. It was time to bring down my miles. I dropped over 70 miles. I took a little more time to recover and be grateful. Time to let both my body and mind heal. Time give Glory to God, I was so humbled by all the victories the Lord had given me.
July: 293 mi
Courage
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." Steve Prefontaine
I had to get back in the saddle. Marquette 50 was on the calendar for August. I was scared.
Just being honest. My body was tired, the elevation or the race mixed with the August heat had me rattled. Courage didn't look like confidence. But I laced up anyway.
I even did a 1/2 marathon and won my first stein, the Lord continued to heal me and strengthen me.
August: 297 mi
Focus
"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9
All the training in the world couldn't train me for the thunderstorms of Marquette. All I could do was focus on the mile I was in. I had to let go of my goals and focus on the finish. Focus can be difficult. It can often knock us off course with distractions and comparisons. It is important to stay in your own mile.
September: 242 mi
Stamina
"Let us not become weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal. 6:9
This was the beginning of the end. INJURY occurred at a silly 10mile race. The injury had been flirting with me for a few weeks. It felt like someone was pulling me back. My piriformis was mad at me. I again brought my miles down and my pace. I was hoping to qualify for NYC marathon, but I was not going to die on the mountain.
October: 150 mi
Surrender
"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started." Steve Prefontaine
I was able to line up for Chicago and let my goal go. That goal was weighing on me as this new pain in the A%% wasn't going away. I just had to trust God in the outcome. The new goal was to have fun!
I was pleased to finish just barely over 4 hours.
November: 162 mi
Gratitude
"Because of the Lords great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Phil. 3:13-14
The Lord was very compassionate as He helped me to help a friend do her marathon ALSO in October.
I settled into gratitude in my broken body and victorious 2025. I was very honest on my injury, I knew I had abused my body and the Lord graciously allowed me the desires of my heart. I was humbly broken with gratitude.
December: 130 mi
Recovery/Rest
"Running teaches us that we are capable of so much more than we ever imagined." Pattisue Plumer
And December was the shortest monthly miles I think I have had in years. I went to a Chiroprator and a Physical therapist and they both confirmed, I have a L4 L5 injury. This lower back issue is compressing and creating havoc in my piriformis and sciatica. I took several days off and hit the gym for strength and cross training.
3,026 total miles
2025
Last year was not a year of being FEARLESS.
It was more of a year of being FAITHFUL.
Some of my miles were strong and powerful. But there were many miles that were slower and filled with uncertainty.
I had days that I showed up confident and what I thought as control. But I had days that I felt vulnerable and showed up mostly out of HOPE.
Clinging to HOPE.
I learned that progress is self-determined, courage isn't fearless and showing up again and again carries more than pace.
I ended 2025 knowing through every mile, every obstacle, God was FAITHFUL.
When my strength ran out, HIS didn't.
When I doubted myself, He steadied my wavering spirit.
Every finish, every lesson, every ounce of endurance, every victory belongs to HIM.
All Glory to God.
In Peace, Not Pieces,
Anita
(All photos are pictures of me NOT running, pics of work friends, close friends, family and misc.)
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