2014 in review

All in all, it was a great year.  I didn't accomplish all of the goals that I'd set for myself at the end of 2013, but I had experiences that I hadn't imagined at that time and am so grateful for how everything worked out.

Training Summary

Running: 1088 miles
Cycling: 2756 miles

Including swimming, cross-training and ElliptiGo-ing, I spent just over 400 hours exercising in 2014 and covered over 4,000 miles.  Total calories burned (as calculated by garmin): 260,961... that's a lot of beer and cupcakes!

Race Summary

Half Marathons: New Orleans, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Phoenix, Tobacco Road, Ottawa, Covered Bridges (VT), Rock and Roll Raleigh, and Chicago

Marathons: Boston and Berlin

Duathlons: USAT Long Course National Championship and ITU Long Course World Championship

Goals for 2014
1. Sub-3:20 marathon (success!)
2. Sub-1:30 half marathon (fail)
3. Sub-13:00 Ironman at Beach to Battleship (deferred)

Goals for 2015

1. Sub-12:00 Ironman at Beach to Battleship

2. Age group podium at the Patriots Half Ironman and B2B

3. Sub-1:30 half marathon

Despite ending the year having accomplished only 1 of my top 3 goals for 2014, I am happy with the year as a whole.  Running a sub 3:20 was my #1 priority, and I accomplished that.  My goal of becoming an Ironman was pushed back a year when I decided to add Powerman Zofingen to the schedule, but I have zero regrets about racing for Team USA, and though it wasn't 140.6, that race was significantly longer than anything I'd ever done, so I am still calling that a win.  Plus, now that I've checked off my marathon goal (for now) and have the experience of finishing an ultra-distance event, I will be able to work through the year with the goal of racing B2B, rather than just finishing it.  Not that I expect to be "fast," but my time goal has dropped significantly and I would like to be in contention in my age group.  

I've also added that elusive 1:30 to the list again.  At this point, it seems unlikely to happen this year, as my training and focus are all on B2B, but I have a mostly downhill summer half marathon and the 5:19 mile I ran this year shows that gravity is my friend, so I am not entirely ruling it out.

Special thanks... 
To my husband for supporting me, taking care of all of the things I don't have time for when I'm training for hours and hours a week, standing outside at races for hours just to see me go by for 2 seconds, and for everything else!

To my family.  Thank you for your endless encouragement and support! I love you guys!

To the best group of training buddies I could imagine.  You inspire and motivate me every day, listen to me go on and on about my training/racing/goals/setbacks, and really make this journey more enjoyable than I could have ever envisioned. 

To my coach for working around my (maybe slightly) crazy schedule and still getting me to the Powerman finish line in one piece and to my coveted 3:1X!

To Bull City Running Company and the Bull City Track Club - y'all have definitely made me faster!

To Esprit de She, Nuun, and Honey Stinger for the Ambassadorships.  

I am excited to see what 2015 will bring!!  Happy New Year, everyone!