Oh the countdown is on to ring in a new year.
I like to reflect on the last 12 months before I start wishing the year away.
On the running front, it was not stellar. As you know I took this season off to heal my body. I ran 2 races – Blackfoot 25K (14th woman) and Bill Nielsen’s 10-miler (2nd woman). I had to pull the blog on two big races – Sinister 7 (team) and Lost Soul. I’m looking forward to a strong comeback in 2016.
I’m also running on #teamnuun in 2016. (More on this later.) Talk about an inspiring group of athletes!
Camping & Hiking
My Versa was good to me in 2015. We spent a lot of time on Hwy 2 travelling to Bragg Creek and Canmore. One of my favorite adventures was the Ha Ling Challenge with Dianne & Liz. What a fun yet challenging day!
Moose Mountain became a second home. I lost count how many times I hiked or ran to the top. Mostly my training was solo but I was happy to have company. Nothing beats being in the mountains and soaking up the fresh air and energy of the forest. Yes, I may have a hugged a tree or two.
Solo road trip
I visited Lana and Eric & Sara in my search for peace and adventure in beautiful British Columbia. It’s been too long since I took a solo trip with little advance planning. Fortunately there were no major hiccups save for a broken gas cover thingy. I felt energized and alive on this trip.
Once again I spent time on my feet exploring Ucluelet and Tofino. I lucked out for camping everywhere I went. Canada is such a beautiful country. I don’t understand those people who will fly halfway around the world when they haven’t even been coast-to-coast. (Especially with how the low the dollar is today.) I still haven’t been to Manitoba or Saskatchewan or way up north yet. Maybe in 2016?
Vegan Beer & Food Festival
Pedro and I drove to Portland with stops in Fernie and Spokane. (I ate the best mushrooms ever in Spokane.) It was the first taste of food to come. We were simply overwhelmed with the vast vegan food options in Portland. There were even a few vegan grocery stores. How awesome is that? I fell madly and deeply in love with Portland. The festival was so much fun too. I never ate so much in such a short order. Portland has definitely got that vibe. It hasn’t seen the last of me!
So what is up in 2016?
I have so many lofty plans. One day I will get my head out of the clouds and focus. No doubt there will be more travelling, running and hiking. But I also want to delve back into my activism roots. It’s been too long since I stood up for things I believed in and used my voice. Life is too short to be standing on the sidelines in all aspects of our lives.
My newspaper gave me the green light to write a biweekly running column in October. So far it’s been going well and I have received some positive feedback. I may get back to freelance writing next year. It’s challenging when you have a full-time job and training for races. But I think it will be worth it in terms of my professional development.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will be among the stars. ~ Les Brown
I haven’t had a lot of reading time this year (man that’s pathetic sounding… must change that), so thanks for the catch all. I look forward to following along on your 2016 adventures!