Peace Out 2014!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill

I saw this quote on Facebook Sunday afternoon as I was pondering what to write about for today’s blog. As 2014 is quickly slipping away I can’t help but look back on the year that was. I failed and I succeeded. Doors closed and new ones opened. I pursued the opportunity of a lifetime and kicked its ass. Well, sort of. I finished in a respectable time.

Call it courage. Call it stubbornness. Call it whatever you like.

I’ve learned a lot from 2014 and look forward to what 2015 will bring. Personally. Professionally. Athletically.

I’m pretty sure that many of you are looking forward to what 2015 will bring for me as well. I received more questions of, “WHAT’S NEXT?!” than I can count. I’ve spent some time thinking about what my race schedule will look like and even had a plan laid out before the holidays rolled in. Don’t be disappointed but there are NO plans for an Ironman. You can stop asking. I want to 2015 to be about getting back to training and enjoying it. For as much as I really enjoyed training for the Ironman it felt like a job. I want to ride and run and not be as obsessed with that my pace, time, distance, as I was this year. Wishful thinking but it’s worth a shot.

Will I tell you what races I have planned?  No, not all of them. There are some things I like to keep to myself. I will tell you I want to run a marathon, race a Half Iron or two, and sprinkle in a few other endurance adventures and that’s my race schedule for the year. Just as the quote says success is not final and I’d call 2014 a success. 2015 has new goals and new successes to look forward to.

Many of you followed my journey to Kona and were kind enough to tell me what an inspiration I was to you. I was able to do something that I never thought possible. It’s your turn now. I want YOU to find something that scares you, challenges you, motivates you and COMMIT to doing it. I don’t care what it is. Maybe it’s a 10k or taking a class at CPC that you have always secretly wanted to do but haven’t found the guts to do it. Tell me. Let me HELP you reach your goals. You helped me reach mine. A new year is right around the corner. Why not dream big?! It’s not about succeeding or failing about finding the courage to do it.

Happy New Year!

SK