2024 "Racing" Season: Blame it on the Dave's

 Oh I amuse myself so much.  As I sit down to recap the year, it feels like there are two parts to this story - the "racing life" and the "life life" posts.  While one flows into the other, both brought so many lessons that will carry into 2025 and sometimes, you can't untangle them.  Is there a part 2?  I don't know yet.

But since the race season is over (I swear - no ultras planned for tonight!) we  can attend to the racing first.

It's worth mentioning that I never blogged about the Harrisburg Marathon last month - why?  Well, because it flowed right in with the bullshit of 2024.  In sum, I signed up for a marathon less than two weeks before the race (thanks Dave!), did one 16 miler to prep, made a lot of jokes on the internet, found out how to fuel - YAS!- and how not to carb load -WHOOPS - and had a really fun day, bonking at mile 14, a shot of fireball at mile 22, ending with a 3:38 time, which flows nicely into summing up 2024.

It was the year of running - and no racing -  tris.

It was the year of base building and finding out no matter what I did, my body knows two things - how to run an 8:30 pace during training, and how to run a 3:36-3:38 marathon.

It was the year of fuck it.

It was the year for friends, laughing, and jumping in with both feet.

And - it was the year of the Dave's.

Yep. 2024 racing can be summed up with one phrase - "Blame it on the Dave's".  Because while I had so many plans for 2023 - and we know how that went - 2024 started - continued - and ended - with Dave.

Let me explain.

That's Dave on the left

I had big plans for Boston, and life stepped in and said - hold my beer- in March.  It shook up my
world, my Boston, and my life will never, ever be the same.  My friend Dave intervened - he helped me BQ, held me when I cried, and made way too many poop jokes along the way.  He and his friend Eric threw me in Eric's pick up and kidnapped me for a road trip to run the Boston Marathon - which featured a hot race, some unexpected kisses from a college girl, a beer mid race, and a finish time I did not plan for or aspire to.

It was so much fun.  Nothing I expected - and I'll never forget it.  

Boston oddly enough, introduced the second Dave - we can also call him Todd for...reasons.  This crazy red flag entered my life in April, and even though he is a walking problem, has made 2024 both insane and so much fun.

Run around in circles for 24 hours?  You bet - and we can just win the race and set course records - knocking the whole run 100 miles bucket list item off the charts - finishing that in 22 hours and winning the woman's race.  

Another Dave...on the Right

From there we took the road show to Seattle, where he ran a sub 3 hour race and I found out why Tacos are a terrible idea (that took me about 2 years too long to learn, and while I still am not sure I fully grasp the lesson, I had fun learning it - albeit mid race).

I then capped off the year with the above mentioned Harrisburg Marathon where one year out from the worst moments of my life - November 2023 - my Dumpster Fire friends reminded me.....that they are always there for me.  Laura, my bestie, and of course....the guy that kicked off 2024....Dave.

It was not a year for tris - as I ran four times the amount of miles I biked...whoops. I swam three times a week, but that was way more about the hot tub, sauna, super heroes, and tattoos than anything else (IYKYK).

I lived.

I set no PR's - but I did win a duathlon, an Ultramarathon, and podiumed a few tris.

I'm ready for 2025. 2024 racing taught me....the beauty of racing.  That Dave's = dumb decisions.  That while life sometimes feel like I'm running in circles - that I'm an idiot enough to do that 103 times in a day and call it victory.  It taught me resilience, and that at the lowest of lows - there are my people.  Whether its 5am at the pool with a bear hug, a super hero, a silent right hook, or some...sauna time....I have my people.  If its a 3am wake up to run 40 miles and giant pancakes, or a road trip to run a marathon in Harrisburg...I have my people.  A cross country flight to run a marathon 18 hours later in the most gorgeous PNW scenery, followed by eating our way through Seattle, the *best* views, a lost phone, and a hug from my kindergarten friend...I have my people.  

And while it wasnt the year for tris - at the finish line of each and every one....was my best adventure partner.  Do I know where that adventure takes me?

Absolutely not.  

Again....it's Dave (on the left...LOL)

Does it matter?  Nope.  It was a year to jump in with both feet and just throw caution to the wind with my whole body and heart and somehow - -you all caught me.

Thank you.

I love you.

But seriously....DAMMIT DAVE!

To 2025.  I can't wait to embrace all your beauty :)