That's All She Wrote

For 2012 anyway. ;)

These are my 2012 stats:
Ran 2,674 miles (Yay!)
Rode 3,593 miles (Oops...my poor bikes!)
Racing: 30 races (see below, the monthly # in the top row is the number of race miles for the month)

Little did I know when I started the year that I would be racing that much or do that many ultras. I wasn't even planning any marathons for 2012 but ended up running 4! And 5 ultras? Yeah, that was a surprise to me too.

This year hasn't all been peaches and roses (foot injury, DNS for Old Goat 50, DNF for Death Valley, that stupid ER trip that cost me so much money...sigh) but the good far, far outweighed the bad. When I think about 2012, I have some incredible memories that make me smile. I had some awesome adventures that I never dreamed I would have. I saw some wild and beautiful places that took my breath away and raced in the Happiest Place On Earth! Because of running, this year I got to visit Graceland and Mt. Rushmore and run near Area 51. What more could a girl ask for?

So many times when I clicked the submit button for a race this past year, I was scared out of my running shorts. Could I do it? Could I run technical trails? Could I run a race with 5700 ft of climbing? Could I run at 7000 Ft elevation? Would I get lost during a trail race? Would I get eaten by a mountain lion or a bear? Heck, I was even worried about crewing Josh (would I lose him/fall asleep/get maped by a moose). Yes, I have a great imagination but sometimes it's a disadvantage when you think up worst case scenarios!

So obviously, I didn't get eaten by a wild animal. And I did get lost a couple of times but managed to find my way back! And I survived all of the challenges that I put myself through and had fun while I was doing it! That's one of my biggest lessons from 2012. I CAN DO IT. It may take me a while and I may have some things to learn, but I can take care of myself...and others. I just have to take things one step at a time and not let it overwhelm me.

One other great thing about this year was the camaraderie I felt with runners at races. A lot of my races have been lonely. Oh sure, my family has gone to see me race and I've met runners on the course but for the most part, I run by myself. This past year was filled with running with others though and I really appreciated it. It made me feel like part of a larger community. Some of that has come from Twitter and Run It Fast - The Club but some of it has also come from meeting local runners and catching up with them at races. Some of the moments that bring a smile to face are finishing the JJ50K with Josh and Naresh, running ETFMM51K with Cliff, running Disney with Teal & Beth, and running with everyone at Flying Monkey.

What else did I learn in 2012? I learned I love trails. I learned I love doing things I didn't think I could do. I learned that I don't want to just do a race because it's a fast course but because the course is beautiful or challenging or unique or because there's something about the area I want to explore. I don't want to race for racing's sake. I want adventure. I need adventure. It makes the Indiana Jones in me very happy. :)

So I plan to do more of that!

Happy New Year! May 2013 be a fabulous running year for you!