2011 recap

If I were to sum up this year in one word, it would be ADVENTURE!  This was definitely a year of trying new things, meeting new people, and completely abandoning my comfort zone.  While life certainly isn't perfect, I can say without a doubt that this has been one of the most fun, exciting years of my life.

By the numbers:

22 total races (3 of which were non-races/private races)

8 running
5 cycling
3 orienteering
5 multisport
3 non-races/private races

Running:
8 total races
6 trail
2 road

Cycling:
5 total races
2 road
2 mountain bike
1 cross

Multisport:
2 biathlons
1 triathlon
3 adventure races

My first snowy ride at Lost Valley with the Alpine Shop Dirty Girls ride

January saw the beginning of marathon training and learning to mountain bike. I ventured into the snow for my first "real" mountain bike ride and did some long run sightseeing while in Chicago for a volleyball tournament.

Running with Luke and Jim at Castlewood.

The snow continued in February, and I piggybacked onto my friends' training so that I had company on my long runs.  I made one a great decision in joining a running club, and towards the end of the month, I finally ran my first race of the year, a 15K trail race.

Quite possibly my favorite picture ever.

March brought my first 20+ mile run and my first adventure race, a non-race put on my my friends in Team Virtus.  It was an epic day that made me even more excited about adventure racing.

Margaritas > birthday cake

In April, I celebrated my birthday, my friends kept me busy and I met the incomparable Wendy Davis while I was sidelined by Achilles tendonitis, I marked my one year running anniversary, and I headed to Wisconsin for my first marathon...in a trip that took a little longer than expected.

Never, ever would have thought I'd have one of these.

The first day of May was marathon day, a truly amazing experience.  I wasn't walking too fast for a while, but towards the end of the month I did a mini-adventure race and melted in a biathlon.



Victory, even virtual victory, is sweet.

June brought a crushing defeat for my son's high school volleyball team at the State tournament, my attempts at taking it easier on myself, and a smashing victory over Chris K in Adam's Sweat Your Thorns Off virtual 5K.

Sweet victory

In July, I ate 9 donuts for nothing, rode in my first mountain bike race, and amazingly took first in a road race.

Fading in the crit

Hiking Mt. Whitney with Jill

August taught me that there's more to a crit than riding your bike in circles, mountain climbing is harder when carrying a cooler on your head, and not having any business at a mountain bike race is no reason not to be there.

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I don't think I ever stopped smiling.

September was a great month.  I set a 5K PR, and the Berryman Adventure Race was the culmination of a year of excitement, blog-stalking adventure racers, and training in things I'm terrible at...all for 14.75 hours of fun and disqualification for missing the time cut-off. I loved it and would've done another one the next day.




Running to the finish with J.



Wild in the Woods with friends

In October, I completed my friend Mike's private half-ironman which was brutally un-fun to someone who vastly undertrained and then had a blast running a 7 mile trail race with friends.

Wild in the Woods Broemmelsiek 5-mile

Clearing a log at Land Between the Lakes

November was a busy month, with a 5 mile trail race, coming in third-last in the 30K Skippo trail race, and a fantastic ladies' mountain bike weekend in Kentucky.

At the finish line at the 8-Hour

Almost there at Pere Marquette

My new favorite bike outfit.

December wrapped up the year with a 46-minute PR at the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run, a guest appearance with Orange Lederhosen at the Castlewood 8-hour, and a merry little CXMAS.

It was a fantastic, if somewhat hyperactive and scattershot, year.  I'm not sure how 2012 could equal it, but hopefully it will bring its own new challenges and epic adventures.  I can't wait.