Wow, what a year! If I had to sum up 2025 in one word, it would be balance. There were some highs, a few lows and some lessons learned along the way. Here’s what it looked like:

The Numbers

I finished the year with 1,550+ miles running, which is more than 2024 (by about 160) but still not my highest year ever. I’ll take the progress, though! Every mile counts. I also got in 104 hours of weight training and 6.2 million steps!

Here are some of the screenshots of my Garmin activity:

The Highs

July was incredible (see monthly running recap here). Thanks to schedules, I was able to get in a long run most Sunday mornings, and I had several weeks of 40+ miles and ended the month with about 200 miles, something I’ve never done before. It felt amazing to hit that milestone. Honestly, that big push is probably what led to my injury, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I was also a Cleveland Half Marathon Ambassador again this year. In May, I ran the 5K + Half Challenge and finished the half in 2:01:53. So close to breaking two hours again! It’s been a while since I’ve done that, so this was a big confidence boost. See my race recap: https://icrashedtheweb.com/2025/05/18/cleveland-marathon-2025-challenge-series-recap/

Another highlight was running a few races with my oldest (FW). We did the Happy 5K, Bulldog Bolt, and the Stratford Thanksgiving 5K together. Sharing those miles with him was definitely one of my favorite parts of the year and I hope he continues to enjoy running with me! I’m always impressed with how he can just run a 5K without any training (besides the sports he currently does).

The Lows

The big one? An injury. After that monster July, I had hip pain that sidelined me for most of August and September. It was frustrating to take such a long break, but I focused on recovery and listening to my body – which was so hard on me, mentally! Instead I focused on walking, cycling and even some swimming and indoor rowing.

Beyond Running

I kept up my strength training routine, lifting weights four times a week for the full year, even during my hip injury. I also made time for walks whenever I could, which is was great for my overall mental health. I did some semi-real hiking in Sedona with my girl friends. And just recently, I got a weighted vest (aff. link) for Christmas and have used it on and off while doing chores around the house and added it to a few of my walks for an extra challenge. So far, I’m loving it.

Looking Ahead to 2026

I’m excited for what’s next! Here are some things I’m looking forward to:

• Upcoming races: I’ll be returning as a Cleveland Marathon Ambassador again, so mark your calendars for the weekend of May 16-17.
• Staying strong: I plan to keep up my strength training journey and really start using that weighted vest I got for Christmas.
• Trying something new? I’m also thinking about trying something new like Pilates to stay strong in different ways. And who knows, maybe I’ll even run a race with my daughter, who is now seven. It would be so fun to share that experience with her.

Here’s to another year of miles, strength and new adventures!

Questions for you:

• How did your running or fitness journey go in 2025?
• Do you set yearly mileage goals or focus more on consistency?
• Have you ever tried adding something new to your routine, like Pilates or weighted walks?
• Any big goals for 2026?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.