Twenty Fifteen

So, it's been awhile. Like a really long awhile. Since August awhile. Turns out, life gets busy when school starts and you are a teacher. Blogging got put on the farthest back burner that exists. I still read people's blogs, but very rarely comment as I'm usually reading them on my phone and I cannot figure out how to comment.

That was a very long-winded way of saying that I am still here. I still exist. I've been feeling a very strong pull to update the blog, so I've finally sat down on my couch to do it. What better way to come back to the blogosphere than to recap 2015? I wasn't around these parts for most of it, so let me fill you in.

January

I began the year with a decent, really fast run, which set the tone for the first four months of 2015: running way too many fast miles and not enough slow ones.

I travelled south for a family reunion to celebrate what would have been my great grandmother's 100th birthday.

And I did a lot of working out with this guy.

February

I did a lot of nature things with my friends.

I visited my brother in San Luis Obispo and did a lot of nature things there, too.

I began sort of training for a spring marathon with my favorite running friends, but still ran way too fast for pretty much every run.

I ran my very first 20-miler and made it out alive.

March

I became a professional photoshopper. I clearly woke up like this.

I got super into volunteering at races. This was the month I decided volunteering is just as fun, if not more fun, than actually running them.

I climbed some pretty big mountains with my lady.

I ran my longest run ever. 

Which lead to my demise. The day, after I caught the worst flu of my life. And then I was broken.

April 

Due to being a complete idiot with my training, my left knee got an overcompensation injury and I was sidelined from marathon training and just running in general.

Luckily, I went on a very long road trip to Arixona with my best friend which forced me to sit for hours at a time.

I got to see some pretty awesome nature things, so it made up for my inability to run.

I also visited my brother again. Always a good time.

May

I cross-trained a lot because my legs still hated me, even after all that rest.

I volunteered some more.

I ran the 10k version of the marathon I was supposed to have run and broke myself even more.

It didn't stop me from going to my mountains. The mom, running coach, and I did a Mother's Day hike together.

June

I finished my first year of teaching! 

I went on a professional rafting trip where I fell out of the boat for the first time ever, after a bazillion trips down the river in our own crapoy boats.

I went to a Father's Day baseball game. Don't let the smile fool you, I hated every minute of it (besides being with my dad and brother, that I loved).

I took a very special trip to Costa Rica with my mom for her 55th birthday. 

July

I celebrated the 4th of July with my favorite little firecracker.

I began my second year of teaching in a brand new classroom.

I started running short distances again and really got my life together by matching my running clothes.

August

I began running a little bit more and a little bit farther.

I did my very first double digit run in months. In the mountains. With my favorites.

I had to say one of the hardest goodbyes of my life to my running coach.

I visited my baby brother for 24 hours for his birthday.

My grandma turned 90!!

My love bug turned two!

I ran the worst half marathon of my entire life.

And I started a new school year.

September

I officially signed up for a marathon and did my first long run on a dusty trail. Just the way I like it.

I did my first solo long run of the training cycle.

Oh. And I did this little thing I heard adults do and bought a house.

So I spent a lot of my September painting.

I mean most of my September...

October 

I finally moved into my house.

I ran a lot with these people. They're my happy people.

I did what I believe all home-owning adults do and sat on my couch watching Netflix.

I ran a half marathon as a training run. And actually used it as a training run, not a race.

I found out that my second niece will be arriving in March!

I decided to quit my job and become a professional pumpkin carver.

I went wine tasting with my uncle in Sonoma.

And really went all out for Halloween at work.

But spent actual Halloween running.

November

We took a quick overnight trip to run 20 miles with my coach.

I did a mid-week long run with my running girlfriend in the redwoods.

I did my first training run in the rain.

My brother visited for Thanksgiving.

But we celebrated a day early.

I watched a beautiful sunset on our very last "long" run before the marathon.

And I got my very first Christmas tree!

December

I ran a freaking marathon! My only goal was to finish, but I secretly wanted to finish in under 4 hours.

Thanks to this guy, I ran it in 3:54:21! 

I spent a whole lot of December not running and did a lot of recovering, but still volunteered at races.

I finally decided to run again and swam half of a long run.

I decorated cookies.

I turned 28.

I got a selfie stick in a White Elephant gift  exchange, and it changed my life.

I made a very last minute trip to San Diego and ran 10 miles on New Year's Eve.

Then rang in the New Year at a martini bar listening to Spencer Day. (If you haven't heard his music, I highly recommend him. His voice sounds like butter tastes.)

I guess 2015 was a pretty big year for me. I bought a house, ran a marathon, took over a different classroom, and made it past the 27-year curse. I'm doing well. Really well. Let's see where 2016 takes me!