What happened to you?
It’s that time of year again and Santa isn’t the only one making lists.
Yes, you guessed it, I’m climbing onboard that bandwagon. It’s time to take stock of 2009 and speculate about 2010.
And since we are out the first decade of this century (yes I know not technically but don't be a kill-joy) there's more to reflect on than usual.
Since it would be immensely boring if I wittered on about myself, let's do this as a question and answer, so we can all chip in. I love it when we do this, so let’s embrace the sharing and caring spirit of the season. As usual, I'll kick things off with my answers to the five questions.
1. What is your best memory of 2009?
I think that would be the Ani Difranco concert I went to Sydney to see, with my friend Troy.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year?
Enrolling my graceless and uncoordinated self in adult beginner ballet and sticking with it. As a child, I always wanted to learn ballet, so I got to achieve my dream – and have stuck with it. I love it so much I’ll be back in class again next year. However, I need to emphasise that I’m not about to purchase a pair of white stockings and a leotard.
3. What are you plans/ambitions/goals for next year?
So far, there’s Ironman NZ in March. I decided on NZ instead of Australia because I also want to do the Oxfam Trailwalker again in April, and need the four-week break between the two. There’s bound to be others later in the year too.
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade?
Sometime in 2002, the year I turned 21, in my first year as a junior reporter, I decided I might, just possibly, peel myself off the couch and do a mini-triathlon. Given that my PE report in school was invariably "Ann must try harder", the idea of swimming 300m, cycling 10km and running 3km filled me with horror. But I was bored.
However, my triathlon career might have started and ended at the same point if it wasn’t for the chance meeting in the swimming pool of a woman by the name of Susan. The rest of the story isn't going to make history books, but it was a big change in my life.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade?
This is not a particularly easy question to answer. Since this decade has comprised most of my twenties, much has happened.
There are the two degrees - bachelor of laws and one in media arts.
There's the standard stuff - moving out of home, getting more comfortable with adulthood. Finally feeling like a grown-up, rather than expecting someone to jump out of the bushes and yell "Ah-ha! You're not really a grown-up, you're just pretending."
There are the career milestones.
But predictably even among all of that, it probably is still Ironman. All three times.
Yes, all in all, though there are many experiences, moments and possibly years I wouldn't want to repeat, it's been pretty good decade.
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1. What is your best memory of 2009?
Both my best and worst actually - being at the business end of the fun-ride section of Hamilton - Whangamata and then fading badly at the end due to having the wrong/not enough bottles. Still placed pretty well but I figure I could have got a podium. See how I go this year, reckon I can go back and perhaps win.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year?
Knocking nearly an hour off my K2 time
3. What are you plans/ambitions/goals for next year?
Win Hamilton-Whangamata, hopefully be front bunch for another couple of races, and simply just finish the 3 Peaks Challenge in Victoria
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade?
Realising that it was time for a change
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade?
Dunno, probably graduating from uni and getting my first 'real' job.
Wow - I hope someone else has already commented here on the classic nature of what may just be a typo... or NOT: "...I decided I might, just possibly, peel myself off the coach ..." Hmm... Lucky coach! But, for what were you training..?! (*cough*) Merry christmas, AAW! Thanks for the good read throughout the year. j.w.
1. What is your best memory of 2009?
I think that would be the Ani DiFranco concert I went to Sydney to see, with my friend Ann. :P
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year?
Finally finding something that I like doing and that I am good at doing whilst working towards making it a career.
3. What are you plans/ambitions/goals for next year?
To be self employed and artistically satisfied.
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade?
Ending a sour long term relationship.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade?
It hasn't happened yet.
1. What is your best memory of 2009? A stunningly beautiful summer dinner on the waters edge of lake como in italy, eating the most amazing food, and drinking a fantastic bottle of red wine, watching the sky change colour and just not caring about a single thing in the world.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year? Finally breaking 4hrs in the Berlin marathon
3. What are you plans/ambitions/goals for next year? Travel as much as possible, and run some amazing races in the process - a key one being 23km up mt blanc in june.
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade? Completing my first marathon (London) in 2008 which I never in a million years thought I was vaguely capable of a year before that, and during which I somehow unintentionally made my boyfriend realise I'm a keeper and he should move his ass to London after all.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade? Finishing my PhD, and managing to get a fellowship off the back of it rather than becoming an overqualified unemployed person.
@Jo #5. Awesome - Dinner on the waters edge of Lake Como. I loved that place, it is so beautiful. Regrettably I only a day to spend there.
1. Best memory. Sunrises along the Auckland waterfront whilst out training. 2. Goal achieved this year. Finally cleared my intray this morning!! Has to be good for the Xmas breakup. Now if I could only find the desk the tray sits on... 3. Plans for next year. Maybe a couple of off road half marathons, k2 or k4, and a round Taupo maxi enduro. 4. Life changing moments this decade. Kids and being in the wrong city at the wrong time for military coups. 5. Achievement this decade. I'm still alive!!! Hey, I've seen 3+ coups, and gone to sleep with rockets exploding in the town. Making it this far is quite a pleasant surprise.
1. What is your best memory of 2009? My folks' 40th anniversary with with the whole family in one place at the same time.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year? Sports-wise it was the Abel Tasman Coastal Classic, coming in half an hour faster than I thought I would, and only falling over twice on the way.
3. What are your plans/ambitions/goals for next year? Kepler Challenge. @ Adrian#1 - see you there!
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade? Having my children.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade? Doing work that's actually made a positive difference; becoming a runner after doing the Luxmore Grunt and like Adrian realising that I can do things like that if I pull my finger out; finishing my Masters; growing up (but not too much)... the naughties have been nice!
Merry Christmas all - safe and sunny training!
1. What is your best memory of 2009? Standing halfway down one of a row of grapes in my father-in-law's vineyard in Central Otago while helping with harvest, watching a Hawk circling around, looking out at the Pisa range and thinking of how happy I was to be there.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year? The Rotorua marathon (my first), though knocking half an hour off last year's Grape Ride time felt pretty good too.
3. What are your plans/ambitions/goals for next year? Right now - to get healthy. If I can get healthy then I'd like to try to aim for the Lake Taupo cycle challenge again and the Rotorua half Ironman.
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade? Personally, I remember sitting in our car as my husband and I drove through Cox's Bay in Auckland (on our way home to our apartment in Ponsonby) and casually mentioning that there was an interesting secondment going in Wellington. My husband told me to apply for it and the rest is history. Seven years in Wellington and my life has been completely transformed.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade? I'm going to say the first duathlon I completed (what was then the Special K, now the SPARC), because it was one of the scariest things I'd ever done because it was so alien to me, but it set me on a new path.
I'm ready for another ironman IronAnn ... I'm itching. Won't be 2010 but maybe 2011. But I don't have my trusty training partner in Hamilton.
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This is rather worrying, the trend to these answers. I am beginning to wonder what it would shift IM off the list, having first child? getting married? an ultramarathon?
1. What is your best memory of 2009? Close call between finishing first IM, and Taupo Half IM.
2. What is the goal you are proudest of achieving this year? IM.
3. What are your plans/ambitions/goals for next year? IM NZ. Goldcoast Marathon. Kepler Challenge (maybe???)
4. What is the single biggest life-changing moment of the last decade? Completing an 11km running race in 2007 www.kingofthemountain.co.nz and ultimately realising that by making the decision to do something and training for it, taking it one step at a time, it could happen.
5. And finally, what is your biggest achievement of this decade? First IM.