Happy Birthday to ME!

Oh heyyyyyy!!!  It’s my Birthday, gonna party like it’s my Birthday!

It’s very rare that we take the time to celebrate our accomplishments.  Too often we are comparing ourselves to others, and saying “oh I JUST did blah blah blah”, when really there should be no just.  Too often we are afraid to talk about the great things we have done, because we worry about sounding full of ourselves.

Well, I think that one’s birthday is a fabulous time to talk about the past year, and have a little brag sesh.  Agree?  Great, keep reading.  Don’t agree?  Then, you should probably skip this post…since it’s basically me, talking about, well, ME.

Today, I turned 28.  What’d I do and accomplish in my while I was 27??

27 was actually pretty mellow, to compared to 24 when I met Jay, went to New Zealand & Fiji, & moved in with Jay, 25 when I got engaged & planned my wedding, and 26 where I got married, spent a month in Africa, & went to Amsterdam.

27 wasn’t a year for big life moments.  But, I still had a great year.  And I have to admit, it really was, my biggest year of running.  We could quite accurately coin it “the year of running”

First, what’d I do other than running?

I worked.  Don’t know what I do?  I talked about it a few months ago here.

I traveled a bit.  Whistler, Vancouver Island, Hornby Island, Denman Island, Bellingham, Baker Lake, Las Vegas & Mexico.

I was so happy for my friends and family.  Many close to us got engaged, got married, had babies.

I stayed within 8 lbs of the same weight.  All year round.  Not sure if this is something to brag about, since I started 27 about 5 lbs over my lowest weight, which is still 15 from goal weight.  But, at least I was consistent?

I went Paleo.  Kinda tough to decide exactly when I went Paleo, but it was last January, and is still going strong, and is definitely stronger than it’s ever been.

I started my blog.

I started using twitter.  I got to tweet with one of my running heroes, Bart Yasso.  And I somehow managed to convince 575 (ish) people that I was interesting enough to follow.  @SolanaLeigh

I grinded.  I did the Grouse Grind 25 times. I crushed my previous PR, and went sub 45 for the first time ever.

And then we get to the big part of my year…

I ran.  A lot.  25 races.  Over 2000 kms.

I was an ambassador for a race.  The Surrey International Music Marathon, which I got to run with my mom, and crushed my previous half PR, and got to see her finish her first half strong, so strong that she placed 2nd in her AG!

I got faster.  I PR’d in every distance I raced – 5km, 10km, half marathon, full marathon.

I ran my first sub 4:00 marathon. 3:57:47.

I went sub 1:50 in a half marathon.  1:47:29.  Faster than I ever thought I could run.

I ran long.  I learned that I loved being on the trails for long periods of time.  I ran my first 30km in July, another 30km in September, and graduated to a 50km in October & a trail marathon in November.

I ran my first ultra, and absolutely crushed it.  Ran Baker Lake 50K in 5:55:11, when I guesstimated I’d run it in 7 hours.

I crossed the border.  I fell in love with US races, and the people involved.

I ran a relay.  With 2 guys off social media, and it actually worked out!!

I traveled for races – Bellingham, Bakers Lake, Whistler, Squamish, & Las Vegas.

I loved this year.  It really was the year of running for me, and I learned more about myself this year, than I think in any year previously.  I learned I was stronger than I thought, faster than I thought, and I learned that running isn’t just a social thing for me anymore.  When I started running, running solo was never an option.  Now?  I can’t say that I love it, but I can say that I can do it, and will do it.

So, what’s up for 28? 

Gosh, nothing is set in stone, but since my calendar is marked up with 7 weddings, I’d say it’s the year of weddings.  And of course, running is in there too.  I recently blogged about the goal races I’ve signed up for – a half, a full, two 50K’s, and a 50M.  50M is 30kms longer than I’ve EVER run, so I’m looking forward to this next challenge.  Thankfully, I have until September to convince my body it wants to run for like 12 hours.  Straight.  Yikes.  Yep, glad I have some time to convince myself!

I hope to have another year of growth and success, mixed in with a lot of general happiness in my life.  I hope to come back here in 365 days and be able to tell you all about 28, and be as proud of it then, as I am of 27 now.  I hope to continue inspiring my family and friends to be active, as well as random people through this magic interweb.  I love being involved in the sport, and seeing others react positively, to me, just doing what I love.

Here’s to 28!!

xoxo

-S