Even though 2013 ended in disaster (It’s December 30 and I’m still sick!), the year was a big success fitness-wise. Let’s recap!

2013 was the year I ran my first marathon.

This goal dominated the first five months of 2013. And when it finally came, it’s easy to say that race day was the best day I’ve ever had since becoming a runner. My family was there, the weather was perfect, and the route was interesting and challenging. I was uncertain about the marathon, but now having done one, I think they are worth doing at least once.

2013 was the year I got faster.

I’ve been a runner now for two years, but 2013 was the year I turned a corner. This is 100% due to hiring a coach who made me do speedwork and pushed me during group runs. I crushed my PRs at every distance I ran this year: 30k, 10k and 21.1k. This is a trend I hope continues for 2014.

2013 was the year I hiked 215km.

I spent the first two weeks of August hiking the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland with JK. It was beautiful, it was difficult, and it gave me the opportunity to reconnect with and appreciate the most basic things. I feel like such a badass now, being able to recap this adventure. But that’s because four months have passed. That said, I’m down for a weekend hiking adventure in 2014. Any takers?

2013 was the year I got a Garmin.

This seems simple and silly, but it made me a smarter runner. I’ve never been one for data and numbers. I don’t keep track of the books I read or what I eat or have a real approaching to budgeting money beyond “don’t spend all of it and save some of it” and I’ve had the same approach to running. But being able to know how far I’ve gone and how fast I’m running makes each run more valuable as part of my overall training.

2013 was the year I put yoga quantity over yoga quality.

I read somewhere this year that it’s more important to do yoga more often than it is to do it for longer periods of time. That is, three 20 minute sessions a week is better than one 60 minute session a week. After giving Yoga Download a try, I can 100% confirm this is true. While nothing beats an ass-kicking hour-long practice guided by a teacher I like, building yoga into my everyday run-heavy life — even in 20 minute intervals — made me more flexible and less stressed.

Those are the big changes and accomplishments I had, fitness-wise, in 2013. What will 2014 hold? We will see!