My Year in Review

Well, we've come to the end of 2014, and it's been a heck of a year!  This blog has been up and running for a full year, and I'm so grateful to all the friends I've met through social media.  It's been awesome to meet people in "real life" that I feel so connected to online.

As we get ready to ring in 2015, everyone is looking back as their own personal ups and downs of this past year.  Sometimes I feel like the year flew by, and other times I can't believe some things were just a year ago.  Here are some of my bests and worsts from 2014:

January: Completing the Dopey Challenge!  That may be the best of the whole year.  I've never been so proud of myself.  I PR'ed the full and cut 26 minutes off my previous PR.  It was seriously one of the coolest things ever.  If you are a pretty serious runner, I highly suggest taking on this challenge.

March:  We took an amazing trip to Hawaii.  It was there I realized how important being healthy and fit was.  I got to enjoy things like hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, and snorkeling with ease because I was in good shape.  It was the first time I looked around and realized how fitness is not only fun, it allows you to have more fun in "real life" too.

May:  Worst day of the year for sure--May 18th when I fell during a routine 8-mile run in my neighborhood.  This incident defined the rest of the year and I'm still struggling with it today.  Ironically enough, I had no idea how bad it was at the time.  I even went shopping all over town before going to the urgent care.

July:  Knee surgery.  It didn't fix anything.  It was an overall cruddy experience. 

August/September: My return to running in the Dumbo Double Dare.  It was such a slow race, but a little sign I posted on my back (and on social media) turned it around.  Runners are the best group in the world, and they pulled be through with each and every encouraging word.  It was the race that brought me back to life.


September:  I made a conscious decision to start pursuing fitness as a full-time career.  I signed up as a Beachbody Coach and registered to become a RCAA running coach (training is in March, 2015).  Making lemonade--and realizing that I have a huge passion for fitness and I'm pretty good at it too.

November: I completed the Wine & Dine half in the rain and the Vegas RnR Half in the freezing cold.  Oh yeah, and I registered for this little race called the Goofy Challenge.

And now, I sit here reflecting back on a year FILLED with blessings.  Even at some dark times, I was able to see that there are positives that can come out of every negative.  So, thank you 2014 for the ups, the down, and everything in between.  Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had a great 2014 and 2015 promises even better.  Cheers!