17 Photos That Prove 2014 Was A Great Year For Running

It has been a good year for running.

A new world record in the marathon was established in Berlin and a new national marathon hero was establish in Boston when Meb Keflezighi became the first American male to win the race since 1983 in April "with a courage and determination that the whole nation can be proud of," Runner's World reported.

We've watched up-and-comers shine in breakout performances and seasoned professionals try their hand at something entirely different. And more and more of us Average Joes are catching the bug, too: Nearly 42,000,000 Americans run in some shape or form, according to Running USA's annual State of the Sport report.

To both commemorate the year in running and look ahead to the miles we'll log in 2015, we've rounded up some of the most moving, motivational and memorable race photos for the last 12 months. The black toenails were totally worth it.