Easiest place to start is physical. I had a pretty big year. In October I did the tough mudder with people from my Crossfit Box (rather, what was my CF Box). But, as I mentioned, I found it neither challenging enough nor satisfying. So, with no prep I decided to run a 1/2 marathon two weeks after the Mudder. I made it straight through in 2:10:43 - without stopping. I was comfortable the whole way and felt lucky that Rush's song, Marathon, came on my player with a couple of miles to go. I listened to it 2-3 times as I ran the last miles.
I focused on Crossfit more intently after that with an eye towards making the Master's team at my box for the Sactown Throwdown competition. However, in tryouts I was roundly dissapointed because I couldn't do the qualifying movements of 135# squat snatches or deficit handstand push ups. Turns out that the better folks were on the team and when I saw the comp I realized that I wasn't fit enough to be competing at that level. Still, it was very dissapointing and took a lot of my fire away.
In March I competed in the Crossfit open. One workout a week for 5 straight weeks. I can say with confidence that it was the hardest physical and psychological thing I've ever done. Physically I was wrecked from week to week. For example, after week #2's workout (snatches of increasing weight) - I literally couldn't lift my arms to put my belt on, or to turn the wheel on my car. It was like that (with different body parts) every week. Attendant was the knowledge each week that I was going to subject myself to massive pain. That gets in your head and is tough. Still, I'm proud that I finished all the workouts. I came 869th place workwide (out of 1600+) for my age range.
http://games.crossfit.com/athlete/21374
Since then I've been maintaining, working on skills. I can now do handstand push ups, and double unders, and snatches. Still, I'm not sure I can do squat snatches. Have to work on those.
Personally, it's been a tough year. Kira and I separated about 15 months ago and are now divorcing. However, the kids are good. My sister moved away so at this moment I don't have any kind of a support system withing 120 miles of me. I'll be working on this in the coming year.
Professionally things are going well. Matheson has been very good to me this year and in turn I've been able to deliver a lot of value. As I write this I have a 3 year employment contract sitting on the desk of the owner that is supposed to be signed this coming week. This would not only represent serious security but is the hallmark of being at a place in life where I'm valued for what I can contribute economically.
Of course, as I get older it seems my brain doesn't work as well. So, academically there is not much to report. I haven't learned any new languages, or mastered any new skills. I play a lot of poker, and am decent, but that's really just a pass time. One of my challenges for the coming year is to develop some new skills and reengage my brain.
I tried indoor surfing recently and really like it (though it's hard). While I'm far from the ocean I've always wanted to surf and am thinking that I want to work on this in the coming year.
I didn't have any real vacation or go anywhere and this needs to be fixed.
Yikes - as I read over this I see that I have been focused pretty much only on Crossfit this year to the exclusion of any other development. While that has corrected an imbalance and I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life I can see that I need to re-balance things.
Let's see how big I can make the big 48th year.
