The year never seems phenomenal until you take a minute to look back at what has been accomplished. Before looking back, I remembered having a lot of lack luster races, running some really hot races, having a lot of back pain and performing poorly on the bike due to nerve damage from my back injury. Nothing really stood out as amazing. Then I remembered marathon training with Aby & her friend early in 2017.
All the fun we had running up and down every hill we could find. The laughter & giggles of the good days. The tears of the not so good days. And really, that’s how life is, the good mixed with the bad. Each and every day. Easy to remember the bad but we have to search a little further to pull up the good memories.
2017 in Review:
- 9 – Marathons (Little Rock, Georgia, Nashville RNR, Lincoln NE, Hatfield & McCoy, Monster Mash (Dover DE), Atlantic City NJ, Indy Monumental & the Wildwood Trail Marathon in MO.
- 1 – 50K (Huff 50K Trail Run)
- 1 – 1/2 Marathon (RNR Chicago)
- 1 Olympic Distance Triathlon (Pokagon)
- 3 – 70.3 Triathlons (IM Muncie 70.3, IM OH 70.3, IM Steelhead 70.3).
- 1 – 100+ mile bike ride (Dam to Dam Century, Wabash IN)
- 1 – Volunteer Stint (IM Louisville)
It was a year of firsts.
- First time I got to run a marathon with my daughter (who was only 15 at the time!)
- First Century Ride, or longer
- First time volunteering at a bit event
I got a couple new states in my quest to run a marathon in all 50 states.
- Georgia
- Nebraska
- West Virginia
- Delaware
- New Jersey
A few moments hit my 2017 “BEST” list. Possibly the best, if not favorite, fitness related photo I took in 2017. Aby & Annika running their first marathon in Little Rock.
Best Race – Hatfield & McCoy Marathon in WV. Low dollar. Fun. Great course with variety in sites & terrain. Excellent aid stations & support.
Best SWAG – Huff 50K handmade soup mugs.
Best Race photo – Wildwood Trail Marathon gives out free downloads for race photos.
Best Selfie – Julie & I after IM 70.3 Muncie. Her first half IM, her 2nd triathlon. She looks SO happy!!
Best detour – Philadelphia Art Museum to run up the steps like Rocky Balboa in the old Rocky movies. We had ran a marathon in Dover DE & were headed to Atlantic City NJ for a 2nd marathon. Not a lot of people would have felt like taking the detour. Julie did. Great memory.
Best non fitness related trip. Niagara Falls. The kids & I did the Canada side & the American side. Great trip.
Overall, a great year. I hope that all of you made some great memories too. Cheers to all of us having an even better year in 2018. Let’s start making new memories & get this year started right!
** Happy New Year ** Amanda – TooTallFritz
TooTallFritz 
Impressive and when you look at it in retrospect you definitely find the positives in terms of what was or were the “best.” My only criticism comes from my coaching training and background – 9 marathons, 1-50k and 3-70.3 triatholons…to me…seems too much to be running in a single year…especially since you acknowledge back pain and other issues and “lack-luster” performance. I leave out the 100-mi bike ride and the Chicago RNR Half, as additional maybe too much in a year factors! But overall…even if you “performances” weren’t what you hoping for….you accomplished/raced a lot…lot more than I would ever pursue in a single year or nurture anyone to do. But you get my kudos for a very awesome perspective…and I respect your judgment in how you plan your athletic quest-year. But if I were your Coach…I would highly encourage you to “taper-back” on the quantity of races you doing in a single year…even if you not training to run or race them to maximum age-based performance. I am impressed with what you accomplished, but I don’t want you to get too much encouragement to repeat this cycle next year! Hope you take my criticism as “caring” about you in the long-run!
Yes, lots of races! This is the volume that I’ve had the last several years. Most of these races aren’t actual races for me but I rather go, run, see, do. Makes a difference when you run for the experience vs time. I’ll be cutting back this year due to training load. Hopefully, I’ll still have a little energy in the fall to pick up some new races.
Looks like a great year!! I miss running on pretty trails … even the Old Plank Road Trail. I do love the Lakefront Trail but it would be nice to go somewhere quiet once in awhile.