Moving Forward

Apparently, according to what I've seen on Buzzfeed and Twitter recently, 2016 was one doozy of a year.  We've all taken some losses, some greater than others, and we've all had our triumphs.  Some of our favorite celebrities passed away, and some of us (@ myself) tripped over steeple barriers.  But 2016 was also the year that Emma and Evan both medaled in the steeplechase, the latest season of New Girl brought us all to happy tears, and I learned how to light a lighter (which is apparently a very basic skill that most adults already have, but whatever).  So where does this leave us going into 2017?

For me, 2016 definitely was a doozy of a year.  I lost and gained several close friends, met some truly incredible people, watched a Nazi zombie movie on the recommendations of a trainer, and had some huge ups and downs with running.  As you all know, my most recent season ended with some heavy disappointment.  Despite my new level of fitness and the summer of hard work that I put in, I never had a truly great race, and I finished at region weighed down with injuries.  But going into 2017, I have no intentions of losing my drive to compete and succeed.  Every time I have a setback, I like to think I learn something from it or renew my desire to become better.  As a result of the setbacks I faced this season, I decided to increase my mileage and the intensity with which I go after workouts.  As always, I have goals that are scary big, but I've spent more time reflecting on all of the little details of how I'm actually going to get to those goals.  Most of them should probably be centered around eating better, because in the spirit of full disclosure, I am probably going to get diabetes in the next two weeks.  Christmas season has been too kind to me.  To start off the indoor season, I decided to bump my mileage to 70 mile weeks.  Let me just tell you, I have been enjoying it too much.  My break has consisted mostly of me waking up, running, eating, and taking naps until it's time to eat again.  I absolutely adore high mileage, and it seems like the higher I go, the better I feel (after a few weeks to adjust, for the first few weeks I mostly just feel like roadkill).  Another small fix which is easy enough to remedy is my ferritin level.  At the beginning of the season, it was at 113.  By the time I got it checked for indoor, it had dropped to 69.  While this is still fairly high, especially for a female athlete, seeing that kind of drop over one season is not ideal.  I will also be rehabbing religiously for my badly behaving hamstrings, which have been improving pretty well after their escapades at the end of the season.  Also, the training room staff told me I can use the NormaTec booties whenever I'd like, as long as the training room isn't too busy, and I honestly might go mad with power.  I tried them once before break, and I loved it too much.  There's a very good chance I'm going to start spending 10+ hours a day in those boots.  10/10, would recommend to a friend.
So, going into 2017, I am going to do just like I always have.  Take the next step forward, and trust in good things to come. 

Make it Count

This post is going to be a bit of a variation from my usual narrative, so if you're here to get tips on what gear to buy or hear about what it's like to run D1, feel free to keep scrolling. 
A few weeks back, I received the news that an individual who was once very close to my family and played a major role in our lives for many years had passed away.  His death was very sudden and unexpected, and brought with it many questions.  Even though I personally had not been in close contact with him recently, he still had an impact on my life at different points in time, and his passing has made me reconsider a lot of things.
First and foremost, you never know how long you have to let someone know how much they meant to you.  If someone is important to you, there is no reason not to let them know.  There is nothing to be lost in letting people in your life know that they have made a difference to you, however there is a great deal to be lost in keeping these things to yourself.  You can never know just how great an impact your words can have on someone, or how you can help someone who is struggling through something.  Even if they're not currently facing any demons, it's always nice to have a reminder that you are cared about.
Secondly, you never know how long you yourself have to pursue the things that truly matter to you and make a difference.  You should never waste a moment of your life on the things that don't matter or don't make you happier in the long run.  Take chances, and chase dreams that might seem absolutely insane.  Don't let the things that other people deem "possible" hold you back in any way.  Decide now was is important to you, and go after it with everything you have.  Whatever you decide on, you only have one life to make it happen, so much every moment count.  Don't spend your time on people who hold you back or wish you to be less than you can be, or on goals that are just there to be placeholders to keep you occupied until your life is up.  Live with a passion, and don't let anyone or anything steal the joy that you find in it.