2014 Year End Review-Training Miles and Race Miles

From Jan 1st through August 31st I logged a total of 1450 miles total.  These miles were accomplished by running, biking and swimming.  The most miles I put in occurred in July with a total of 90 miles ran, 244 miles biked, and 7 miles swam.  This was ramping up for my big race of the year- Pigman Long - half iron man 70.3 miles. 

I participated in a total of 5 races throughout the 2014 race season- all I had planned on, no DNF for me.  The first one was in February: Indoor Tri at Iowa: placed first in my age group for gender.  10 min swim 0.28 miles, 10 min spin 5 miles and 10 min run 1.25 miles.  I ran the Ronald McDonald 1/2 marathon 13.1 miles in 2:04 on 5/4/2014.  Followed by Pigman Sprint Triathlon 6/1: 0.28 mile swim 11 min, 15.6 mile bike 58 min, and 3.1 mile run 29:03.  August 3, 2014 Oswego I Tried a Triathlon, 1st in age group for gender, swim 0.14 mile 4:57, 6.5 mile bike 23:44 and 2.1 mile run 18:06.  Last one 8/17/14 1.2 mile swim 46:27, 56.2 mile bike 03:52 and 13.1 mile run 2:26- Pigman Long 70.3 miles.

Just writing the above paragraph brings forth so many different emotions: pride, disbelief, happiness, and sadness.  Pride- for accomplishing what I set out to do.  Disbelief that prior to 2014 I had never owned a road bike, let alone had my own bike trainer, swam in the long lap lanes, and bigger yet swam in open water, including the Atlantic Ocean.  Disbelief that someone who has only done sprint tri's would be able to sign up and complete a half-ironman triathlon.  Happiness that I was so active and so busy throughout the racing season, and did well in my finishing.  Sadness that it all ended August 31 when riding my bike on a leisure ride with hubby on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, IL. 

Seems like forever ago that I had a workout schedule on my docket or a race/training schedule.  From Jan 1st-Aug 31st I used a personal calendar and wrote almost 6 days a week different workouts and training accomplishments I had done based on my training plan.  Then after August 31st the daily note pages, and monthly calendar pages are all empty and blank.  No scribbles, words such as spin,bike, run, or swim with miles and time written next to them are found. Its like a double life- one so full and the other so empty.

I've made it through a major knee surgery including a bone break/healing and am now back to walking almost daily for my exercise.  However, I'm still not really sweating and feeling that "happiness" factor that I use to have with my workouts, training schedule, and race goals. 

Part of my upcoming weekend "to do" list is to find some time to really sit down and think, meditate and contemplate what my strategy moving forward is in finding my "happiness" factor again with working out.  I am not signing up for any races this coming year and really my ultimate goal is just to be able to run again, but I struggle with that goal because of what it overall means for me, my health short term and long-term, along with the impact it has on my family. 

If I decide to keep running I will continue to wear and tear on my right knee- stage 2 arthritis already present prior to my surgery, right medial meniscus pretty shot due to much of it being surgically removed with my first ACL tear years ago, and the fact that I'm not getting any younger.  So is running really an option?  If I run will that push me towards a knee replacement sooner than later?

However, if I don't run will I have that "happiness" flowing in my blood ever again?  People say why don't you bike and swim?  I don't mind biking and swimming, but I don't LOVE it.  Now I'm not an elite athlete and am not winning races as a runner, but during the Pigman Long I finally had my "AHA" moment and realized "I AM A RUNNER"!  Then the rug was swept out from under my feet with the accident and that "I AM A RUNNER"! mojo was no longer present. 

I will meditate, pray, think very hard the next couple of days and come up with some sort of plan to get my "happiness" back in 2015.  I have so much to be thankful for- overall great health, ability to do activities of daily living with little to no pain despite just three months ago having a major surgery, and of course the other minor things like having a great family, roof over my head, food/clothing, job and wonderful friends (just in case you didn't get it- these really aren't minor- they are MAJOR). 

So I don't have any major races, training schedules this year to blog about.  I don't have any mileage goals to report or shoot for in 2015.  However, I think this will be a great year and I hope to have all the same reactions to 2015 as I did 2014- minus sadness: Pride, Disbelief, and Happiness!