For this finale post for 2021, a year that was personally laced with trauma and tragedy, I wanted to take time this week to remember, highlight and share some of my favorite moments. I narrowed down to ten categories that are meaningful to me, and I hope will inspire you to create ten (or more) meaningful categories of your own to commemorate 2021.
Here We GO!!
Favorite Athletic Moment:
Every single pedal rotation of a 120-mile training ride on October 2nd.
- This was my favorite bike ride of all-time actually, both for the amazing company, (my friend and teammate, Jess Zaiss), and the fact that I rode comfortably at my dream *wattage* and completed the ride in just over six hours.
Two happy and speedy triathletes.
Honorable Mention:
A ten-mile tempo run in early December when I ran quicker and more comfortably than I have in years.
Swimming 1:19 for a 100y time trial in the pool during the Biscay Coaching Olympics in March.
- I give full credit for being inspired to push myself that hard after learning my athlete, Laurel, swam a 1:11 earlier that morning. Amazing.
Laurel and I post pre-race swim at IM CDA in June.
Favorite Habit:
Daily journaling
- I've been writing at least one page in my journal every day since December 2017. I never read what I write, it's just pure expression of thoughts feelings, ideas, etc., at the start of the day before I start anything else.
Honorable Mention:
Reading a minimum of fifty pages every day.
- I’ve gone over *50* plenty of times, I am currently reading my seventy-second book of the year, (which is maybe too many), but fifty pages daily is the quota.
Ingesting a daily smoothie that consists of LOTS of greens, plant-based Collagen builder, iron, etc.,
Daily health fix.
Favorite Podcast Episode:
Matthew Walker on the Rich Roll podcast.
- Dr. Walker is a sleep specialist who shares many useful insights about slumber in this 3+ hour episode.
Honorable Mention:
Holly Charles on The Ironwomen Podcast.
- Holly is the most predominant woman photographer/content creator producing work in the endurance space, (she documents her sister Lucy Charles), but she shares some excellent tips in this episode on how to bring more women into the fold.
- Every episode of this podcast is hilarious, but I really appreciated the tone and honesty Elizabeth conveyed about how she earned her career as an actor, director, and producer.
Favorite Book:
Think Again, by Adam Grant
This book should be required reading for every citizen of our divided nation.
Honorable Mention:
Breathe, by James Nestor and Bravey, by Alexi Pappas.
*For other reading recommendations, please reference my monthly books reviews posted on Facebook and Instagram on the first (or second) day of the month.*
Favorite Random/meaningful connection through Social Media
Ultra-runner and bestselling author Dean Karnazes replying to the DM I sent him through Instagram after reading his newest book, A Runner's High, and how he now consistently likes many of my posts. Pretty nuts.
Honorable Mention:
A few “Likes” of comments I made to Gwen Jorgenson's posts on Instagram.
A request from pro triathlete, Paula Findley, to send her the photo below that I captured of her at Oceanside, 70.3
- Paula never posted it, which is a bummer, but it's cool that she saw it, and liked it enough to reach out to me to have it.
Favorite "Pinch-Me" moment:
Running 2 miles with Hannah on 1/31.
Hannah and her very excited stepmom finishing up their run at a brisk sub 8min. pace.
*No Honorable mentions for this category, this moment is in a class all its own.*
Favorite Feat of Endurance:
Writing and posting a blog for 29 days in April.
- Surprisingly, the daily writing wasn't the hard part; it was the daily posting. The stress that goes along with the awareness that people will actually read what I write is immeasurable. I can handle posting weekly, (barely), but doing it daily took a toll.
Honorable Mention:
Climbing back on my bike, "Big Red" at Ironman CDA after cooking on the side of the road for over an hour in 100F + temps awaiting my fate after a loose rock sliced open my front tire.
A very parched triathlete at Ironman CDA.
Swimming and running over 30K from the La Jolla Cove to the Carlsbad Lagoon at Biscay Coaching training camp in May.
- The seas were rough, my wetsuit chafed, and the day seemed to go on forever… Although it was nutty, (and left my mother aghast *after* I told her the details when I arrived home safely), it was a fun and memorable escapade above anything else.
Just before we hopped in the water at La Jolla Cove. I'm psyched!!:)
Favorite Movie/TV Show:
The Rescue
The film by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin about the Thai soccer team rescue.
- I have never seen a more honest portrayal of humanity and innovation on film.
Honorable Mention:
The final season of Lost In Space on Netflix.
Marion and his buddy, the Robot.
- Marion was one of the *first* crew members hired for the show when it started in 2016, it has been a fixture in our family’s lives for over five years, and it was an emotional night watching the last episode, but we both believed they wrapped up the story nicely.
And Just Like That on HBO Max.
- It’s good, and is getting better, just give it some room.
Favorite Creative Breakthrough:
Developing the story and characters for a still “in progress” screenplay.
Honorable Mention:
The movie I made for our Biscay Coaching Backbone Camp.
Setting up my camera quickly in the rain to grab this photo, and then matching it with a catchy caption.
Favorite Moment of Clarity:
Realizing in early December there is a difference between quitting and moving on, one develops growth while the other produces spite and frustration.
*No Honorable Mention for this category either, (it sprang up too close to the end of the year), but I look forward to exploring it further in 2022.*
*BONUS Category*
Favorite Garmin Message:
I want to thank ALL of you for following along in my adventures this past year, and I look forward to what we ALL have in store next year!!
The song and video choice this week is my favorite single of 2021, enjoy.:)
P.S. I did not record an audio version of this post because I think the words and photos marry well together, but I will be back recording next week.