Rehash of 2015 Races

The end of the year is a natural pause point to access your progress.  Here is 10 simple questions to ask yourself: 

1. Where did you succeed?

2. What did you enjoy most?

3. Where did you fail?

4. What regrets did you have?

5. What lessons did you learn?

6. What will you do differently?

7. What is the status of your goals?

8. What do you need to do more of?

9. What do you need to stop doing?

10. What are your new goals for the new year?

As the year ends, it can be a great time to look back at what you accomplished in the past 12 months.  I was thinking I didn't accomplish much this year because I didn't do any half marathons which are my favorite.  It's very unusual for me to not do at least 2-3 during a year AND it's very unusual for me to do 3 marathons in a year which I should say 4 cause I did one 50K which is considered an ultra marathon because it's 31 miles.  So I decided to jot down all the races I completed this year and take a look.  

Races I completed during 2015 in date order:

1-1-15 Steam whistle 12K
1-11-15 Walt Disney World Marathon
1-24-15 Frosty Frolic 5K
2-7-15 Double Bridge 15K
2-14-15 Q-Pid 5K
3-7-15 MS50 50K
5-9-15 Mud Run 5K for Autism
6-6-15 D-Day 5K
6-27-15 Mission at the Cross 5K
7-11-15 Sunfish TRI
8-29-15 Cultivation TRI
9-12-15 Brett Robinson TRI
10-10-15 Rotary bike-a-thon 65 miles
10-24-15 Halloween Hustle 5K
10-25-15 Pink Up 10K
11-1-15 New York Marathon
11-26-15 Hobble then Gobble 5 miler
12-5-15 St. Jude Marathon

So that's 1-12K, 1-15K, 6-5Ks, 1-5 miler, 3-full marathons, 1 ultra marathon (50K), 3 sprint TRIs, 1-10K, and 1-65 mile bike ride for 18 total races. I'm getting tired just reading this info. :>)  Maybe that's also why my body has been so tired the last few weeks of this year. I really did do a lot of races.  Maybe not for some of you that do a 5K almost every weekend, but for me 18 races is a lot.  So as I think about those 10 questions I listed in the beginning of this post I'd like to post an answer of each one of them as I reflect.  

1. Where did you succeed? - I completed each race that I started.      

2. What did you enjoy most? - The people I did them with! This is an easy answer for me! I absolutely love the people that races has brought me in contact with over the years! 

3. Where did you fail? I know most people would say that I had no failures because I completed each race, but in my mind I did fail.  I had planned to do more "core" work to make my body stronger and I did not stick with it.  My core is weak and needs work.  

4. What regrets did you have? Absolutely NONE. 

5. What lessons did you learn? Hum...I think the biggest lesson I learned is that I need to start SWIMMING much sooner than I did this year.  (new goal for 2016).

6. What will you do differently? As for 2015, nothing. I'm a firm believe that our mistakes makes us who we are today. We must learn from them and move on. 

7. What is the status of your goals? I am a work in progress ALWAYS.

8. What do you need to do more of? Core work and Swimming!

9. What do you need to stop doing? Worrying about my swim pace!

10. What are your new goals for the new year? Coming in another post. :>) 

I also like to reflect back on other things besides races that I had goals on.  I completed another bible study book this year.  My goal was to read my bible every morning before checking emails, text messages, or Facebook and I can say very happily that I succeeded in that goal by at least 90-92%.  There were a few days that I had a race and got preoccupied with race preparation and forgot to read my bible first.  I would always think about it during the race and wish I had just taken that 5-10 minutes of quiet time.  But for the majority of the year I got up and read by bible before doing anything else.  I have felt a greater peace this year by doing so.  I encourage all my readers to take the time to spend some quiet time with the Lord.  Some days at work I have wanted to lash out but because I spent time with the Lord before work, I was able to hold on to my temper and not last out.  God has given us a guidebook for righteous living called the HOLY BIBLE.  

I'm trying each day to not ask for things that I think I need but instead to ask God to let me accept his will for my life.  It's hard.  We all think we know what is best for us sometimes and want God to give it to us. However many times God has other plans which if we accept them they end up so much better than we could have imagined ourselves.  I'm reflecting and praying for God to lead me in my Goals for 2016.  I hope to have something written down by next week.  :>) Until them I hope you'll also reflect back on your past year.  You may be surprised as to what all you accomplished.  If not, I encourage you to set some goals.  In my next post I'll talk about what we need to do after we've set some goals to make them real.  

Where is God leading you? 

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3: 25-26 NKJV

May God lead you in setting your goals.

MUAH, D