Sunday, December 31, 2017

A Look Back (WW # 126)

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Although not without struggles, it has been an amazing year!  From new adventures to connecting with dear friends -- trying to whittle a year down into a summary post was not an easy feat.  However, reliving my 2017 memories has me excited to see what 2018 has in store.  Let's take a look back at the highlights...




WINTER

The year started with a race-cation and PR at an unusually cold and windy Disney Marathon where I was elated to knock 13 minutes off my Chicago Marathon time from three months earlier.  After a respectable recovery period I returned to running.  However, a niggling foot pain sent me to the podiatrist where I found my foot was fractured in the base of a metatarsal bone.  Based on its remodeling stage, I was told it was at least four weeks old. Ergo, I had run the marathon with it broken.  {Shut the front door!}  This news was hard to fathom, but at least I didn't have much healing time left. 



I hopped on Sanity to ride it out -- pun very much intended!   I hit some major cycling mileage clocking 286 miles in February alone.  I didn't know it at the time, but this training would come in very handy later in the year.


Winter closed out with a fun girls weekend with Tricia who ran my local half marathon while I opted to drop down to the 5k.  I had just returned to running the week prior and wanted to play it safe.  I was rewarded with an age group win and felt I hadn't lost too much fitness.



SPRING

We road-tripped out west to Colorado for Spring Break.  Not only did I get to spend a week snow skiing with PoPo and our youngest on beautiful Monarch Mountain (summit elevation 11,952 feet), we knocked a bucket item off the list by dog sledding through the San Isabel National Forest.  Being stranded on the interstate in a blizzard on the way home was simply the cherry on top of our memory sundae.




While at the beach in April, I ran the Coach Post 10k followed by our local Pancake 5k in May.  I also ran my first half marathon of the year.  Door County, Wisconsin is the farthest north this southern girl has ever been. Wendy and I tackled those unrelenting hills.  And while not running together, we finished with the same exact time -- to the second.   We had a blast sightseeing, eating the local fare, and jamming to the rocking band at the race after party.



SUMMER

June brought the Utah Valley half marathon.  I flew directly from a beach vacation to the mountains where I connected with a few blogger friends.   The beautiful net downhill scenic canyon course did not disappoint nor did the fun I had with my pals Judy, Marcia, Mary Beth, Zenaida and Teresa.




Since he missed our snow skiing trip, our college kid accompanied me to the Utah.  After the race, we stayed on in Provo to enjoy zip lining, the ski lifts at the stunning Sundance Resort, hiking and spelunking.   It was an amazing place to visit.



Although I had started water skiing back in April -- my earliest start ever -- the real fun didn't begin until summer.   I declared it the best summer on the lake.  Okay, okay.  I admit I say that every year!  But, the sunrises and sunsets were breathtaking.



I had been begging Wendy to come water ski with me and she finally relented.   After a few solo runs each, I suggested we ski tandem.  She was all in.  The fun just escalated from there and eventually morphed into our version of the old retro Cypress Gardens Water Ski Show complete with homemade flowered bathing caps and flags.  No telling what we could have come up with if we had planned it.  Trust me, the wheels in our brains have been turning ever since.



I took a running low-mileage season for the first summer in years opting to spend my time mostly cycling and water skiing. August was another high cycling mileage month of 210 in prep for a fall Century Ride Teresa and I were finally going to check off on that old bucket list.  Although it had technically switched over to fall, the Dam Century Ride was hotter than Hades.  But, who knew you could have so much fun sweltering on top of a bike (while obnoxiously singing loudly) for over a hundred miles? Even.during.a.thunderstorm.




FALL

After a second century ride, the very entertaining Glassner Autumn Challenge, it was time to focus on running again.  I returned to an old plan of using 5k races as speed work by running the Run For Autism, Cow Patty Trot, and Ryan's Run.  I also ran a 12k which was a new distance for me.  I loved everything about the patriotic Battleship 12k and felt my speed work plan was paying off.


I felt good enough afterward to throw in the Solider Half at the last minute where I reconnected with Teresa and followed that up two weeks later with the Panama City Beach Half where my Southern Sole Sisters joined in on the fun.  Little did Karen, Tricia and Teresa know they'd be going on a thrilling air boat ride and holding a live alligator. 



Needing a little half marathon redemption from a poor performance in sunny and hot Florida, I went back to the Gulf Coast the following weekend; this time to Biloxi, MS.  The weather was ideal and the MS Gulf Coast Half was a great way to end the year on a high note.





Did you check a item off of your bucket list this year?

What are you looking forward to in 2018?


And that's a wrap on 2017!




49 comments:

  1. Sounds like a really good year, even with the broken foot. Both of my races were bucket list items, and both were a lot of fun.

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    1. It is so much fun to check off those bucket list items!

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  2. You had such an amazing year with meeting up with blogger friends -- but I am sorry about all those injuries you battled. You still accomplished a lot despite all that.

    May 2018 be much kinder to you in the injury department (as in zero) and may you bike and run (and tri?) some amazing races/rides. Happy New Years!

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    1. I hope we all stay injury free this year. Who knows what adventures await? I'll just have to see what the year brings.

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  3. What fun year you've had and I'm so happy I got to be a part of it! What will we do to top last year? I cannot wait!

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    1. Can we top last year? I'm not sure -- but I know we will have a lot of fun trying!

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  4. Looks like a really great year for you, Holly! Glad I found your blog in 2017 and was able to follow along "in real time" for many of these events!

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    1. I'm glad you joined our group this year. I enjoy keeping up with what everyone is doing. You are all so inspiring!

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  5. What an awesome year! I totally enjoyed looking at all of your photos from this past year. Here's to an even more awesome 2018!

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    1. I'm excited to see what 2018 brings. May we all be blessed with awesomeness.

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  6. You had a great year! Even though you focused on different "disciplines" at different times, you dominated everything! Congrats!!! I hope my 2018 travels cross paths with you ;-)

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  7. You really had a holotta fun this year! I love how many adventures you had with friends. And those water skiing pics! Looking forward to more in 2018! <3

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    1. I appreciate the comment about the skiing pics. Because truly, they all look the same. I work hard to get one that is unique! LOL.

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  8. Wishing you more big adventures in 2018!!

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    1. And I wish the same for you! I'm excited to see what the year brings.

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  9. Sounds like you had a great year. How cool you got to go dog sledding. I bet that was so much fun. I'd love to do that one day!

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    1. Dog sledding was very cool. It wasn't what I expected (I'm not sure what that was) but I was NOT disappointed. The dogs were so friendly and energetic! They loved what they do.

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  10. You had a great year of fun adventures... even if you started it off on the wrong foot (sorry). Wishing you the best in 2018!

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    1. Yep...my right foot was so wrong. LOL. Here's to a better 2018!

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  11. You had a fabulous year my friend and I'm honored to have been a part of it! I anxiously await the adventures that 2018 hold for us! Thanks for hosting this wonderful link up, coaching me to my first (and only) full marathon and for your friendship!! xoxo

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    1. I enjoyed our adventures together so much! Never say "only". You might have to eat those words. We need to start making plans, my friend.

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  12. Wow! What a fantastic year you had. :) We're planning two cross country road trips in 2018 that I'm looking forward to.

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    1. I like seeing the country by road just as long as I don't have to do the driving. LOL. You'll enjoy that.

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  13. What a terrific year! Congrats on your marathon PR and doing 2 century rides! You and Wendy look like professional water skiers. :)

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    1. It was fun pretending to be professional water skiers for a day. We did alright for so little prep.

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  14. You had a great year with so many fun races! I cant wait to see what 2018 has in store for you. Happy New Year!

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    1. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2018 has in store for both of us. Fingers crossed we are injury free!

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  15. I'm always so jealous that you get to go water skiing so much! What a fun way to cross train. I remember reading about a LOT of these moments too, you had a great 2017 and I'm glad you shared so many good times with friends and ran a lot of races, plus the century rides.

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    1. I am blessed I live where I can easily get to the lake and participate in my original "sport". 30 years ago, I would have never believed I would still be able to do it!

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  16. You had an awesome year! And I loved following your blog along the way. I hope you have a wonderful 2018 - I wish I could join in one of your famous #holottafun weekends! :)

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    1. I should seriously consider a #holottafun convention so that everyone could come! Wouldn't that be a blast? I'll get to work on that. LOL.

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  17. Is this the real HoHo?
    Where a poem was a no no.

    Instead she re-capped her year
    and shared memories so dear

    In 2017, she skied, biked and ran
    And she always does the best she can

    Here's hoping that 2018 is injury-free
    To have an even better year, that is the key.

    Happy New Year, dear blogger friend
    And thanks for the support, you always do lend.

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    1. Darlene, it was fun
      To ski, bike and run
      But sadly, who knew
      I'd miss my visit with you
      What fun it would be
      To run in N-Y-C
      Then we could play
      In Big Apple all day!

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  18. What a fantastic year you had! Glad to have found your blog and link-up and looking forward to following along in 2018!

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    1. I'm so glad to have you as part of this group! I will be following along on your adventures as well.

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  19. You had such a wonderful year of meeting up with friends, running, biking, and water skiing! Here's to an even better 2018!

    Thanks for the linkup!

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  20. you had quite a year! I love seeing how many races you do - you have done so many and it inspires me to get out there hopefully more. i'm so glad i found the linkup this year and have gotten to follow all of your and everyone's adventures!

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    1. I do enjoy the race atmosphere -- no matter what speed I'm at. I'm so glad you are part of our group!

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  21. I would definitely say this has been an amazing year for you! Looking forward to seeing more adventures from you in 2018!

    I had no bucket items to cross off to be honest. 2017 was the year of recovery. I had a great year though and really was able to see that just by posting a yearly recap. blogging can be positive and therapeutic!

    I am looking forward to running a marathon again - fingers crossed in 2018. I need to get serious about weight loss though, so that's my first order of business!

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    1. 2017 was recovery year for me as well as far as running goes. That's why my bucket list items were non-running activities! I had to keep sane doing other things. LOL.

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  22. What a great year! I hadn't realized that your foot was already broken when you ran the marathon :( Here's to a great 2018 :)

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    1. I was shocked to get that information. I think it wasn't as painful because of it's location in a "stable" bone.

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  23. You had such a wonderful year! I can't believe you ran a marathon with a broken food (and didn't know it!). I hope you have a wonderful 2018 as well!

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    1. I was told it was fractured in a stable bone. Maybe that why it wasn't excruciatingly painful? I was very surprised.

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  24. That marathon seems like an eternity ago! It is hard to believe it was this year. I love Colorado and would like to do a marathon there. I have no doubt we'll being share some adventures in 2018!

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  25. Despite some challenges, you had a great 2017. Its always fun to meet up with blogging friends at races. That's one of the things that I most look forward to about destination races.

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    1. Maybe you and I will meet at Disney soon. I do love to run there!

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