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?:)