Starting Over

Random wrap up stuff......

2009 was a big year.  Almost 200 hours of biking.  About 120 hours of running.  Almost 100 hours of swimming.  About 40 hours of strength.  Two Ironman races.   Now it's time to start over.  Get some speed in my legs and see what I can do in some sprints, some 5ks and 10ks, some olympic distance races.  Yes, I will mostly likely do another Ironman someday.  But now is not the time.  A half iron toward the 'end' of the year, in which I've set an ambitious goal (not to be named at this time) with a big reward.  If I make it....fabulous.  If I don't....I keep trying at it until I get there.  I'll get there eventually.  Oh, and I'm really looking forward to a 3 day Tri camp in Chicago with my coach.  All women, 3 days of swim bike run, etc.  Fun!

Jeff and I spent the holidays with my family in Illinois.  We were, once again, very lucky with our travel days.  No flight delays heading there or heading home.  And the roads weren't too bad on the days we needed to drive either.  I couldn't really say that for the days in between.   It was a good visit, mostly.  We were supposed to spend a few days at my brother's house, visiting his family.  But my youngest niece got sick and actually ended up spending several days in the hospital with pneumonia.  She was finally released today and they got to go home.  Happy New Year to them!  I did go down to their place and picked up my older niece and got to visit with her for a couple of days.  Wow, that girl just goes and goes.  Oh, to have the energy of a 6 year old!

We got to see my cousin's chocolate shop (very nice!), Black and Whites Confections, and sample some experiments (fabulous!), as well as some 'discards' that weren't cosmetically suitable for sale, but tasted great to me.  Truly the best chocolate around.  She even made us some custom candy bars for our flight home.  Deeeelicious.

I was the life of our private New Year's celebration....as I fell asleep on the couch around 9:00 in the middle of a movie.  I'd have to say, I didn't miss much and evidently needed the sleep.  Lately I've been, what seems to me, excessively tired.  Not that I'm falling asleep at the drop of a hat, but I just feel tired.  More than usual.  Probably time for a visit to the doc and have some labs checked.

Diet-wise, I've probably set myself back a few weeks with holiday eating.  But the chocolate alone may just be worth it.  I'll get back on the wagon and hopefully be down where I want to be in a couple of months.  At least by my first event of the year (hopefully) in March.

Today we received the sad news that my cousin had to have Louis put to sleep.  He was a fabulously big, gentle guy.  An American bulldog.  A real sweetie and it's a sad start to the new year for sure.  RIP Lou.  You'll be missed.

I have some, not resolutions, but goals for changing some things in my life this year.  It's a big b'day year, so what better time to shake things up.  After all, no time like the present, right?  Here's to a happy, healthy 2010.  Be thankful for your family, your health, all the little things we take for granted each and every day.  *ching ching*....cheers.