Another New Year!

This morning I took a look through my triathlon training log from this time last year, and realized that a lot has changed in a year. Now that I’m a week and a half into 2006, I figure it’s time to review 2005 and set a few goals for this year (I’m such a good procrastinator that I don’t even make New Year’s Resolutions until after the New Year!).

So, to recap 2005, I present the good, the bad, and the ugly:

The Good:

• Went to Maui for a week with Nate to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary and had a fabulous time (saying we’ve been married 5 years still makes me feel old – I keep having to remind myself I’m only 27…)
• Spent a ton of time in the mountains, including weekend trips to Steamboat Springs, Vail, and Aspen and a 5-day trip to Telluride.
• Hiked to some beautiful places that I’ve never been before, and spent some great nights sleeping under the stars.
• Got a big promotion at work and transitioned from staring at my computer all day to managing people (bit of a mixed blessing, actually, but more on that later…)
• Increased my triathlon training time and distances, and met some cool new people in the process. Cut 14 minutes off my Danskin Triathlon time from 2004, even with a foot injury that kept me slow on the run.
• Made a ton of progress with my painting. Had a great time in a 4-day painting workshop with Jay Moore in Rocky Mountain National Park, and finally made some progress toward a landscape portfolio.
• Finally learned to golf so I can hang out with Nate more often.

The Bad:

• Worked too much. I started the year working overtime for an awful project manager, and managed to end the year working OT on a different project. I got a promotion mid-year which completely stressed me out all through September, October, and November. Learned that I have no desire to climb the corporate ladder!
• Ended up with a nasty case of extensor tendonitis in my foot and had to cut my triathlon season short after training my butt off all spring.
• Didn't manage any backpacking trips - just hiking and camping. It's just not the same when you don't get away from everything!

The Ugly:

• This time last year my Dad had just had quadruple bypass surgery for his heart, and my mom was healing from a nasty broken shoulder. Started off the year with way too many evenings in the hospital, hoping everyone would end up healthy. Luckily they did, and I’m thankful they caught my Dad’s heart blockages before they caused a heart attack!

My favorites of 2005:

• Best Book: “Searching for God Knows What” – Donald Miller
• Best CD: “In Between Dreams” – Jack Johnson
• Best Movie: Tough to decide, but probably the new Harry Potter (Goblet of Fire)
• Best Race: 5430 Sprint Triathlon, Boulder, Colorado (great organization and course!)
• Best Trip: Definitely Maui. Can’t beat laying around on the beach with a margarita in hand!

Luckily the good outweighs the bad and the ugly, but it was a stressful year and I’m kind of glad to see it go. I’m hoping that 2005 will be the year that I do the following:

• Obtain gallery representation for my landscape paintings
• Get a painting accepted to the Arts for the Parks competition or an Oil Painters of America show.
• Find the right piece of property to buy in Steamboat Springs so Nate and I can eventually build the mountain cabin we’ve been dreaming about for years.
• Think about having kids (yes, think about it – I’m not committing to anything here)
• Swim 200,000 yards (swam ~80,000 in 2005, which wasn’t nearly enough considering that I love the water)

There, now they’re all in writing so I’m committed. Here’s to a great 2006!!