New Year

I haven't written in a while and I don't miss it. I think if I take the 30 minutes, a few times a week, that I had spent writing, and put it towards my triathlon work, I will find it more satisfying right now. My job is amazing, so I don't need to vent. I'll still update occasionally, let's say once a week, but that's all I can promise.

This year I celebrated Christmas with my boyfriend's family, which made it my first official Christmas. I had a blast and racked up some presents too. We followed that with a one-nighter in Atlantic City. We had a fantastic fondue dinner and won about $400 each at craps. Not bad!

Unfortunately, on Saturday, I hit a pothole and needed to spend that $400 on two new tires.

Today marks the end of another year. It was a successful, and challenging, and best, and worst, year. I got my dream job, lost my grandmother, and moved in with my boyfriend. I work longer hours than ever before in my life. I've averaged about 1 mile per day of running this year (total of 362 miles recorded in 2012). I completed one triathlon and about half a dozen 5Ks. I had shin splints and knee pain, but no back pain. I spent a lot of time with my family. I lost some weight and gained it back. I eat less frozen food. All in all, I feel more "together" than I did a year ago, probably owing most to a new job and new living arrangements.

I have some new goals and some old goals for 2013.
Job:
Improve consistency of work quality, both from me and my students. That means better formatted lesson plans, which will help me next year, and holding students accountable for neat, thorough, and rigorous assignments.

Life:
Look for leftovers before cooking a new meal.
Finally lose the last 9 of the 10 lbs I've been working on since 2009. I'll see 131 lbs this year!

Fitness:
4 triathlons (2 sprint, 2 Olympic), a half marathon (or two), some 5Ks.
2:30 in the UNITE Half Marathon (April; last time 2:44) 
1:40 in the Hempstead Harbor Tri (June; last time 1:50).
3:30 in the New York City Tri (July; last time 4:04).
A REAL sub-30 5K, then a sub-29, then a sub-28.
Safely reach 15 mpw, then 20 mpw.

Happy New Year!