2012: Making a silk purse out of a sow's ear

The year started out on a low. 

First of all, we were burgled in early January. It sucked. 

Then there was my health. Perpetually struggling, hurting, and exhausted...I knew something was wrong. While my erratic hip remains somewhat mysterious, medical testing revealed ridiculously low serotonin levels, which explained a large part of the struggle. This information facilitated my climb out of the abyss. 

Along my journey to clarity and health, I had some 'bomb' races...Kaiser 5K, Oakland Marathon Relay and Bay to Breakers. The difficult place with regard to my health and these less-than wonderful "race" experiences led me to pull out of two races I had excitedly entered...the Eugene marathon and the San Francisco 1st half-marathon.

I managed to run a lot of hills and frequently on trails, but I wasn't able run very many miles. I did, however, run one mile in less than seven minutes and blew my own mind.

I discovered the Don't Run, Run Faster Training Plan which led to my triple gold medal performance at The Ellimpics and a set of wonderful legs at Hood to Coast as a part of Nuun's Afternuun Delight Team Morning as well as my first female finish on Thanksgiving at the Sonoma 5K Turkey Trot.

The late spring brought some fun recognition. I was chosen again as a BlogHer Voices of the Year honoree (see button in sidebar) and I won a spot on Nuun's Hood to Coast teams...with my "creepy" and "just wrong" video...

The spring also brought my first blog-related paycheck! Building my financial empire one dollar at a time ;-) Other notable firsts this year included: rock climbing, hamsterballing, and sparkle skirts...all of which threw me well out of my comfort zone.

2012 also involved loads of family fun. In addition to trips to the beach and the Space and Science Center and numerous walks by the Bay, we went to the zoo about 142 times...and even saw an elephant penis. Big and exciting stuff, people.

The year has really run the gamut on all levels...physical (as outlined above), emotional, relational, spiritual... It has been a year of great change and opened eyes. I've learned how to better care for myself, the true value of rest and meditation, the importance of compassion and an open heart. My sense of perspective has broadened tenfold or more. So much growth...and so many growing pains. What a year. 

I finished my running for the year with donuts and friends.

And I finished my momming for the year at...where else?... the zoo :)

Following these two trajectories, may the coming year be filled with sweetness, love, joy and adventure for us all!

Don't Be A Hater (alternate title: stepping outside one's comfort zone)

Taking It On.

That's the title.

If you think I roll over and succumb to peer pressure, you don't know me very well. 

What would be the most uncomfortable thing for me to do?

Sparkle.

goofing on the sparkle...big time.

What's that expression?

Do something every day that scares you.

Right?

So I sparkled.

l. to r.: erin, jennifer, elizabeth, amanda, katie, me, tall tyler smith

quintessential cheesy cheerleader jump mandatory.

(l. to r.: amanda, me, jennifer, katie, elizabeth)

Elizabeth was the only natural sparkler in our van.

But I got the bitch on. And I ran.

And I ran well.

And when the running was over, I was glad to have sparkled.

Oooooo....look at me! I'm sooooo pretty!

And if you really think that's what I got out of the sparkle,

you missed the whole point of this post.

Many thanks to Nuun for another unforgettable Hood to Coast Relay experience!

I'll be back at the end of the week after a little family vacation to recap it for you all....

when you're all super sick of all the recaps... 

BOOM!... mine will show up. 

Lucky you :)

Clueless in Seattle...Day #2

After spending Wednesday afternoon wearing my brand-new hat and groping one of my closest blogging friends ...and getting dehydrated (no one brought the Nuun)... at the baseball game, followed by watching several bloggers get hammered over the course of the evening (though some probably had that situation well underway at the ball game...or before...), I experienced a fitful sleep. I awoke with a little, teeny headache that I had to banish quickly because Thursday was going to be a very full day.

I wanted to feel my best when I reunited with Nuun Platuun Van 2...my team from last year :)

Left to right: Tonia (Racing with Babes), me, Susan (Nurse on the Run), Kim (Nuun), Jess (Blonde Ponytail), Harmony (Keep On Keeping On) and Casey (Nunn driver extraordinaire)

I did not need to be feeling my best for a run that morning...

Psycho running bloggers who can't get enough...

I planned on heading up the ass-sitting mimosa-drinkers...but we were too early for brunch so Starbucks had to do... turns out a lot of us were not so psycho...

Left to right:  Tricia (Tricia Minnick), me, Lindsay (Lindsay on the Go), and

Amanda (Runninghood)...

Katie (KatieRUNSThis), Kelsey (Go Girl), I can't remember, Tonia, and

Caroline (that Canadian woman).

The reward for ass-sitting...or running (some even swam in the lake!)... was a trip to running apparel company Oiselle's headquarters where we were gifted a sweet tee! Thanks so much, Oiselle :)

Then Jennifer from The Fit Fork got us all hooked up with Jamba Juice smoothies for breakfast...

...after which several of us headed to Whole Foods courtesy of chauffeur Robyn (Run Pretty Run Fast) where I purchased a whole chicken...among other things. Yes, I really did. But I ate it all and there are no pictures.

Then we returned to Nuun HQ where we were given a bag full of amazing goodies!

Tigertail, Tough Chik armwarmers, Swiftwick socks and sleeves, SparklySouls headband,

GNC nutrition, Thorlo socks, GoSportID, Endorphin Warrior bracelet (Believe is my code word), team t-shirt and hat and jacket...what am I forgetting?

Oh.

Right.

A purple sparkly skirt.

Then we were off on a scavenger hunt...the Nuun-mazing Race.

My team, Clueless in Seattle, was comprised of Vanessa (Gourmet Runner), Nicole (RicoleRuns), Tonia, Harmony, and me.

So many items on the list were here...and Tonia even caught and kissed a fish...

Here they all are at Pike Place Market after finding the bronze pig...

I am not pictured because I am spending some quality time in the bathroom.

We needed to find as many pigs as we could...apparently Seattle is famous for pigs.

I asked these gentlemen where we might find some pigs, 

the bald one demanded to know why I thought they would have any idea...

thinking, of course, that I had been referring to them!

Which was,  of course, brilliant :)

Seattle's finest helping out the Nuun ladies.

On to the waterfront...

Ferris wheel and Space Needle...

Very difficult to get both of these attractions in one photo...but we are magic.

We needed to give away all of our tattoos...

He was giggling.

He actually started to drop his shorts so we could tat his butt :P

We helped inanimate creatures stay hydrated...

force-feeding the otter (yes, otter) Nuun.

Of course Team Clueless in Seattle won. 

Then again we did have special help....

Time to cram all my stuff back into my ginormous duffel again...vans leave in 45 minutes!

Woo Hoo!  Hood to Coast here we come!!!!