2011 was the best and worst running year of my life - and by life, I mean the three years I have been seriously running. Drama Queen much? You bet.
So, why so good and bad? Many can guess the bad, but what about the good? The awesome and the irreplaceable? Here's the recap:
The Good:
-I met my group, the Lake Effect Run Club. My first run with them was last January and it immediately felt like home. I can certainly call them not just my running friends, but my friends. They have stuck by my side out on the road, and when I was held up on the couch. They bore my sarcasm, my tears, complaining and the whole nine yards. I'm truly grateful and blessed. (see "awesome" and "irreplaceable" above)
-For a while, I was in great shape. A lot of cross training and mentally preparing myself for the marathon had me feeling strong and healthy. I nearly PR'd a 5K, ran some damn challenging "races" (Mountain Goat?) and was doing plank jacks like nobody's business in the middle of my living room
- This blog. Ok, I've neglected it since August, but it got my writing blood pumping again, which is always a positive.
The Bad:
- Skunk Cabbage meltdown.
- Injury/injuries
- Forfeiture of Boilermaker and the Marathon - devastating on the mind, heart, and wallet.
The Ugly
- It's December 21 and running 5-6 miles is a lot. Again.
- Not only is the mileage challenging, returning to my normally scheduled program - the Routine - is painstaking.
- Knowing the choices in my walk-in closet are severely limited due to the acquisition of pudge the last four months...
For a quick injury update, I am somewhat back in the game. The ankle/shin region gets pretty stiff on occasion but there could be various reasons for it. I refuse to go into detail because honestly, it's boring and beating the dead running horse at this point.
Onto the next year: some goals? To really get back on track - 3 days of week running at least. I'm about 80% committed to trying our inaugural Lake Effect Half Marathon in February (yes, February. In Syracuse. Upstate New York.). A marathon, at this point in time, is not scheduled but in the back of my mind until I firmly decide the 26.2 is not for me (never did like even numbers..) The usual suspects will be added to the roster, like the Shamrock 4 miler, Goat, Boilermaker. And yes, probably Skunk Cabbage, seeing as I will more than likely be dragged by the Saucony's out of my house and all the way up and down Turkey Hill against my will (groan).
Ok - let's hear it for the new year!
