Here comes Peter Cottontail...

I love Easter - collecting eggs at the local hunt, family gatherings, singing "Christ the Lord is Risen Today," praising all things that sustain my spirit - and wish it happened more than once a year.  And then there other things that should happen more frequently - like posting on my blog.  Alas, the further I got into 2016, the harder that first post became and so here we are, end of March and finally getting my butt in gear.

So, in the coming days I'm planning to play catch up.  I'll post a couple of race recaps - Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge in February and HAT Run 50K last weekend - and then perhaps I can get on a regular schedule.

In the meantime, I can't kick off the year without reviewing my goals from 2015 and setting new goals for 2016.

New Year's Day started off right!

This past year was altogether more and less than I expected.  I didn't hit my time goals, though I did post some new PRs.  I was a horrible blogger with only 15 posts for the year.  I still own two houses.  And my family probably rues some of the missed opportunities due to a tough fall training schedule.  BUT, I did reach some of my goals and can always give the others another try.  After all, if you don't reach high and miss, then you never challenge yourself.

So here's looking back on 2015:

• I ran 1296.27 miles in 2015 (the goal was 1245)!  It took me three years to achieve this goal, and finally it's mine.
• I posted a PR in the marathon - 4:00:20 (Steamtown)!  Yowza!  That was 48 minutes off my previous PR.  I also posted a PR in the 10K - 49:17 (10K Across the Bay).
• I worked to rebuild my fitness level, including strength, and along the way I worked my butt back into my pre-pregnancy suits.  I even picked up a new sport - stand-up paddleboarding.
• Got a bit sidelined in blogging these past few years, and didn't keep up with this one.  There's always this year.
• I did wind down my tenure as the race director for the Annapolis Striders Anniversary Run, in prep for a move out of state (which isn't happening now).  But, yay me!
• I did not unload my other spare house in 2015.  Water damage delayed this one a bit since we had to rebuild much of the inside of the house...but it's on the market now.  Fingers crossed!
• As a family, we ventured out into the world to explore new family-friendly activities semi-regularly.
• We also kept alive our goalto learn about Chinese tradition and incorporate one into our family activities by taking in the Washington, DC dragon boat races.



Making it count, even in blizzard conditions!

• And perhaps as important as any other goal, my tribe is alive and well.  There are few things I would have accomplished this past year without the women I hold dearest.  Through tough runs or crappy days, sharing joys and pains smoothed the road to be happy, healthy and a better person.

It was a great 2015.  It's always fun and interesting to look back and realize you accomplished more and less than you set out to accomplish, but looking forward can be so much more fun and infinitely more interesting (setting new goals and investing in reaching them).  So let's get started:

• I will run 1500 miles in 2016!!!

• I will reach for those new time goals again - 5:55:00 50k, hit a Boston qualifying time in the marathon (3:4:00), 1:45:00 half marathon, 1:20:00 ten miler, 37:30 five miler. Boston is the big one....I'm really buckling down to qualify in 2016.
• I will continue to build my fitness, including strength (off to a decent start).
• I will more regularly blog about my running this year. I've realized that blogging helps me, personally, in keeping track of where I am and how I'm doing reaching my running goals.  I also enjoy looking back on the memories and experiences I had along the way.
• I will be there for my tribe, being present not just in attendance.
• I will unload my other spare house in 2016.  For real this time.
• As my husband moves to another country for work for a year, and the kids and I stay behind, I will work to keep smiles on their faces and build memories that they enjoy sharing with their daddy.
• We will continue to learn about Chinese tradition and incorporate one into our family traditions in 2016 - maybe even add more phrases to our limited Chinese vocabulary.

 So that's about it.  I'm excited to keep plugging toward my goals and seeing what this year brings.  Happy trails!!!

The tribe....or rather, some of it.

2016 miles to date: 348.19

Observations:  I'm lucky that my body has held up to the battering I've inflicted on it the past few months.  I've pushed through minor pulls in my right hamstring, scares with the old back injury and a weird pain in my left calf, but nothing that has slowed me down.  My body, though, is looking forward to a training slow down for the next month before I ramp back up in preparation for the fall marathon season.

Outdoors enjoyment....

While the weekend didn't come off exactly the way I would have liked, physical fitness speaking at any rate, this weekend was definitely not about being a counch potato. A) We had fantastic weather and B) we just had to be outside in it.

Saturday started with a great three-mile walk with the dogs. If you know my dogs, you know Jimmy Dean refuses to be the last dog ob the porch though his legs are only an inch long, and he's overweight. I'm surprised that his heart didn't burst fronm overexertion, but he would not walk at a slow pace. Duncan, on the other hand just enjoyed being out and about at whatever pace...though we did discover horses aren't really his thing. So, we made it home, mostly in one peace though slightly traumatized (there was a dead snake in the road, and I don't care if they are alive or dead, they cause me panic), and got ready for our afternoon out to see Wicked at the Kennedy Center.

The evening exercise just couldn't be helped. We had evening reservations at Chart House to celebrate my birthday (yes a few months late) but we were early and decided to walk around Market Square and City Dock before dirving over to Eastport. After trying on all the hats at Hats in the Belfry (that's exercise isn't it?) the weather was too good not to walk to Eastport, regardless of whether stilettos make great walking shoes. The roundtrip to where the car was parked added about another three miles to the day's tally.


Sunday just begged for sailing. We hustled up a few crew (read Elizabeth, David and Emma) and rented a Rainbow out at NSA Annapolis. We spent a few great hours cruising the Severn and the bay, zigging and zagging with the other sailors looking to take advantage of the fantastic winds. Jay got some very unique exercise while we were out. Emma wanted to swim - DESPERATELY - but we weren't about to let her jump out with the boat traffic, so Jay grabbed hold of the straps on the back of her lifevest and held her over the edge. She looked a bit like a dolphin skimming the surface of the water. Rather amusing if you ask me. Good thing he didn't drop her. While we definitely didn't add to the cardio tally, we did get that upper body workout. All's well that ends well, and we managed to fish an American flag out of the river while we were at it.

All in all, a weekend well spent. Onward ho....