Racing 2012!!!!

Before Ironman last September I really thought that I was going to take it easy in 2012, do some short local races, and just enjoy time (not spent training). Funny right? Who was I kidding...it took everything in me to not sign up to do Wisconsin again the day before I actually raced it. I actually made the decision to sign up, but I was about 45 minutes late in getting to the registration table. I figured it was a sign to NOT sign up for 2012. I then get home the Monday after Ironman and of course look online, expecting to see that registration was closed, somehow it wasn't. Ugh...I had to have Matt take the computer away from me and turn it off, I'm NOT doing IMWI 2012. Tuesday morning, I check online again, it's still open, SERIOUSLY!?!? Once again, I had to put the computer away and go to work...if I get home tonight and it's still open I'm signing up. Thankfully it closed about noon on Tuesday, and I'm so happy I'm not doing Ironman this year. It has allowed me to do a lot more racing this year that I may not have otherwise. Plus, there's always 2013 ;)

So...what am I doing this year???? I'm racing a LOT more than I ever have in one year. I'll be moving out of my comfort zone and trying out some new races and distances. Some of the races are SUPER small which I love, and I'm doing some big events too which I also love.

My "A" races are Ironman 70.3 Muncie AND Steelhead as well as the Chicago Marathon. My year of "short races" somehow turned into 2 70.3 events and a marathon! Truth be told, I love to train. The thought of not having some really long, intense weeks and months this year made me sad. I love the feeling of exhaustion a build week brings. I love the time to myself during long rides and runs to think and enjoy being outside. I love pushing my body to new limits, times, paces which I'm doing a ton of already...I can't wait to see where I'm at later in the year. I love the hunger and all the food being an endurance athlete allows me to eat ;) And most importantly...I love the lifestyle that this type of training brings.

I designed my race calendar to include 2 events that are also family vacations. We rarely travel together, but whenever I race in Michigan we all head up to our family's lake house and just enjoy time together. That's where Steelhead came into play. I love that race, but I love it even more because it means a 3 day weekend with my family. I'm also doing a really small Olympic Tri in July called Sister Lakes Tri which will be another family weekend in Michigan!

Besides those, I'll be doing the Galena Duathlon, Soldier Field 10 Miler, Lake In the Hills Sprint Tri, Tinley Park Metlife Duathlon, Oak Brook Half Marathon, and the Fox Valley 20 Miler.

SO excited for this year. I'm hoping to have lots of fun, and spend a lot of time with my loved ones at each event.

And yes...I will be registering to volunteer at IMWI when the system opens up in April. Girls gotta have options!!!!