December and 2016 Round Up

I ... think I have things to say about last year, but let's get the numbers out of the way, shall we?

Swimming: 3700m (2.3 mi)
Cycling: 23.92 mi
Running: 16.6 mi
Lifting: four sessions (1:26)
Other: four yoga sessions (1:09)

So, I wrote out this grand plan for December and the month was going really well ... and then Brandon's parents came into town for this grand brunch we planned which no one came to and really, just NEVER host in-laws the same weekend you're hosting a party and I became a GIANT stress ball and yeah.

It was horrible.

Needless to say, I tried to rally after that, but really, the month was shot. Plus cookies. Mmm, cookies.

As for 2016 ... numbers-wise, it wasn't terrible. Highest ever year of both swimming and cycling and third-highest in terms of running. Might have been highest ever run year had I gotten to the run at IMChoo.

As for my actually stated goals ... let's see, shall we?

Finish two Ironmans, and at least one of them well: Um, kind of. I self-DNFed IMChoo in order to stay with my husband as he was trying not die from heat exhaustion, so I didn't finish two. However, I *did* PR IM Boulder, so I guess that counts?

Get a fast 5K again: I got back into the 27s at the BAA 5K with my second-fastest 5K time, so we'll count this as a yes.

 Hit my potential in the half-marathon: I ran one, and although it ended up being my ... second-fastest, I think? ... the wheels fell off hard, but even if they didn't, I still don't think this would have been a thing. So we're going to go ahead and say no.

Become the cyclist I know I can be: Um, no. The only bike split I'm calling myself happy with this year was at Barkin' Dog. Other than that ... gross.

Explore the fullest potential of my legs: If this year showed that, just ... I need to quit this shit now. So no, I don't believe I've come close. Please. Hopefully.

Step up to average in the water: I think an 11-minute swim PR at Boulder may say yes to this? Plus some girl at one point in my training thought that I was a former competitive swimmer, which I was very flattered to hear despite internally laughing (and crying).

The main thing to take away from 2016 was, unfortunately, I actually felt like a worse athlete at the end of the year than at the beginning of it. We tried the coaching experiment this year. While I love Corie and I'm (probably) still open to the idea of coaching, the fit wasn't right. The experiment was good in that I learned things that I do need in coaching, but until I can 100% figure it out, I'm going back to planning my season and my workouts myself. More on this in probably my next post ...