Year in review
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The other day I was feeling down thinking I had wasted my entire year doing absolutely nothing. And then when I actually reflected, I realized I was just an idiot. I did A LOT. So much I forgot about it all. I was jumping from one thing to the next, it ended being a blur.
Running
I started off the year crazy stupid ambitious. I remember a year ago around this time, I was so stressed and anxious about Dopey. A big storm was about to pass through and I left work early to get a day head start on driving down to Florida. And it was a really good thing we did because had we left even half a day later, we would have been stuck in a huge traffic mess. The major highway leading down to Virginia was a standstill for over a day, if I remember. People were stuck in their cars overnight due to all the accidents from the snow. It was crazy. We had drove right through it before it got impassable. I was so relieved. And then the entire week at Disney felt like chaos. As much fun as I had in the parks during the day, it was a lot of stress getting enough sleep, waking up and getting to the races on time and completing them all. It was quite a journey. So much happened. But in the end, I successfully completed it. I still can’t believe it to this day I did it. It still feels unreal. I want to say it’s probably one of my craziest and proudest achievements of my life. Those 6 months of training was a roller coaster and I’m glad I got through it. I’m proud of how far I’ve come because completing this challenge was proof to me that if I worked hard, dedicated the time and energy to it, I can honestly do anything if I set my mind to it. Cause a few years ago, I would’ve told you you were crazy if I was ever going to be able to run a full marathon, let alone a Dopey 48.6 miles.
And then batshit crazy me ran all the way back to Disney in February to do the Princess Challenge AGAIN. I completed my 2nd in person Princess challenge and 3rd Princess weekend (first year I only did the half, not the challenge). I had one of the best experiences on this trip too having developed more friendships within the running community over the years and it was so nice finally getting to meet everyone in person!
I was also hoping to do a faster time than my previous half marathon PR on this trip but fell short. Looking back, all my runs since Dopey have been a little off and I'm realizing now it's because I was pushing my body to do so many long runs and so many races without properly recovering and resting. And then I took this summer off and realized I had to build myself back up again to where I last left off with my speed, stamina and endurance. I need to find a happy medium of maintenance training so I can avoid going too hard and risking injury, and not resting too long in between that it feels so strenuous starting up again. I need to work on that for 2023, to avoid the burnout, because I definitely pushed myself more than I had intended. In January, I only had WDW Dopey, Princess Half weekend and the DC Cherry Blossom 10 miler for my race season. Then it expanded to the Brooklyn Half, which then snowballed into the 9 + 1 qualifier for the NYC 2023 Marathon. Now that I’m sitting here thinking about it, I realized I ran 17 races this year! Holy hell. I only intended for 8, which I felt was overwhelming enough so it’s crazy how I went way over that. No wonder I felt burnt out. All those early mornings traveling to the city to get them done was tough. All in all, this was a very busy race season for me and I learned a lot about myself and what my body can endure. I learned a lot about running too and the work that goes into training for a full and how different it is from a half. I learned about how important hydration, fueling, stretching, proper training, sleep, nutrition and recovery are all key to a successful race experience. The most important too is your mental health. This is important to help get you through the hardest parts of training because those walls are real.
Fitness Journey
I should be more proud of myself for my non-scale victories and stop allowing myself to be disappointed by the number on a scale. Although! The number on the scale, when broken down, shows my fat percentage to be on a low end, and my protein/muscle composition to be high so I should be proud of the work I’ve been putting in. The weight gain, while discouraging at times, is actually very healthy and something other people strive really hard for so I should practice gratitude for what my body is able to achieve.
My non-scale victories I want to commend, is how hard I’ve worked over the years to maintain my active lifestyle. Because that’s truly what it is now, a big part of my daily routine so much that I don’t feel good unless I get some movement in. And I’m proud of how much I’ve done in trying different things to cross-train to switch things up and keep it interesting and fun. I go to the gym, lift weights, run, walk with my husband, practice Blogilates, hell I even did another round of Insanity this summer! I try to get in my steps everyday. I tell myself to be active for at least 30 minutes when I’m strapped for time but for the most part I try to work out for an average of 1-2 hours a day. I’m really proud of myself for making this a healthy habit.
I also was given the opportunity to work with Popflex and Crowned Athletics on several projects this year which I’m definitely very proud of to be considered for. I always get imposter syndrome about it, but I really appreciate when a brand genuinely reaches out because I align with their brand. This was a big milestone for me.
travel
I was fortunate enough to be able to travel and go on several vacations this year. I went to Disney World twice and participated in 2 race weekends, Disneyland, Bermuda and DC. Sometimes I get sad about not being able to afford Europe and Asia travels to explore new destinations but I’ve still been very fortunate.
This is also probably why I’m depressed about my financial situation. Had I not been so reckless with all these trips trying to chase a molecule of serotonin, this December might not have hurt as much with all the financial curveballs thrown at me this month. We just had to replace our washer and dryer since ours broke and it would cost more to fix than replace. And then I was due for my car inspection but interestingly enough, my check engine light went off and a month later, here I am, $4k in the hole to fix the issue. On top of our heating bill, regular bills and of course, the added costs and stress of Christmas. It’s been a little rough and overwhelming because it was a lot of financial hits all at once, especially in December. Although I shouldn’t complain. As financially stressful as it’s been, I am still very fortunate. I have my health, my family, and my absolutely amazing husband by my side helping me navigate all these issues. I sat there at Christmas reflecting and realized I need to practice more gratitude. I have not one but several places to go to for the holidays because I am fortunate enough to have healthy family connections. And at each gathering I attended, we were blessed with such an abundance of good food to eat at each.
We aren’t rich or anything, but we are happy, healthy, and honestly want for nothing. I am showered with love by friends, family and my amazing husband. I can’t stress this enough because I really need to get it through my head when my demons come to play and make me think otherwise.
