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December 31, 2004
2004 Highs and Lows
I’m trying desperately right now to stay awake until midnight to bring in the New Year. I purposely put off typing up my blog until late so that I would have something active to engage in to keep myself upright. I’ve never fallen asleep while typing. I suppose there is a first for everything. :)
Regardless, I thought I would use today’s blog to highlight my highs and lows for 2004. Every New Year my father makes everyone in our family report on their high points and low points from the previous year. He started this some time ago. Last year my sister and her fiancé didn’t play along and that resulted in threats of disownment. My father just doesn’t joke around.
So naturally on my drive into work this morning I was thinking of what I would use for this year’s report. I came up with the following…
First the lows:
1) The Move - My parents moved to South Carolina this year in May and sold the house I (mostly) grew up in. Don’t get me wrong. I am so amazingly happy for them that they are achieving a dream/goal to retire somewhere warm and fun and on the beach, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t sad to see them go. I shouldn’t complain though. Now O and I will always have a really cool place to go on vacation…for free! :)
2) Columbus Marathon – Of course running always brings many highs and lows and this year didn’t disappoint. Yes, there will be many more marathons and really it was only a race, but of course it was a big disappointment to fail so miserably and actually have a DNF by my name! Alas, that race taught me many lessons that I probably couldn’t have learned any other way and for that I should be thankful.
Now the highs: (oh where to begin! :)
1) The West - I took two trips early in the year (Feb and March), one to Las Vegas (for a work conference) and one to Arizona (family vacation) and I truly enjoyed both. Prior to those trips I had never been farther west than Kansas. It was so amazing to see how different the landscape is in the west and to see the Grand Canyon for the first time.
2) The Test – In April I took (and passed) a work related certification exam that had been a goal for some time. I got a raise, and was able to add a few more letters behind my name, but truly the reward was the sense of accomplishment and the new found confidence that the certification brought.
3) Cleveland Marathon – (I apparently like marathons in Ohio cities that start with the letter “C”) Also in April, I ran the Cleveland Marathon with a goal of 3:15. I really thought 3:15 was a far reach. My previous best was a 3:22, and marathon day dawned rainy, cold and very windy. I felt great for 20 miles, hit a rough patch for about 2 miles, felt a little better for a short time, but then struggled mightily the last 2 miles for a 3:11:09. I don’t know if I was more excited because I was finally done running or because I had just PRed by 11 minutes. Either way, it was one happy day. :)
So there it is in a nutshell; my 2004! Of course with the start of 2005 I hope to have many more highs and minimal lows, but I know it is often the lows that shape us and make us into the people that we are (hopefully for the better!). Happy New Year everyone. Hope your 2005 brings much joy!
PS: Oh good, it took me a long time to type this entry up and now midnight is only 70 minutes away!
PPS: Workout today = 30 minutes on the bike. I was trying to take it easy as my legs are a little sore from the cross training. I do feel like my groin is getting better but it still hurts some. I may try a little running tomorrow just to see where I’m at – and to get a mile or so in to start the year off right! :)
Posted by beth at December 31, 2004 10:46 PM
Comments
Great idea for a blog entry - to recap the highs and lows. You can reminisce and the details will be right here. :)
Posted by: Leilani at January 2, 2005 8:22 AM
That is a great entry Beth. I am glad to hear that overall it was a good year. I am thinking happy thoughts for your leg - I hope it feels better really soon!!
Posted by: barb at January 3, 2005 2:14 PM