The year of the tortoise

Now that 2012 is tucked neatly behind me, I figure it’s time to take a look at 2013. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do this year and realized it’s all stuff I’ve been wanting to do for awhile and just haven’t been able to fit in. So looks like 2013 will be the year of the tortoise. Or whatever animal plays catch up. This includes:

1) Mentor for Team Challenge. I ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon back in 2010 with Team Challenge and had an awesome time. I’ve been wanting to mentor ever since, but there’s always been some reason why I couldn’t… too much travel scheduled, pregnant, brand new baby, running another race on the same day.

Well, finally the timing works out. So I’m doing it. It’s official. I’ll be training for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon with the East Bay team. If you’re interested in joining us, I promise you won’t regret it. Feel free to contact me with any questions or come to one of the info sessions.

2) Complete the Northern California Half Marathon Series. I’ve been wanting to do this for the last two years. But, again, there was always something in the way. I up and got pregnant in 2011 and last year chose to focus on training for a full marathon instead. Now that those boxes are checked it’s back to my favorite distance.

I plan to kick it off with the Oakland Half Marathon in March. I’ve taken it pretty easy the last couple months so a March race seems like just what I need to get it back in gear. I’m attempting to drag GreekMelie along with me, with a time goal of 6 hours.

3) Complete the East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championships. Yeah, I don’t run trails. Yet here this is. I ran the first race of the series, the Tilden Tough Ten, back in 2011 after Bay to Breakers sold out. I had such a good time I went and registered for the other two races in the series. And then never ran them. An injured Achilles kept me from running race #2, and I totally spaced the fact that I wasn’t even going to be in town for race #3. So I feel the need to revisit this.

My biggest challenge in completing all of this is going to be childcare. Jason’s still working that crazy rotating shift schedule, and I refuse to push the stroller for more than a 5K. But I guess it’s a good sign when what scares me most about 6 half marathons, 1 ten miler and 1 nine miler is finding a babysitter.