Looking back, I think all I have done this past year is work...long days, exhausting shifts, hours in the car, poor diet on the road, insomnia, chronically sore back and neck. But then I think a little harder and realize that it's been a heck of a year despite all that!
For 2012 I made a commitment to get out on the trails and run for the sheer joy of it and remove the word "training" from my vocabulary forever. So I ran the Ossipee River Trails so often that I think I could now run them blind folded without tripping over a single rock or root. I ran the Big A 50K and MMD just for the sake of seeing friends. I learned the top-secret single track system out in the Leavitt Plantation. I ran the Moats Single Track and the single track of the Green Hills Preserve. I explored logging roads and snow mobile trails in north east Vermont with my trusty side-kick, Scout. Kevin and I put in a thousand or so extra trail miles walking.
Mountain biking was wonderful. We really had some awesome trail conditions in New England this past year. I worked on developing my technical skills on the cross country trails, mastered those small uphill step-ups that have been the challenge of my mountain biking existence, and tried lift-assisted downhill riding a few times...What a blast!!! We biked Bear Brook, FOMBA, Ossipee River, Leavitt Plantation, Green Hills Preserve, Moat Area Single Track, and Kingdom Trails...a lot. I got up the courage to try Sidewinder and it was a piece of cake! I didn't break any bones or require any surgery from biking this year, so it was a good season.
We did a lot of snowshoeing late season last winter. For a winter with very little snow in New England, it's amazing how often Kevin and I got out on the snowshoes. We started learning our way around the miles and miles of woods behind our camp in Vermont. We've resumed that exploration this past month. I am determined to find my way to the mountain we call "Frost Mountain" that we can see in the distance from our camp window. We're getting close!
The cross country skiing sucked last winter so I tried Alpine skiing again for the first time in over 25 years. It was so much fun that I purchased my own equipment. I look forward to gaining skills and confidence this winter and eventually, joining Kevin on the more difficult slopes.
We got out in the kayaks a few times. The most memorable and fun outing was out of Bar Harbour, exploring the little island chain and watching the wild life. We also had a nice paddle up the river into Ossipee Lake.
We did trail work. We cleared the lot a little at camp. We had a big productive vegetable garden. I finished two quilts. I celebrated two years of being married to the most wonderful man on the planet.
Next year will be even better. I am working on making a big career change. Frankly, I am tired of working weekends, holidays, and evenings. I am tired of being on call. I am tired of never being able to let my work go, even on my days off. I am fifty years old and I need to start putting my mental and physical health first. I'm excited about moving forward and retaking control of my life!
I'm feeling very positive about 2013. Bring it on!
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