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It’s not set in stone, but I think I’ve made a big decision – I’m not going to attempt a Half Ironman this year. Why? For two reasons. Number one, my knee is giving me a little bit of a problem. It just gets sore when I try to do more than a certain amount of exercise. The two PT’s in my family say that my injury is definitely manageable if I ever want to attempt that distance again, but I will have to supplement with stabilization exercises and ice every time I do anything significant on it. Honestly, I need to feel some significant passion to complete a Half again… and I’m borderline there. That’s just not good enough to stay injury-free. The second reason why is because I want to enjoy exercise this year. While I love a big goal and I love to train, I want to use that time for other things… like writing and being with other people. Here’s the thing – I’m never going to be the best triathlete. It is something I really love, but when it boils down to it it’s just a hobby. I have a real opportunity this year to do something significant with my writing, so I am choosing to put that effort in that direction. This doesn’t mean that I’m going to give up sports, far from it. I have no problem completing shorter distances and plan to still participate in local short distance triathlons and running races. After saying all of this… watch this be the year that I actually win a slot in the Kona Ironman World Championship Lottery. That would suuuuuuuuck. 
But it doesn’t matter in the end, this year is for other goals. I can always train up again next year for the Half, and maybe even a full Ironman. And by then my knee might be even better.
Speaking of writing, I am on course for my end of January goal. I’ve tracked down an agent in New York City who is going to look over my outline and first chapter, and give me feedback based on what I’ve got so far. That’s exciting! The more I talk to people about my concept, the more ideas I get. I’m still a little shy about the fact that I’m doing another romantic comedy, but honestly I kind of dig the direction it’s going in. Last night while writing in a local coffee shop, I randomly sat next to a table of writers who were also working on book projects. I picked their brains a little about the process, as some of them had almost complete manuscripts and were in the last phases of completion. In a time where almost anyone can write a book and get it published (whether on your own or through a publisher), it kind of lights my fire a little to know that I can be competitive. Sometimes you can just feel things in your bones… and this is one of them. I kind of know that I am going to knock this one out of the park. Not that it is going to be easy, but I’ve got what it takes.
What a great weekend! Well, Friday night I didn’t do much of anything (which was a joy in of itself), but Saturday was a really wonderful day. After getting a good run in, I spent some time with my mom and sisters at my parent’s house. Early afternoon we all headed out to a West family party at my grandmother’s nursing home since she is unable to leave at this point. Her memory is rapidly fading, but I could tell that deep down she knew that having everyone in one room was a big deal. It was nice to see family members that I haven’t talked to in years. I stayed for about an hour, then zipped off to Atlanta for Susan’s birthday! Once I arrived, Susan and I spent a few hours catching up one on one then headed to a really great restaurant called Bocado. We took a risk and ordered pig’s feet off the menu (the waiter was very convincing) which ended up tasting pretty good. With novelty foods like that though you always seem to remember what you are actually putting in your mouth, no matter how delicious it is. Just to balance it out, we went extra normal for the main course. Our other friend Jenny came later on during the meal and we had one more drink before heading home.
There is something about long car rides that I adore. I guess it’s because I don’t have to do it too often, but I enjoy listening to my Pandora stations and just thinking. I like the “escape” part of it too, as I know that I am going to a destination with new surroundings. I’ve really come to like Atlanta from my short weekend trips to see Susan. When I lived there in ’03 and ’04, I don’t think I could have hated it more. To top the weekend off I had coffee with an old friend Sunday afternoon, which was a highlight.
To rewind back to the beginning, Friday afternoon I picked up my Freshfully box full of veggies and fruit! I’ve had a fun time cooking & eating all of my goodies. I snapped a few photos below of some of the creations I’ve already made in just the past 3 days. It’s been great to have fresh local food just hanging out in my fridge waiting to be eaten. So far, my favorite food item has been the Swiss chard!
Jenny, myself, and Susan in Atlanta
Susan's birthday in Atlanta!
My friend Meg models a mean wedding dress.
My Freshfully box came on Friday with a Lily Bean!
Popcorn from Freshfully.
Polenta with goat cheese, and Freshfully Swiss chard & radishes.
Greens with onion and pecans, all from Freshfully.
Happy New Year! 2012, I have high hopes for you.
There is something I would like to start this year that I didn’t list in my resolutions – to eat more whole foods. I recently became interested in eating more clean, local and even uncooked meals and snacks. I also want to eat significantly less dairy and meat overall. I gave almond milk a shot for the first time this week and it was really delicious while being low in calories and high in calcium. I’ve recently developed an obsession with all things vegetable too, and there is a recipe for crispy roasted cauliflower that I am dying to try this week. I’ve definitely been bitten by the health food bug…. without priority or agenda other than a pure desire to enjoy what I put into my body.
While the holidays were pretty good overall, I am really glad that they are over. New Year’s Eve was a fun laid back night with friends. I enjoyed that I didn’t have a tight schedule or something that I absolutely had to be at. January 1st is always a strange day, isn’t it? You are exhausted and relieved that the big December events are finally behind you, but now you are staring at the clean slate that is 365 days of a whole new year. A lot of people hit January a little too hard to undo some of the damage from holiday food, while others dive straight into other resolutions. Of all the months in the year, I think that it is most important to practice moderation during this one. Sometimes when you go at a goal too hard and too fast, you lose momentum quickly or risk burnout. A year is the ultimate marathon, and endurance is the name of the game.
Last night I genuinely felt a little scared… scared of life, scared of 2012, scared of everything. While I always know that everything will be more than OK, and that I am solely responsible for making my own dreams come true, sometimes it is just a little overwhelming. It can all be boiled down to expectations, an evil yet glorious thing. I am guilty of having really high expectations of myself, of others, and of life. I expect to be happy. I expect to be successful at whatever it is I want to do. I expect what I feel is my due. But it’s the unexpected that can really change your life, for the better or for the worse. And you know what? If I wasn’t scared of the future, then that means that something is terribly wrong… it means that I’m not taking any risks. The greatest rewards come when you put it all on the table.
New Year's Eve
There is a lot of excitement in the air here in Birmingham, Alabama because of the snow storm that’s due to come in tomorrow night & Monday morning. Depending on who you are listening to, we could have anywhere from 1 inch to 8 inches here in town (what’s up with the broad range?). I know that sounds pretty laughable to you folks up north, but it’s a pretty big snow event for our area. And by big event… I mean people raiding the grocery stores like an apocalypse is coming. I saw a great photo on a weather blog last night where all of the bread from a local grocery was sold out. It actually scared me a little so I headed to the grocery store myself this morning at 7:30 a.m. (I needed food anyway) and the store was full-staffed loading tons of food back on the shelves. I’m glad I got that trip out of the way!
The biggest risk we face with snow is a power outage. Since our power goes out with a light gust of wind, it is highly likely that we will be a part of the outage statistics. So I tried to think of foods that I could eat without needing refrigeration or heat. So I bought some whole fruits, tuna & whole grain crackers, whole grain bread, & some healthy prepackaged snacks with a lot of fiber. I’m now set for the semi-not-really-blizzard! I only wish we had a working fireplace… instead we will have to use hand & feet warmers.
On the same weather blog there was a neat post about January snow in Alabama over the past 100 years. The biggest occurrence still to date was on January 23, 1940. Even though I obviously wasn’t around then, this was an important snow event for my family. My dad’s parents, Howard and Louise West, were married just days after that storm. My grandmother still remembers it like it was yesterday, even though her memory is fading at 92 years of age. She says that the snow stuck around for weeks and it was still about 8 inches deep when they married at St. Paul’s downtown. Her father (my great-grandfather) carried her over the snow as to not ruin her beautiful wedding dress. Then the very next day my other grandmother, Gayle, was born just a few miles away. Isn’t that neat? There are some really great photos of both, but unfortunately I don’t have them here to scan. Maybe I can get my hands on a few over the next week or two.
The snow shouldn’t impact my workouts for the most part. The high today will be around 42, which is perfect. Tomorrow morning I am meeting a group at 6:30 for a marathon trial practice on the actual route. I am planning to do 21 miles as long as I can keep myself well! Everyone around me is blowing their nose & burning up with fever. So far I’ve managed to keep my distance, but this morning I woke up feeling a little blah. As long as I don’t get a fever I am forging ahead as normal!
Today should be a fun day… here in a few minutes I’m going to knock-out my exercise, then I’m meeting two of my favorite weight-loss bloggers for lunch (Stephen Vinson & Will Nevin)! 
No matter how hard you try to hide it, January has to be one of the most difficult months of the whole year. There is a noticeable slump after the holidays and the overwhelming sense of what’s to come in the New Year. It’s cold, dark, and slow. A lot of people are also really sick (including my husband who I won’t touch), which scares the crap out of me. It seems like no matter how chipper you try to feel, you are constantly reminded that it is in fact January. January here, January there, January everywhere!!
January reminds me of the old burnt down condemned house across the street from us (pictured below). It looks pretty scary from the outside, but at night there is always a warm glow from a light inside. Is someone still living there? God, I hope not… who am I kidding, this was a depressing example. They just need to tear that sucker down and rebuild! In that sense, it is a little like January.
There are lots of people on diets too. This adds low blood sugar levels into the mix, which is always a scary thing. Whether you choose CarbLovers like I did or another healthy eating plan, please remember to take it slow and listen to your body. Don’t try to eat less than what you need and eat nutritious, whole foods. The biggest advice I can give you is to make realistic long-term and short-term goals, and shout them out to the world! Your goals need to be something that you feel passionate about, otherwise they will eventually be pushed aside.
There are a few positive things to say about this month. Nothing beats a good floor heater when it’s cold outside. Snow can be fun (and here in the south it means that everything shuts down). A warm bowl of soup or vegetarian chili always hits the spot, and a warm snuggly sweater can bring you more comfort than your favorite foods. However, thoughts of springtime are dancing through my head…
Thanks to B-Metro magazine here in Birmingham for including me in the “B Yourself” article for January as well as Cherri Ellis’s monthly column! You know how to make a girl feel special.
The creepy house across the street.
