Racing Highlights of 2011 (with a few other 2011 LIFE highlights mixed in):
January: After some whining and begging, Kurt agreed to coach me. I think he figured I would likely never leave him alone in my quest for his advice anyway, so I might as well pay him for it.
February. Andy, me and the kiddos went to Orlando with my parents and visited the PARKS! We spent oodles of money and waited in really really really long lines . But it was still super fun. I ran every day in shorts. That was also really awesome.
March: I ran the Quincy Half Marathon and PR'd with a 1:30:59. This was a rather humongous PR and I was pretty happy about the whole thing. (Thanks, Kurt.)
April: I ran the Boston Marathon and PR'd with a 3:15:54. This was another rather humongous PR and I was again pretty happy about the whole thing; maybe even MORE than happy. (Thanks, Kurt.)
May: I raced the Sudbury Sprint and finished 2nd overall behind some 19-year-old ITU chick dressed in a Worlds unitard which had her name scrawled on her butt. (And no, I don't remember her name. I have repressed it.) Even though I lost, I raced fairly well given sprinting isn't exactly a strength o' mine. I won a Fuel Belt and gave it to Jordan, who now wears it for her five minute + "long runs" around the neighborhood.
June: I raced Mooseman 70.3 and had a seriously kick ass race, finishing in 5:06 and placing 3rd in my AG. This wasn't a PR for the distance, but the new bike course is so hard I considered it one. Moose, in retrospect, was definitely my best race of this season.
At the end of June I turned 41 and went to Lake Placid with Ange and friends for an IMLP camp. That was fun. and hard. I'm going back this year... but this year I am co-running the camp instead of just participating. Can't wait to take a dip in Mirror Lake.... (and not barf).
July: I got a stomach flu five days out from racing IMLP. I felt better by race day, but the weight I lost that week and the weakness from being sick still affected my race--big time--as did my anxiety about being sick and my anxiety surrounding my mega-desire to qualify for Kona. I barfed once on the swim, twice on the bike, and then did some record-breaking booting on the run course. I did my best to hang in there, though, and finished well enough to finish 5th AG. The Gods of Triathlon rewarded me for my sufferfest (or rather the two girls who decided not to take their Kona slots did) and I snagged a spot to Kona in rolldown. (Thank Michelle and Sylvie for saying NO to Kona, and thank you Stacey for being such a kick ass triathlete that you qualified before IMLP at Oceanside.)
August: After committing to putting on some pounds after my pukish race at IMLP, I spent most of August drinking wine, lounging on the beach, and eating ice cream with Alina and our families in Ocean Park. In late August I went to Burlington with Andy and raced AG Nationals. A ton of my good tri friends were there, and so it was good time. I raced okay, placing 16th in my AG with a 2:20:39.
September. I raced the Pumpkinman Half and loved it. Mostly I loved it because I won money. That was very very very x a billion exciting and cool. I raced elite and finished behind greats Karen Smyes, Kim Webster and Lisbeth Kenyon, and got to stand on the podium with them, which made me feel like a super tri-stud. I also PR'd at the half distance in 4:52, which was a bonus.
October: I went to KONA! It was everything I had imagined it would be .. and then 10 x more than that, too. I had a great race. My family was there. I went to Lava Java every day. I hung out in the water with sea turtles. Life was good.
November. I sat on my ass and gained weight and stressed out over stupid shit and mourned that my Kona trip was in the past instead of the future.
December: I swam a 400 meter IM at the SCM championship at BU. I consider mysef a swimming stud now, as you should as well. (Notice I did not list my TIME for the 400 meter IM.) snort.
Well, that pretty much sums it up.
It was a good year of racing.
It was also a good year in other important ways such as:
- Andy and I made it another year without killing each other or deciding to divorce.(five stars)
- All of my children did mostly well in school and seem mostly happy and mostly still like to hug me when I require it of them. (five stars) Also, my kids are super cute and smart and this is a fact, in case you were wondering, not just my opinion. (five stars)
- My dogs shit and piss on the floor LESS now than they did at the start of 2011. (two stars)
- In 2011 we got a new refrigerator, a funky new coffee maker, a new blender, and a new washer and dryer that tolerate my habit of washing and then drying tens tons of laundry at once. It was a swell year for appliance acquisition. (three stars)
- My two best friends put up with me and profess to love me still... 30 years into our friendship.(five stars)
- Ange and I have grown the TriMoxie Biz quite a bit this year and our athletes have earned some pretty sweet race results. (five stars.)
- I remained mostly sane and have needed only a few prescription drugs to keep me this way. (five stars.)
6 comments:
Cleaning up canine fecal waste is a thankless chore that is never given the proper respect. I think it's worth at least 3 1/2 stars.
I also motion that the mini-est IronMatron get a bonus star for her choice of footwear.
I didn't even notice the mini-IM footwear until that comment. Love it! Great recap on a fantastic year.
That is so awesome you got to race Kona! Great 2011, here's to a better 2012!
Mary, thank you for being you this year! You were the only one who believed I could run Boston decently so soon after having a baby and I will never thank you enough for that!
very very funny... what will 2012 hold?
Mary, you've had such a great year! I am reading Iron War right now and have often thought about your IMLP race. Have a super 2012!
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