Top Ten Moving Memories of 2009

This is inspired by the entry of the same name on Coach Jenny Hadfield's blog.

In no particular order:

1. The Nike Women's Half Marathon. I was sick and I was six months post-surgical and I felt awful during the race. But I did it - all 13.1 miles. And I actually felt really good afterwards - especially compared to how I felt the previous year.

2. Sunday Mornings. The aforementioned Jen and I have established quite a routine of Sunday morning fitness and coffee. I love it. It holds me accountable to getting out and doing and it is so great to have "girl's time" at Starbucks after.

3. Biking to school. With my change over to Bell View I am close enough to walk and/or bike to school. Most mornings we drive since it's the boys and I and all our stuff, but for those days before school started it was great to hop on my bike and ride over to work.

4. January long walk. In January, before the whole bad pap thing, I was out for a long walk in the cold. The weather was icky. Rest by Nevertheless came on my iPod. It really spoke to me and I cried and pushed myself physically and had a great mind-clearing workout.

5. The boxing gym. Finding a new workout is great. Finding one that my son likes, too, is even better. C needs a good off-season something to do. He's definitely got the "big boy" tendency like me and his dad - so if I can keep him active when he's not playing football it will be beneficial to him. It's a small gym so it's like being part of a community. The workout is fun and the time goes by fast and before I know it I'm soaking wet with sweat!

6. Katherine. At the Nike WHM I was ready to give up at the 10 mile mark. If someone had asked me if I was ready to quit I would have said yes. Then I got a call from my friend Katherine who had finished and was walking back along the course looking for her mom and friends. She came out and found me and walked me a good mile or so - enough to get me over the hump and ready to finish. They were all there at the finish line, too. It was so wonderful having support - especially since I was having a total pity-party about not feeling supported.

7. New running shoes. I'll spare you the long story, but let's leave it at this - I am SO glad to have a new pair of running shoes and to discover that the reason my old ones felt small was not that my foot had grown or that Brooks had changed their pattern. (Yes, my shoes were the wrong size.) It's great to start 2010 with happy feet!

8. Ventura Beach, CA. So, I was pretty hammered when I was at the beach with the boys in July and spent most of my time just sitting on the beach blanket. Why is this a moving memory then? Because it inspired me to NOT be that person next year.

9. Cycling with Sherri. A teacher friend and I met up a few times to ride our bikes together. I especially liked the time we rode along the Jordan River Parkway and stopped at the Naborhood Bakery after! It was fun to do something other than the "out to lunch" thing with someone.

10. Being the person that other people ask for advice. When I look at myself in the mirror and see the reality of the extra pounds, it astounds me that people ask for my advice about fitness related questions (e.g. bike trails, gear, training programs, race advice). In my life after teaching (20 years from now), I would love to be a wellness coach or something like that. It is really rewarding to help people find fun in activity!

So, that's my 10. Will you share yours? And if you don't do it here, at least let me know where to find it. :)