oh what fun...

2012 has been a pretty unique year that has been split in two. I look back and see pre and post deployment sections, and I'm sure many military families must feel this on a regular basis. Kyle and I have survived his first deployment and I'm happy to say, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't about wishing my life away so he'd come home sooner. It was about living in the moment, here and now, and enjoying the time I had to grow as an individual, and our time to grow as a married couple, even though we were many time zones away. We continue to learn how we both communicate and to speak those languages. He's a pretty amazing husband, friend, cyclist and sailor.

On the training and racing front, I've gone through a couple of phases. I took a semi relaxed approach to training for Panama 70.3 and Carlsbad half marathon and ended up with a half marathon PR and reconfirmed that my body hates heat/humidity and the importance of course selection. I had a blast in Panama and it was a good break from work and Kyle's deployment. I took some time off after, and then put myself to a 30 day run challenge, which was semi successful in gaining some sort of run fitness {and a lot of tight muscles} but it enabled me to hold a base through San Diego International Tri, which is my yearly benchmark race, and I snagged another PR and another AG podium. Unfortunately run fitness didn't last until Carlsbad tri, where another last min race plan was good enough for AG win, but no PR.

Tri racing decided to take a back seat to summer fun and a pretty amazing sailor who was finally home. We did a couple of criterium races, me aboard my new steed, Super Grover and he on his new ride, Karen. I mourned the loss of Cookie Monster in the spring, and about the time that I got my sailor back, Cookie Monster returned as a frame to my life, in a crazy turn of events.

Fall has brought a return to semi structured training, as the year ahead brings some big racing and big changes. Kyle is switching commands and even though it's "shore duty" he'll be gone quite a bit. Things at the shop are continually changing, yet it seems sometimes nothing does. I really love bike fitting and think I'm pretty good at it too. Making people faster and more comfortable is a very rewarding part of my job. Educating a new cyclist and teaching them to clip in for the first time is a unique experience. Showing other tri-nerds how far off their position was, and how much more comfortable they can and will be {and not to mention faster} is awesome. Bike fit is near and dear to me and it's definitely become a passion. Doing what you love on a daily basis is pretty amazing.

This holiday season, we'll be home. At the beach. Work schedules and duty sections require us to stay close. It'll be nice to have Christmas morning together this year, aboard our bicycles for a fun ride up the Pacific coast...because we can! I'm happy to have my sailor home for the holidays and my thoughts are with those who cannot be with their families.

all our best :: warm wishes from San Diego this holiday season :: merry christmas

{sneak peek at the christmas card; because i'm no good at keeping surprises}

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