Swim Bike Family: Year in Review

Of course, now is almost the time of year (for sappy bloggers especially!) where we turn inward and create goals for the next year, and then we write about it. I do it every year— and I love goal setting. I love picking super crazy big goals. But somehow in the middle of the goal setting, I manage to do some self-beating-up (why didn’t YOU LOSE THE WEIGHT THIS YEAR?) —there’s always that.

But this year, I am not going to create a negative reflection of 2013.  Now, Ironman Coeur d’Alene was the shining triathlon achievement of the year.  And seriously, the last 23 days of clean eating has come in a close second.

The rest of 2013 was sort of for the birds.  Not on paper–but inside—was just a really tough year for our family–but during the tough times is when you can expect to experience the greatest growth. So we’re gonna call it a year of growth.

Here’s the Swim Bike Family Year-in-Review:

(January) The Expert loses his job. I start to freak about about this little race I signed up for--Ironman Coeur d’Alene.

(February) I start to freak about about said job loss. I decide to run a half marathon to cope. Training starts to really ramp up. I learn the art of the ice bath.

(March)  I really started to freak about said job loss, just as the Expert found a new job, which required us to move 25 miles from current house.  We become landlords to our old home–just as we become tenants in a new house that we really liked.  And Sweet Red and I were forced to separate… we had just become almost neighbors (sistahs).

To keep my perspective towards Ironman, I take the next 100 days to write dedications to people who are important to my journey (and my life.)  I cry A LOT.  (All dedications (if you TOO want to cry) are here: https://www.swimbikemom.com/the-road-to-ironman).

(April) I swam a lot.  Lots and lots.

I experience the straw-that-broke-my-hip in a terrible incident at Silver Comet Trail.  I get bad and good news about my hips.

(May) Ironman training got super nasty.  Yoda and I rode every century in the state of Georgia, including  Dick, a Water Meter, and the Mantrum Ride.  I fell and broke my ass. Then Yoda gave me some bubble wrap.

Everything seemed to really get tough during this time—as did family life and marriage. (Did I mention  that I started a new job???).  Enter cortisone shot for hip.

(June) I get to do podcast with Another Mother Runner. But Marriage begins to really feel the effects of Ironman. Taper happens.

Then Ironman happens.

We survive. All of us.

(July) Due to contamination in our cute rental house, we are forced to move.  We moved about 2 miles down the street— into the house which henceforth was dubbed the Hell House.  You can read the offensive stories about our homelessness here. 

Swim Bike Sell starts to take off thanks to Sweet Red.

(August)  Hell House is still the same, and I am in full Ironman burnout–though I am in denial.  I show up for a sprint tri unprepared and learn some lessons. Quickly, I am rocking with a new eating plan.

(September) I made it though almost 30 days of a great eating plan, and decided I needed to sabotage.  My second time tackling Ironman 70.3 Augusta. I had a terrible attitude as my  Ironman burnout had clearly not cleared.  I just eat too much. 

And Coach Monster is no longer my coach.

(October) The Expert takes on Rev3 Anderson-–dropping down from the Half to the Oly.  He blames me and my Ironman suckage for taking the wind out of his Half.  But he writes a real race report, so I forgive him.

Again, we plow through marriage, celebrate 12 years together and turn lemons into lemonade by dressing up and running a 5k.(Oh, and during this time, I somehow have morphed back into being a lawyer. And for the first time ever, I really love the legal work that I am doing. )

Oh, and the Swim Bike Boy Child turns 6!  AND I have a new coach, Coach T-Bone.

(November)  I turn 34 and finally get over the Ironman burnout.  I fall in love with yoga which inspires a series of very reflective posts. And the Expert hires a coach with PTS Sports – his first time EVER with a new coach. The Swim Bike Family has a wonderful Thanksgiving which includes runs on the beach and me finally breaking my 5k time – sub-30 minutes, baby!  

(Oh, and did I mention November was…. Andy Potts?)

(December) The Expert turns 37, and we start December off with a bang with Swim Bike Food.  Almost an entire month of clean eating in the bag—and in the month of December at that.  The Expert admits that he is volunteering for Ironman Chattanooga in 2014… which means…. 2015….. (drumroll) is the year of the Expert in Ironman.  I decide that I am going back to Coeur d’Alene in 2016.

 

Finally, I have fallen back in love with triathlon, introduced the new tri kits, finished the SBM App, started on another book, got published in Triathlete, and just working on a little 2014 Race Tour. Whew.  Okay, I think that’s all.  Heh heh.  I’m sure I forgot something. It’s been busy, ya’ll.  So what’s up next year?  Who knows.

And my resolutions? Here they are:

Live, love, laugh, tri and eat clean.

From our house to yours, the Swim Bike Family wishes you a Happy Holiday season and a wonderful New Year.

We decided to set our goals a month early this year – and it has been nice. For the first time I do not feel that I am entering a New Year in some sort of twilight zone.  The Expert and I feel good, and I know that 2014 is going to be the best year ever! (But first, we must celebrate the Swim Bike Girl Child turning 5 on New Year’s Eve!)