2018: a year of changes

This year was a busy one for David and I, full of change, but all good changes!
January
Running: I started out 2018 in a boot from a metatarsal fracture, so the only running I did was in the pool. But I did travel to Houston to spectate the Houston marathon. I don't spectate races much, and I enjoyed the trip immensely!

Power milers run Houston

Life: As I recall, January sucked. I was in a three-car accident in which I was not at fault (a driver lost control of her vehicle and headed straight at me against traffic on a busy three-lane street), but which was a huge time-suck and paperwork nightmare.

We had several freezes in January, which is unheard of in New Orleans, and I actually enjoyed exploring the icy park!
February

Most of February was on the elliptical or similar machines

Running: I hit the 8-week mark in February, and began the arduous rehab back to running after my metatarsal fracture. The bone was not totally healed at 8 weeks, and "running" was mostly walking intervals until the 12 week mark. But I did make progress.
Life: I added a nephew in March, and he's a cute little guy! A few weeks early, but healthy (his unexpected, emergent arrival meant that he showed up the very weekend my brother was MOVING, and as the lease ended that Monday, poor Joey worked through the nights to finish the move while his wife and baby were in the hospital!). David started a new job in February - one he had been hoping to get for several years - and happily cut his commute from an hour a day to just a few minutes (the new job is on our street).
March
Running: March was a weird month. I jumped into a 5k to test out my foot - it was 12 weeks post-fracture at that point - and ran a fully understandable 20:31. But nagging pain in my OTHER foot brought me to the doctor, who pointed out that I'd probably fractured both feet this winter. My right foot lagged behind in callous formation since it bore most of the work while my left foot healed.

Life: March was fun, because...lent?! Yes, my lenten promise to paint 40 paintings over 40 days ended up less a practice in dedication, and more just a fun hobby! March also held Mardi Gras, which means David rode in Thoth and we went to the Thoth ball, not to mention a million other activities of the season.
April

Running: I ran two races in April: the Crescent City Classic 10k, which was really to see how I was doing and gauge my return to running, and the Bursting with Speed 5k. The CCC wasn't fast - 41:27 - but I ran watchless and accomplished a big negative split. It told me I was good to go to get back into racing.

Life: As lent drew to a close, a held a "Forty days of art" auction as a fundraiser, which was a success. David and I also squeezed in our only beach trip of the year (we tried later in the year, but got rained out).
May

In Buffalo

Greekfest

Dry needling after hamstring injury at Barathon

Running: In May I decided to...run a marathon. My team all ran BQs in Houston in January, but I didn't have one, so I did the Buffalo marathon with just 6 weeks of "training". I had a nice trip (but FAST, just 17 hours in Buffalo!) and ran a 3:15 for a comfy BQ. Prior to that, I already had Barathon and Greek fest on schedule, and phew - I ran them all, despite a hamstring strain on the wet streets of Barathon. I did still manage to pull of a Barathon PR in 44:51, pretty nice for six bars-six beers-six miles.

Life: May is always just a bunch of birthdays for us, and I think it was a typical year?
June
Running: I took June mostly easy, recovering from the marathon and attempting to acclimate to the heat. But I did run (and win!) the Armadillo Dash trail race.

 Life: Well, we bought a house. David was biking home one day and saw an agent putting a sign on a house. He attended the broker's open the next day at lunch, and asked me to come along to see it again that night. The next day we put in an offer, and the day after that we were under contract. Four days from first noticing it to under contract!
July
Running: I raced a ton in July! From Four on the Fourth to the Spillway to a few Summer Series two milers to several track meets to, finally, the Power Mile. I PR'd the mile with a 5:38 on the roads on a hot July night.

That track

Power mile crew

Four on the 4th beer mile

Rachel and I on the Spillway

Life: The BIG MOVE. Since we only moved four blocks, it wasn't hard, and we settled right in.

August
Running: Marathon training started way back in August, and that meant mostly adding distance at that point. I got plantar fasciitis halfway through the month, so I ended up taking some time off, too.

Ow, my foot

Life: Just spent this month settling in to our new house.
September
Running:More hot marathon training. Recapping this year is reminding me why I don't always love marathon training - lots of hot slogging and not much racing!

Life: I took my sister on a trip to Scotland to celebrate her 40th birthday. What a great bonding experience!
October
Running: Beside Oktoberfest, a terrible 2 miler in 100 F heat, this month was about marathon training once cool weather FINALLY hit. I ran the Jazz half on tired legs and ended up with a 2:14 PR, running a 1:27:04 and feeling fine!

Life: Around about here I started sort of looking for another job. My job had been brutal for the past year, absolutely miserable, and I was ready for a change. My employer offered me another position when I expressed my concerns, and while the job held more prestige (and perhaps better quality of life), it didn't come with a raise. I accepted, but wasn't too thrilled about the lateral move.
November

Running: UGH. I got hurt! Mystery injury in my foot that ended up being a stress reaction had me out for most of November. I took off two weeks, then eased back in while wearing carbon fiber plates in my shoes. I even ran a 10k in them! I took them out to race Turkey Day, which was a hot mess (I was sick).

Carbon plates make my shoes look funny.

Life: So November is the month in which I worked three jobs. I wrapped up my old job, started my new job, and...immediately got an offer for another job. It's a complicated story, but basically job #1 was doing so smashingly well that a competitor decided to go after some market share. Obviously they tried to poach me. I agreed to meet and discuss, and the company asked me to apply. The application had a salary blank and...I put something outrageous. They accepted, so here I am.
December

Running: That miserable marathon. No PR, nowhere near goal, just a bad day.
Life: Besides a trip to Texas for training, I've mostly been off this year. My new pharmacy is owned by Tulane, and they close for the holidays, so I've kept a college schedule this year. It has been AMAZING. I've never had so much time off in my life, and I am in recuperation mode. My job had been killing me for years, and I swear I needed this time off just to get back to normal. I'm looking forward to a new year with a new job that won't run me into the ground!