Here's to life!

Funny how a single year can change the way you feel about your life. Yet, that's exactly what 2011 did for me.

I kicked off 2011 setting one A-goal for the year: the Swiss Alpine Marathon K78 (50-miler). Little did I know that even just working and training towards this race would give me a heck load of breath-taking moments. 'Blessed' would be an understatement. Plus, I learned a thing or two about myself while training for this race.

While I was training for the SAM I ran several marathons. Training marathons that made me love running marathons even more. Smiling at mile 25 / 40K of the Amsterdam Marathon - priceless. :)

I did back-2-back weekends. I did a couple of 30-milers (50 K's) on Sunday's. And a lot of 20+-milers. I ran through Holland's unseasonably hot Spring and wet Summer. I ran hills. I ran mountains. I spent some serious hours on trails. I even found a new love: cycling. And spent hours on my road bike to add extra hours of training to my schedule.

The out-of-this-world support running buddies and especially my mom gave me during this journey...is more than I could have ever wished for. Blessed. :)

I spent most of my non-working hours 'outside'. Training for the SAM made me appreciate nature in a way I didn't think I could. Who knew the sight of a squirrel hopping through the woods (instead of the sight of the Hermes Birkin Bag) could make me smile? ;)

The 'This is so cool! Can I do this again?' moment I had at mile 45 of the SAM was an amazing gift. I was out there, in high alpine terrain, covered in mud, in this freezing cold, and I was having a blast. That's pretty special to me. :) After all, I'm just a girl in a skirt...a girl that knows squat about running. :) Then again, winging it is kind of fun!

It has been a good year.

2011...you've been good to me. Sure...not all of it has been fun, but it's the fun and breath-taking moments that I decide to take with me. Fingers crossed that the beast I call '2012' can live up to your legacy. ;)

So, how about this? Let's have some fun kicking that beast in the balls Silly Girl Running style?:)

Three Things Thursday

1. B-U-S-Y: It's the season to get busy. This is the time of year that things get kind of crazy at the firm. More work load = less time to blog. Sorry about that. :) Not that you're missing out on anything interesting with less posts on this blog. ;)

2. Effing knee: As I've already mentioned in Monday's post, I have some knee issues (PF) since I've spend 2 hours working through case files a week ago...on my knees. Do not try that one at home. The horror! My PT laughed at me and told me spending hours on your knees is a pretty stupid thing to do. Yeah, thanks. I know that...now! So...uphill speed walking on the treadmill (great mountain marathon work out...boy, does it get your heart rate up!) and cycling it is. Road running = angry knee at the moment, so I'm sticking with the dreadmill for the time being. Fingers crossed on this one.

3. 2012 vs 2011: I've told myself that it's okay to start planning 2012 races, even when the Knee is bothering me right now. And boy, it's fun to plan! Fun runs, city marathons, the Swiss Alps, and a dream race I don't even dare talking or thinking about. Are you already planning your 2012 races? Any tips on races I should try to work into my schedule? :)

The 5 year Plan - The 'Also known as the SGR-style Bucket List' post

Ran: 4.5 miles / 7.2K with Lordie

As you might have noticed, I added a 'The 5 year plan'-page and a 'To Do List 2011'-page to my blog.

The 5 Year Plan

I already mentioned The Bucket List in earlier posts. I also mentioned that I plan on making a bucket list Silly Girl Running style. Meaning, it won't be the 'average' things to do before you die-list, but a list for the next 5 years. In the last couple of days I realized that 'the bucket list' indeed has a 'things to do before I die' kind of ring to it, and I don't really like that 'ring', so I'm sticking with 'The 5 Year Plan' or 'Things to do before January 1st 2011'.

Now, go check out the 5 Year Plan! http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/p/bucket-list-5-year-plan.html

The list isn't finished yet. I'm still working on it and looking for ideas and adding 'things' to the list when I come up with something. What is on the list (and I really want to do this race!) is the Walt Disney Marathon Goofy's Challenge! Call me a kid, but I love everything Disney! Instant happiness! :)

Hello, Mickey! That's what I call a 'fun' course! :

What would you put on the 5 Year Plan list?

To Do List 2011

Check out this list here: http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/p/to-do-list-2011.html

Well, this one's pretty obvious, huh? Just a list of things I really want to do or keep on doing in 2011. Nothing too 'wow, what do you plan on doing?'. Just some things I really would love to do in 2011, and I feel I should be doing. Some things on the list, like 'stretching', are just more of an everyday reminder. An important reminder, though! ;)

What are your goals for 2011?

The Bucket List - part two

Ran: 6.2 miles / 10K running group practice Cycling: 30 minutes

Did you miss the birth of The Bucket List? If so, you can read all about it here:

http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/2010/12/bucket-list-shortened-version.html

Last night I did some research (yep, I'm taking this Bucket List thing pretty serious) on the five year Bucket List. Ergo, I was googling for cool races to put on the list. And then I came across this video. Start the video at 3:35 minutes. Sit back, and enjoy.

So, now you probably understand why I HAVE to do this race sometime in the 5 years to come, right? By putting it on the 5 year Bucket List I'll also have a couple of years to save my pennies to register and pay for the trip. And yep, the runners actually have to do a trek to one of the base camps. Because the start is at one of the base camps. And you'll have to hike up there. Just saying that again. Since I'm a bit worried that I might feel the urge to actually run up there. But let's not go there for now. ;) Doesn't this race seem amazing? :)

Oh, and while we're at it. I also did some research on the 'Climb the Matterhorn' plan. Apparently you need to be a Level 4 rock climber (not the level 4 indoor wussies like myself, but actually rock climbing - I know now that there's a difference between indoor licenses and the actual rock climbing license). If you're not a level 4 climber, the guide (I'm not stupid enough to try it without a guide) won't even take you with him. Guess who will be spending a lot of vacation time driving back and forth to Switzerland in the next 5 years to get her Level 4 rock climbing license...

The Bucket List - the shortened version

Ran: 4.5 miles / 7.2K with the dogs

Just a couple of days left in the year 2010. Soon enough we'll have a whole new year to fill with races and other fun (or not so fun) stuff. ;)

My resolutions for 2011 are...NONE!

Everyone around me seems to be talking about New Year's resolutions. Quit smoking, pick up a hobby, eat less meat, spend more time with the family, spend less time in the bar. All good/ambitious resolutions.

I'm not a New Year's resolutions' kind of girl. If you want to quit smoking, quit today. Feel the need to get into a healthier lifestyle, join the gym - today. And if you want to spend more time with the family, just do so! Don't get me wrong, I do realize that starting off a new year with these resolutions must feel like you're onto something 'great' and off to a fresh start. I just don't get why you would wait till January 1st. Call me nutso. Or a party pooper.

A bucket list?

However, I love lists. Love, love lists. And especially checking things on these lists. Plus: writing 'done' on a list; great feeling!

And I do have a lot of things that I would like to do in the somewhat near future. And I'm afraid that I might forget about some of these things. So, what I'll do is, instead of working on New Year's resolutions, I'll make a bucket list. A 'special' kind of bucket list that is. Not the 'old school' things to do before you die list. Nope, I'm making a 'bucket list' for 2011 alone and a separate 'bucket list' for the next 5 years. Why? Because it's my bucket list! :)

Weird? Corny? You tell me!

I just know that - for example - I really really really want to climb the Matterhorn in Switzerland. But I also know that I won't be doing that in 2011. Because I'll have to turn myself into a rock climber before I give it a shot. And I don't have time for that this year. So, that would be on the 5 year bucket list.

What I can do in 2011 is try my luck at a triathlon. That one would be on the 2011 bucket list. Especially since I can't bail out when it's on the list. I'm working on some kind of 'punishment system' for not doing things on the list for random reasons. (Ofcourse, an injury etcetera would not be included in this system. Being injured is a punishment itself) If you have any thoughts on the punishment system: please do share. ;)

Leaves me to this: do you have a written down or 'secret' bucket list?