End of the Year!

I don't even know where to start. I've had so much on my mind lately that I almost can't think at all.

I suppose I shoud start by noting that while 2011 had a lot of challenges for me, it was by no means a let down. There were some rough spots and a few things that really hurt, but overall I accomplished some long-standing goals, and more importantly got to spend time with some truly amazing people. Running has added so  much to my life, but the people I've met because of it are really what keep me going. I owe everyone I  know a huge thank you.

There are, indeed, a few things I wish would have turned out slightly different. But that's life. More specifically, that's my life. I've often been frustrated with the way my life has played out. I'm almost 30, I don't have my dream job, I have absolutely no idea what my dream job even is, I haven't accomplished all my goals, I don't own a perfect little house and have a perfect husband and 2.5 perfect (except for that weirdo half-child) kids, etc, etc. But what if I did? Is that really how life is supposed to go? I used to think so but now I think that all just sounds generic an boring. Over the past year, while celebrating all the high points and trying to find a way through the lows, I've come to realize that I'm incredibly lucky my life has gone this way. I'm lucky to have had all of the opportunities and freedoms I've had, to have met the people I have, and to actually realize that (I think you can have everything in the entire world but if you don't realize that, it's all worthless).

Moving forward! I usually make some sort of new year's resolution... And I usually break it within a few hours. So this time I'm going to try to do something more attainable. I'm going to try to eat a salad everyday. It's not a huge deal. It's just a salad. But all those little veggies have all sorts of wonderful good healthy things for you and your body. Not that complicated. It goes along with a goal I set a few weeks ago to just take better care of myself. Just little things like drinking enough water and getting enough sleep and so on. Nothing huge. No crazy detox diets. Just a few little changes.

I, of course, also have some running goals. A few weeks back, after my little trip to Las Vegas, I wasn't feeling very motivated to do more with running, but I knew that would change and it definitely has. I have a fall marathon and a time goal picked out but that's for much much later. Right now my big goal races are the Canyonlands Half in March (countdown to dirty thrity, 79 days), the Boulder Boulder 10k in May, and the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half in August. GTIS is a big one. I just found out that it's part of the Colorado Race Series this year which means it's gonna be much more competitive than last year... When I read that everything else in my brain just disappeared. This race, for whatever reason, is such a big freakin' deal to me! I love it! Within minutes of getting this news, I started planning and plotting and have a good time goal set. Aggressive, but good.

I absolutely can't wait til my goal races, but definitely look forward to all of the adventures leading up to them.