2014 Racing Recap

I wasn't going to do a 2014 end-of-the-year recap---and let's face it, 2014 is old news as it's already the middle of January 2015--but I wanted to write something good to remember the year by.

Because, quite frankly, 2014 was a sucky year.

It was the year my husband had a heart attack. It was the year he also found out that the deep brain stimulation that he had implanted isn't working, because it's in the wrong spot in his brain. It was a difficult year with my daughter, full of special behavioral and academic  challenges that have had me questioning what the right thing to do is.

It was the year my beloved mother died, leaving me feeling untethered, unanchored, and somewhat lost in the world.

So I'm trying to find what was good about last year. And when I look back on my race schedule, I can find some good.

January I ran the ABB 5k in Houston, with my son, sisters, niece and nephews.

February I ran the Coronado Valentine's Day 10k and biked in  my first metric century, the Senorita

March brought my second half-Ironman, California Oceanside 70.3 triathlon

April had me running the Peace Love Run 5k with my son.

In May I biked my first century (at 106.2 miles, actually a century and a 10k) during the San Diego Century.

In June, I showed my son my alma mater at the UCSD Triton 5k and swam the La Jolla Pier to Cove 1.5 mile swim.


July had me running in the Costume Party Half Marathon.

In August, I had a new distance running the trails during the Balboa Park 8 Miler.

September was my second Tiki Swim, a grueling 2.4 mile open water swim.

October had me running on the beach during the Surfing Madonna 5k.

November had two races---the Awesome 80's 5k with my son, and the Annapolis Running Classic Half Marathon---my first race in Maryland with another state checked off my list!

December was capped off by running the Hot Buttered Run 10k with my son---his first 10k!

I didn't mean to race every month, but just worked out that way (except for December's race, which I signed up for only because I realized I had raced every other month!)

5 5ks....2 10ks....an 8 mile race....2 half marathons....a 1.5 mile open water swim...a 2.4 mile open water swim...a metric century....a full century...and a half-Ironman.

THIS is how I stay sane. When people ask me how I cope with all the crap in my life, all you need to do is look at my training schedule.  Taking my stress out on the water, roads and sidewalks helps me immensely.

496 miles run
1712 miles biked
104 miles swum

Not as much as some...but with the year I had, and the injuries I sustained, I'm satisfied.

Come on, 2015.  I'm ready for you.  Bring it.