After looking over Erin’s list of accomplishments for 2013, I took some time to rethink my year. What happened? What did I do? Where did the year even go?! My December (well, really the past three months) have been a bit of a disaster in the fitness scheme of things and not because of sickness. 2013 was the year I packed up my life to travel the globe, but it was also a year full of great accomplishments.

2013 was the year I took running training seriously… sort of.

I never considered myself a serious runner. I just ran for the hell of it. That and I felt I was good at it. And oddly enough I actually like doing it. Running gave me something else to do other than yoga, and something else Erin and I could do together. That’s all I really needed to make me run! But when I finally made the leap from running the occasional half marathon to actually signing up for a full marathon, it was time to get serious. 42k is not something to joke about. I joined the Running Room, met my running pal Julie, and took on a somewhat serious eating plan (the Thrive Diet) where I made my own gels and recovery drinks. I was taking this marathon business serious! Maybe a sub 4 hour marathon isn’t completely out of my league?

2013 was the year I became a yoga teacher.

I never thought this day would ever come, the day I would step into the practice room and actually lead the class. But it happened. I’m still playing around with the idea of teaching, but I like that it’s a part of my life and something extra I can offer and now do. I have the certificate to prove it! Back in February I was accepted into the Moksha Yoga Teacher Training in LA. After that I spent the spring and summer teaching my own free classes and classes at Moksha Downtown. If someone had said to me a year ago that I would actually be doing this I would have laughed out loud. But here I am, a real Moksha teacher.

2013 was the year I ran my first marathon too.

My marathon experience wasn’t quite like Erin’s, but it was the best weekend of my summer by far. A romantic getaway with Erin in the picturesque town of Prince Edward County, I couldn’t have asked for more. But as the events of the weekend unfolded – making it through the first half of the race feeling good, having Erin meet me at the half way point to run the rest of the way with me, my splits were almost perfect, and I broke my goal time of 4:15 – what an amazing weekend it turned out to be. Despite the rain.

2013 was my year of yoga.

Having rung in 2013 on a yoga retreat in Costa Rica I pretty much ended 2013 on the exact same note, on a yoga retreat, but this time I was in Bali. Yoga became a integral part of my running training, my social scene, and a huge part of my life in general. I took my practice seriously – both the mental and the physical – I found myself wanting to be on my mat more and more, but this was the year I would explore my practice as a whole. I searched for ways to bring yoga into my life off my mat. I started practicing at home, something I never took the time to do before… I know you would think otherwise. But now having the yoga knowledge and ability, evolving my self practice will be a great tool (and goal) as I continue to travel in 2014.

2013 was the year of my grand travel and fitness voyage.

2013 was a great year, but it was also a tough year. I learned a lot of valuable life lessons I know will only make me a better person in time, but this year in particular was a year for me to move though a lot of stuff. Leaving a job, losing a job, moving out of my home, leaving Toronto, packing up all my things and getting rid of everything else, it was serious. 2013 was a year of change, and with Cecilley by my side we headed off to Bali never to return! Okay, that last part isn’t true, but Bali was the kick start to our grand voyage and the place were we decided our next race together.

I’m happy to see 2013 come to a close because having a new year in sight can only mean new goals to set, new fitness promises to make, and new training  programs to adopt. 2014 is going to be great!