Bring it 2012!

Happy New Year! I had an amazing year in 2011 and it is going to be very tough to top it in 2012, but I'm off to a good start. Before I get to that, let me sum up 2011 real quick. I wrapped up the year with a total of 1725.65 miles (205 miles in December). 51 races run (2 less than last year), 1 stair climb, 2 marathons (a new PR in Boston), 5 half marathons (not including the one in my Half Ironman), my first half ironman, 5 sprint triathlons, and Tough Mudder! I'd say I accomplished my resolution to challenge myself in new and different ways.

So, I started off 2012 with the Hangover Classic 10k in Salisbury, MA. My last race before Disney and a good final tune up a week before I run Goofy. I had no expectations and didn't push myself, 'I'm tapering' I kept telling myself. Just a nice easy 6.2 mile run. I felt really good. I didn't wear my garmin or anything, I just ran for the love of running, plus I planned on doing the optional polar plunge at the end of the race and didn't want to forget I was wearing expensive electronics and ruin them. I did that before with a cheap pedometer and had visions of the same fate for my garmin and it WAS NOT cheap.

I finished the race and ran right onto the beach. The sun was out and it was unseasonably warm, not to mention I just ran 6 miles so I was pretty warmed up too. I decided the best way to do the polar plunge was to not think about it and not hesitate, so I stripped off my running clothes, I was prepared and wore my bikini underneath, and I ran right into the water as if it was the start of a triathlon. I dove right in. The water was actually really refreshing and I don't mean that in an icy, took my breath away and kinda hurt way, it was just right like an ice bath after a long run, a little painful but totally worth it. The water at Tough Mudder was colder. With the sun out and my body warm from the run, it felt really good to jump in the water. I think there were over 1000 runners and close to half of them did the plunge. So, I can check that one off my list.

Monday I had the day off and didn't really have anything to do, and since I'm tapering I tried really hard to resist the urge to go out for a run. It was VERY difficult because it was a really nice day out. I closed my blinds and refused to be tempted. Instead I spent the day relaxing and sitting on my couch doing nothing. I never even got out of my PJs. It was a little boring and I got antsy and fidgety throughout the day, taper maddness at it's best, my muscles ached and twitched to be used, but I refused to give in and rested. While I was resting I looked up the results from the race the day before, I finished in 55:12! That's almost a PR for me. If I had actually tried a little bit and ran 25 seconds faster I would have PR'd!!!! Oh well, next time maybe. Just means I'm in really good shape for the Goofy Challenge and I can't wait to run it.

This week should go by really fast, but I know it won't. It will go by painfully slow and I will go insane with excitement and energy and a little pre-race anxiety. I really have no pressure going into this race because I am not running it for a PR, I'm running it for fun, so there is less anxiety than I had before Boston and Chicago. Mostly just excitement. I can't wait to go down to Orlando with my friends and go to the Expo and maybe one of the parks and downtown Disney and then run the most magical race on earth. 39.3 miles in two days.

So, since my goal in 2011 was to challenge myself in new and different ways and I pretty much crushed that goal and had an amazing year, I've put some thought into what my 2012 goal will be. I still haven't totally settled on something, but I have a few ideas. I think the overall theme is going to be take more risks and have A LOT of fun! I may work on my list and see how many things I can check off this year and I may attempt some things I never thought I would even think of doing. Stay tuned, it's going to be a good year!