Since it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything I thought, what better time than New Year’s Eve?!?  It’s a time when we all reflect on the past year and try to figure out how to make the following year even better.  But before I delve into all of that, I wanted to thank everyone who has pushed me to become better.  I want to thank those who accepted my love of running and those who were willing to push themselves to become better.  Stronger.  More confident.

It all started for me about a year ago.  I had a neighbor who had been pestering me to do a half marathon with her for years.  Finally, in the second week of January, 2013, I accepted her invitation.  Two weeks before the race.  If it wasn’t for Annie and Sasha, I probably would not have done that first half marathon.  And now they’ve pushed me to complete more.  Two weeks after my first half, I ran another one.

I gave my running bug to my best friend and a good mom friend of mine, who completed their first 5k’s this year.  One of them is already signed up for another race.

I ran with my twin sister in her first 5k last March and pushed her to strive for more also.  Since then, she’s signed up for multiple 5k’s and we ran in our first 12k together this past month.  In January, I’ll be running with her for her first half marathon, on our 40^th birthday.  What could be better?

I’ve also gotten my husband to run in more races with me.  I’m even getting him in the spirit of dressing up for them.  A little #TeamSparkle goes a long way…..

I’d like to think that I’m the catalyst for all of this, but I can’t take all the credit.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Winnie the Pooh said it best.  All we need is one spark of an idea, one suggestion from a friend, one small belief that we can do it! And that’s all it takes.  We can fly.  In the running world (as with anything else),

there is power in numbers.

So on to my own goals for 2014.  Last year my goal was to run in at least one race every month in 2013.  I almost reached it.  Since I did not run a race in the month of June, I ran the equivalent of a 6k by myself at the beach.  I completed 3 more half marathons than I thought I would.

In 2014 I hope to complete more half marathons and join the Half Fanatics club.  So far I’ve got 4 half marathons scheduled, just in the first 3 months.  I may even push myself to do the SoCal Ragnar Relay.  Talk about doing something out of my comfort zone.  Now what to do for the rest of 2014?  Only time will tell.

Congrats to all of my running friends who made all of their dreams come true in 2013.  Here’s to a new year of hitting the pavement, the trails and the timing mats!