2008 in Review

It's time for an update, and now that it's the end of the year, I figured I would do a year in review. 2008 was definitely a busy year, for training and racing as well as our personal life.

January started off with the Disney marathon for a 3rd year in a row. This year, I ran every step with my friend and we stopped to take pictures with EVERY character along the way. Finish time: 5:57:16 (I think this was my slowest marathon ever, but it was worth it).

At the end of January came the 3M half marathon where I set a PR of 2:00:48, but still didn't reach the goal of a half marathon under 2 hours.

February kicked-off the training season for America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride (AMBBR) with Team in Training, but I had to skip a weekend to rest for the Austin Marathon. Finish time: 5:02:22.

I was still training for AMBBR, but at the end of March ran the Capital 10,000 coming in at 1:00:41. Then in May I ran the Deutschen Pfest 5k. I was on track to PR, but the lead runners took a wrong turn and we ended up running farther than a 5k. My final time: 32:15.

At the end of May, I left for Lake Tahoe to ride the AMBBR, which was great fun. We had perfect weather and my legs felt better after 100+ miles on the bike than they ever do after a marathon.

When I got home from Tahoe, I sent my 12 year old off to Italy and Greece for 20 days. At the end of June I participated in the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon, setting another PR of 1:29:10. Then my husband, son and I went to Ohio for some fun time for my son.

July was extremely busy. Madison came home and then both kids immediately left for church camp. I was in charge of a Chrysalis for youth one weekend and then we went to a wedding the next. After that, it was time for my high school reunion, which I was also in charge of. And somewhere in there, I continued to train for the Longhorn 70.3 at the beginning of October, once again setting a PR for that distance of 6:56:47.

The weekend after Longhorn, I decided I needed to try running in a skirt, so I did the Skirt Chaser 5K for fun, but surprised myself by finishing in 27:33. And not long after that came back problems that sidelined me. I ended up walking the Race for the Cure after hoping to PR that race as well.

Then we celebrated an anniversary, got a new dog, celebrated my husband's birthday, and then celebrated Christmas with lots of family.

The last week and a half has been good. I was off work most of the week of Christmas. I got in a 12 mile run the weekend before Christmas, two 4 mile runs while at my mother-in-law's, a 14 mile run this past weekend, and two 6+ mile runs so far this week. I need to get in a 2 mile run Wednesday, and I will have run just over 100 miles in the month of December.

Here are my totals for the year as of today (12/30/08)
Bike: 1486.53 miles (I'm hoping to get in 14 more on Wednesday)
Run: 718.35
Swim: 14,254.52 yards
Strength training: 21 hours 43 minutes
Trainer: 7 hours
Spin class: 2 hours 15 minutes
Walking: 3 hours 8 minutes
Wii Fit: 2 hours 40 minutes (I only put this because it's considered a "sport" on the log I use)
Yoga: 35 hours

My running was less than last year, but my cycling was more. I need to find the balance for next year. And I need to swim more. It's just not as easy as running or cycling from the house.

So, what does 2009 look like? Well, I haven't really sat down and devoted time to thinking about it overall, but I do know some things.

January - 3M half marathon
February - Austin half or full marathon (I need to decide SOON)
March - Capital 10,000
April - Zooma half marathon (?)
May - Deutschen Pfest 5k
June - America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride (I will fundraise again)
June - Lake Pflugerville Triathlon
October - Marine Corps Marathon (if we can get in)
November - Race for the Cure

There may be other races thrown in when they work with my schedule. We'll see. And if I get into Marine Corps, then I plan on spectating and cheering on the racers at the Longhorn 70.3. It's a great race and I'd love to do it again, but it's too close to the Marine Corps marathon and my friend and I have been wanting to do the marathon for a couple of years.

I'm hoping the rest of my life slows down some as well. We won't be sending a child out of the country next year, and I won't be planning a Chrysalis or high school reunion. I've already given up teaching Sunday school and have found a class that I enjoy being a participant in. Plus, I've served on two different boards for the last 3-6 years, and next year I roll off of both of those - one in May and the other in August.

I'd like to keep up the training, but spend some time catching up on scrapbooking as well. I did some over the holidays, but still have lots to do. I have a scrapbook of all my major races and am almost through with that. The big task will be getting caught up on the kid's school scrapbooks and then our last vacation. And, if I can find the time, I wouldn't mind learning how to sew. I want to learn how to make t-shirt quilts (because I have tons of race shirts I never wear and I also think it would be nice to do for the kids).

The other big thing of 2009 will be deciding if I will be doing an Ironman in 2010. If I decide to move forward with that (and get the family's blessing), I need to decide which one I'm going to do and go out to volunteer for the 2009 race so that I can sign up the next morning. Yes, for an Ironman that's what has to be done. And it's a huge committment, financially as well as with time and training.

Well, that pretty much sums up 2008 and looks ahead to 2009. I hope you and your family have a Happy New Year!!!! May it be filled with friends, family and lots of blessings.