
in deference to the movie / television award season picking up soon, i thought that i'd hand some oscars out to some of the best moments in my life in this past year. i will skip the razzies for my worst moments, which were many and varied, and instead focus on all the fun stuff that happened. (don't be fooled, this is just another lazy post and excuse for me to create a list. you know how i heart a good list!)
and the award goes to....
best purchase all year
saucony kilkenny XC2 flats. they cost $19.99, are banana yellow, and have seen me through 1 marathon, 2 ultras and over 1300 miles. i mean, any way you slice it - that is $20 well spent.
best meal of the year
i may have to give it a lifetime achievement award for best meal in my entire life. we went to cousin Worth's house in maine this august and she served us all indigenous foods. we started off with squire mountain tub cheese (good Lord, i've been trying like heck to get some mail order and you can't get it. you local new englanders better appreciate what you've got), and some tasty local wines, then moved on to corn on the cob that was so fresh i felt like i was eating it in the corn field, gigantic maine lobsters, marinated steak tips (i am a CARNIVORE and that was the best meat i have ever had in my life. wow. just WOW!), and unbelievable bread from a local bakery. we finished with blueberry pies. i wish i could bottle the feeling of that first bite of steak. i nearly cried. all enjoyed while sitting out doors in the waning sunlight with wine and family and talking about religion and barefoot running. that is what life is about. just ask Solomon.
best surprise of the year
courage. it turns out that the cowardly lion does have courage... even without getting to the wizard. it was a year that self doubt died. i found i had the courage to race hard, to step outside of the box, to believe in myself, to trust God and dive in, and to try again when anyone else would quit.
best moment of the year
crossing the finish line at the boilermaker after the hardest effort of my running life and turning to find jim just 4 steps behind me. such euphoria! such elation! (and no, not because i beat my husband), but because i ran until i nearly puked my guts out and then i ran harder. i was so proud... for both of us.
best gift of the year
a second chance at marriage. merry christmas to us!
highest honor of the year
tied. first- the fact that a couple of crazy ultrarunners believed in my plans enough to get on board with the first ultra in rochester city limits in over 25 years. they signed on to share the burden and their ideas with me and get this thing off the ground. second- the BOD of Ultrarunning Matters taking a chance on me and welcoming me onto the board. not only are they really talented runners, but they are intelligent, experienced and humble. how do i get to be in the same category as them? i don't know, but boy, am i grateful that they haven't caught on yet that i'm not in their league!
best book read this year
really? jeez - how do i pick one? alas, i must and i choose: Marian Keyes, This Charming Man. i choose it because it was the first of her books that i read and it caused me to contact every library in town until i had my hands on anything she'd ever written. she is that good. this is not pedestrian, typical chick lit. yes, she is a chick and yes, she writes with women in mind. but she is fantastic in her own right - put her up against any man or any other woman, and in my opinion her humor, complex story lines, character development and surprise endings are better than any other modern author out there. it's just pure unforgettable enjoyment.
best blog post of the year
how can you choose a favorite? it's like choosing between your children. but, in shear amount of pleasant responses (mostly received on facebook) i have to give the prize to "thankful", my send up on thanksgiving tradition, my quirky family and hope for you all that you have something wonderful to celebrate in your own lives. the best writing weaves humor, emotion and human interest. it's hard to balance all 3, but when you do - the results can be memorable.
thank you for reading about my life this year. i don't know why you have taken an interest, but i am very grateful that i have had many people to share my triumphs and failures with. the bible says, "it is not good for man to be alone." and i believe that with my whole heart... that it is best for us to be paired with a mate who can share our joys and pains with us ( love you, honey!) and that we should be surrounded by family and friends to fellowship with, to lift up and collectively encourage one another. what an honor! what a joy! it has been such a memorable and special year. thank you for being part of it.
stick around and on thursday i'll reveal my new year's resolutions.
run on.















