It's been a hell of a year.
There have been ups and there have been downs, but that is to be expected with any long-term goals. Mostly, there has been a lot of sweat and blisters. And when I take a look at what I actually accomplished this year, I have to take a moment and pat myself on the back:
I completed three triathlons this year, which is one more than last year.
Two of the three were longer distances than I had done last year.
I raced my husband in one of them and not only BEAT HIM BY 40 SECONDS, I got first in my age group.
My Olympic distance was 1500 meters open water swim (about 60 laps in the pool), 25 miles on the bike, and a 6.2 mile run.
Three years ago I barely finished one triathlon which was the same distance I got first place in this year.
I ran in three half-marathons this year.
It was only last year that I ran my first half-marathon.
Three years ago I barely finished a 5K without walking.
Now don't get me wrong- I didn't break any World Records or gain any sponsors this year because of my amazing results. But I did take myself farther (literally ) than I ever thought I could go.
I ended my season at The Queen Bee in Cincinnati, Ohio. What an absolute great time that was. It was like one big party the entire time. Cincinnati really knows how to support their runners. The main sponsors were Kroger and Proctor & Gamble. This was an all female race- and guess who does the majority of shopping? That's right- women. And they had over 3000 of them all in one spot. I've never gotten so much free stuff in my life- it was like Trick or Treat for adult women! I won't have to buy laundry soap, travel shampoo bottles, or tampons for years!
They fed us before, during, and after the race for free (minus of course the race fee which was no more than any other race). I opted out of the beer and Skyline chili dog though- I failed the post-race beer experiment miserably earlier this year....I did force down my free post-race mimosa though- it went splendidly with my complimentary chocolate covered strawberry while I waited in line to get my medal engraved!
We got long-sleeved shirts, headbands, and free coupons to all sorts of restaurants and stores. There was a stadium blanket, and even a gorgeous sunflower that had a tag on it- " put me in water at home so you can be reminded of how awesome you are!".
Every mile was it's own little party, with the usual water and Gatorade, but always something more. Sometimes the volunteers wore funny costumes like bumblebee outfits or coconut bras (the especially large guy was hilarious). There was live music in between each mile as well, from simple guitarists to marching bands and gospel choirs. High school cheerleaders threw each other in the air, and tons of running clubs wore funny shirts and screamed crazy things at us for encouragement.
We ran through beautiful neighborhoods, where residents lined the streets in their pajamas with their dogs on leashes and cheered us on while they drank their morning coffee. Some offered their own refreshments- I saw everything from muffins to an actual make-shift bar with Coke, Red Bull, Jello Shots, and cans of beer to offer.
The race volunteers were awesome, and I had my choice of Swedish Fish, Twizzlers, potato chips, orange slices, chocolate covered Oreos, and Stinger gels to pick from throughout the journey. Knowing my stomach is usually what slows me down in races, I only took them up on the Swedish Fish. I quickly realized this was a mistake, as it is quite difficult to chew and breathe heavy at the same time. I think that one fish swam in my mouth for at least a full mile....
At mile eight, I couldn't believe how good I still felt, and knew that I was ahead of pace. This is the best course I have done so far in regards to elevation, but I knew all too well that the last quarter of the race is what makes or breaks you.
Mile 9 and 10 is usually my "witching hour", and as I neared the end of Mile eight I made a decision.
Today Mile 9 and 10 were going to be my best ones of the race. I had trained so hard and prepped so carefully- I was NOT going to let the mental darkness get me this time. So I dug in, focused on those in front of me, and slowly but surely passed more people towards the end than I had ever dreamed of doing.
I crossed the finish line hard and fast- something I hadn't had the energy to do in any of my others. There was no concern of puking on the shoes of the volunteer who put the medal over my head. And I hadn't walked at all the entire race- another accomplishment for me.
Looking at my Garmin, I realized I had taken almost seven minutes off my best time. Holy smokes! All the runs at 4 o'clock in the morning and the bugs I had swallowed on the bike path were suddenly more than worth it- I started to skip a little towards the line of post-race food.
Ahhh shit shit cramp!
It's a little funny to look around at runners after a long race. We just finished sprinting beautifully across the finish line- and now everyone is walking around like zombies, afraid to put too much pressure where their blisters are or afraid if they sit down their entire lower body will give them the middle finger and not let them get up again.
But as happy and proud as I was for my myself that day, I was happier and prouder as I watched the 12-year old cross his finish line today. This was his first year running Cross Country, and it has been such a great experience. He has had great coaches, and made some new friends. But more importantly, he has learned some important lessons:
1. Sometimes, you have to rely on yourself. In running, there is no one else to blame if you don't finish like you wanted to. You can't say the ref gave you a bad call, or that someone on your team missed a block. It's you and the clock. Period. So if you do great- pat yourself on the back. If you don't- man up and take the responsibility, and figure out how you are going to do better next time.
2. There will always be someone faster than you. And that's ok. If you are giving everything you've got, that's all that matters. You have to learn to be comfortable with who you are, and realistic about what you can do. You may never be in the front of the pack, but you can always strive to be one second faster than last time.
3. Running shorts (aka "shorty shorts") are actually comfortable once you get used to walking around with more than your knee caps showing.
The 12-year old couldn't even run a full mile without stopping before school started. Within two weeks of starting on the team, he was up to 4 and five miles. He started the season running 2 miles in 17:37. A little over two months later, he crossed the line today at 15:53.
His PR was 16:35. Today's goal was 16 minutes..
He came out of the woods and hit the track running hard. He actually passed a few kids toward the end, and gave it all he had across the finish line. If the parent standing in front of me happens to read this post- I apologize if I burst your eardrum.
At 15:53, he was still towards the back of the pack. But you would never have known it by the smile on his face when he came up to us afterward. I hugged him fiercely and he said, "Dad told me to not leave anything out there today. So I didn't".
Good job kiddo. Good freaking job.
So 2015 ends on a high note for this household. I have learned so much this year, and am grateful for many things:
My family, my friends, and even my boss who have supported me and my crazy schedule.
Getting through a season injury free, minus a run-in with my bike pedal that has left me with a battle scar. I passed many athletes this year who were not as lucky, so I am thankful.
And last but not least, I am grateful for Glide lubricant. This discovery has enabled me to survive the long-distance training sessions without chafed thighs and armpits.
I have already started back up with my tri workouts, but at a much more relaxed pace. Soon enough, it will be time to write out hard goals and make lists, plans, and maybe even a graph or two....but for now I am going to enjoy the end of warm days and take some time to think about what I really want to do next year. Besides beat my husband again of course- that's a given.
Hope your year has ended on a high note as well, whatever that means for you. Remember- there will always be someone faster, and that my friends, is ok.
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