Monday, December 31, 2012

Goodbye 2012...Hello 2013!

I know I say this every year, but I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by. I have to say that 2012 was a pretty good year for our whole family. Chad started a new job earlier this year, and luckily it's been very busy and steady for him. I put in my first full year as an Inside Sales Representative with the Education Group at Scholastic, and hit my goal! This sales year has been off to a strong start, as well. Thomas started high school this year (YIKES!), and loves it so far. He's at the high school I graduated from, so it's a neat connection. Matt is in his last year of elementary school, and Nathan is doing great in 4th grade. We've stayed very busy with life in general, which is good...and bad. Luckily we had a wonderful beach vacation in North Carolina in June!

It's also been over a year since I hit my Weight Watcher lifetime goal! I've managed to stay within a couple of pounds of my goal weight, although with the way I've eaten the last couple of weeks it's a shock I'm still there - haha! I do try to go to meetings at least once a month, for the accountability. But if I have a run planned with friends or a race on the books, those come first.

January 15, 2013 will mark my second "runniversary". What a wild and crazy ride it's been! I actually think I ran more races in 2011, but 2012 marked some big firsts for me. I set some PRs, ran a few 10K and a 15K races, and to top it off - I completed not one but TWO Half Marathons!!!

The first one I got to enjoy with my great friend Michelle. It was in early June, along the lakefront in Chicago. That time of year should be a fairly comfortable time to run weather-wise. Little did we know that was just the start of an incredibly HOT and HUMID summer! It was about 90 degrees when I finished...limping and shuffling the last couple of miles due to bad calf cramps. Oy....those were brutal! But seeing Michelle at the finish kept me moving, and I earned that darn medal.

The second Half was the Fox Valley Marathon Races Half. It started and finished in my hometown of St. Charles, IL, and it. was. incredible!!!!! I've run on the paths that the course took many, many times, so it felt like being home. Plus the race is so well organized, and the support along the course was fabulous. I felt great through the whole race - although I won't lie...the final loop through Mount St. Mary Park was rough lol! Right as I was coming up on the 13 mile mark I saw my friend Sue. Let me tell you...that hug she gave me was exactly what I needed at that point! I pretty much cried my way through the finish, and then got to stay to cheer on the rest of my friends.

Sadly, though, my running has suffered some this year. I admit that I got a little burned out early in the summer, and between vacation and a business trip I had several weeks where I didn't run much at all. I was also dealing with some hip/glute issues, so I had to take some time off to rest it. I can tell now how much that's helped, as I've started running 2-3 times a week this past month or so.

2013 will start off with me running a 5K on 1/1/13 with my friend Sue! It's supposed to be about 15 degrees, so this might be where I start my speed workouts...hahaha! I have some big goals for this year. I'm planning on running at least 3 half marathons, and I also will sign up for the Chicago Marathon. I'm planning on running to support Team Ronald McDonald House Charities, so the miles will bring funds their way. I'd like to improve my times, as well. I'm pretty proud of how far I've come in two years, and can't wait to see what year 3 brings for me!