What to say about 2014? Well, to be honest I have mixed feelings about the year. It was full of ups and downs. It started off with a bang, then a crash and burn in the middle before finishing off with me picking myself up off the floor. How exactly did it all play out you ask? Here, let me break it down for you.
January 2014
BC 8km Champ
- Booya! A great start to the season including running a huge personal best in the 8km (27:13) at the Harrier's Pioneer 8km in Victoria. This race played host to the BC 8km Championships where I won my first BC title since I was probably 14 years old. It came as a surprise and I rolled with it.
Indoors
- January also played a roll in my very first indoor track race where I went down to Seattle with Sabrina and Mark Wilkie for a 5000m. Boy was that an eye opener. After a less than ideal race where I felt like I was going to pass out, I swore off indoor meets (still undecided if I will return).
February 2014
Nanaimo Athletic Awards
- Finalist for Nanimo's Individual Female Athlete of the year. Won the award for 2012 but was not lucky enough to take home the win in 2013. Congrats to badminton player Melissa Liew for her win!
NACAC
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- Team Canada trip to Tobago for NACAC XC. My first National Team and it was an eye opening experience. While my race didn't exactly play out how I had hoped, I had a great time, met some incredible people, gained some experience and definitely left me motivated for the future.
March 2014
Asics
- I teamed up with Asics Canada officially in March! A great company with kick ass shoes and apparel not to mention stellar teammates (Lanni Marchant, Natasha Wodak, Rachel Cliff, Jessica O'Connell). *I have some work to do in order to keep up with those women! Thank you to Michael, Anne and Yves for believing in me and for everything that you have done for me thus far!
5km's
- Another PB and another race win, this time at the Bazan Bay 5km where I ran 16:35. I followed this up 6 days later with a 16:52 at the (hillier) St.Patricks Day 5km placing 4th in a talented field. Two back to back races, resulted in a nagging hamstring which kept me out of the Modo 8km 8 days later.
Auntie Erin
- I also became an Auntie in March to 2 beautiful little girls (Karys and Ashlyn). Coming from little to no baby experience, I won't lie, it was scary to be around them at first; however, I like to think I have slowly overcome this issue! They are growing up into beautiful children!
April 2014
Flagstaff
- Technically at the end March I headed off to Flagstaff Arizona for my 3rd stint at altitude, this time staying with Jonny and Amy. I tend to call Flagstaff my 2nd home. I love that place. 7000ft and athletes everywhere!
Toronto
- Mid Flagstaff I headed to Toronto for the Yonge St 10km. A spiffy (yes I said spiffy) downhill 10km PB in 33:28 and 3rd female behind blazing Rachel Hannah and Krista DuChene.
Montreal
- Back to Flag where I hit some killer workouts before ending my trip and heading to Montreal for the Canadian Half Marathon Championships. After 2 less than successful years in Montreal I finally got lucky pulling off a huge PB in 1:15:01 finishing 2nd (after Krista unfortunately became injured). I still remember yelling out "Sorry Krista" as I ran passed.
Fired
- April is also when the year started to take a "bad" turn. April 1st is when I found out via Facebook (while in Flagstaff) that my entire work (minus a few people) received their pink slips to be officially terminated on September 25th. April 1st = April Fool's but this was no April Fool's joke it was a cruel twist of life.
May 2014
Ottawa 10km
- May brought on some pain in my lower left leg as I pushed through with some wonderful laser therapy courtesy Abe Avender at Island Optimal Health and Performance. Even though Abe was out of town, he arranged the treatment for me. I was able to get to the Ottawa 10km with the issue improving; however, the race was not to be. It was a good effort but I felt as though I had no power in my legs. In fact, I ran slower than I did the year before (35:38 vs 35:21) and nowhere near what I was capable of. Immediately after the race I noticed pain in my pelvis but put it off due to feeling as though my SI joint was out of whack.
Partnership with Sundog Eyewear!
- That was exciting. A twist of fate on the plane ride home sat me next to Oliver Mende from Sundog Eyewear who was able to hook me up with some pretty sweet sunglasses. Sunglasses are pretty the next important thing after shoes and clothes when it comes to running. I need my sunglasses all the time, except when it is raining or dark. Thanks Oliver and Gary for your support!
First hospital Visit
- A few days after Ottawa led to me in tears in Abe's office after literally breaking mid way through a run and hobbling 4km home. This resulted in my first hospital visit in ages and also resulted in the most pain I had experienced in a long time.
Near Partnership that Fell Through
- Nearly had a new partnership this month, but it appeared to fall through once I became injured. Some more bad luck on my side!
Interview
- Had an interview for my own job. This actually happened the day before I became officially injured.
June 2014
Confusion
- June was full of not knowing what my injury was. It was full of trials and failures. Incorrect diagnosis via physio's. Cross training failures. You name it. Not much happened in June but frustration not knowing what was going on.
Asics Photoshoot
- A fun time in June was the Asics Photoshoot with David McColm and the Asics Canada team. I didn't know it at the time but I was running on my stress fracture to get those photos. Oops.
Still in La La Land
- No word yet on the job front. Still technically unemployed after September 25th.
July 2014
MRI
- Finally my MRI on July 9th to confirm my injury was a stress fracture to my inferior pubic ramus (left). Nice to have answers but the diagnosis left me sad.
Dr. Goodall
- Got in to see the local sports doctor who initially made me cry telling me I needed another 6-8 weeks no running only to change his mind a week later allowing pool running and elliptical.
Surgery
- The day I got my approval to start my run/walk was the day I ended up spending the entire day in Emergency for a hernia I popped at work the night before. D'oh. This bad luck keeps going.
Still no word
- Still no idea whether I would get my job back in September. Talk about stressful.
Auntie Update
- They are still growing
August
- I was allowed to walk/run. While I was grateful to start again, the 10 weeks I had off with no exercise was very evident. Wasn't allowed to work or lift anything for like 3 weeks post August 1st surgery, but I was permitted to run/walk. Comebacks are HARD!
Shuswap Lake
- A nice get away to Shuswap for my first time. Beautiful lake and hilly hilly roads to run on (at least in the area I was without access to a car)
Got my job Back
- I think it was August sometime when I finally heard I would be rehired into my same position but with less.
September
Fired and Rehired (Officially)
- September 25th I lost 6 years of my work life. Back to square 1. Grateful for a job, but heartbroken about the loss.
- Comeback is still hard but getting easier. Walk breaks disappeared and workouts began. 5 weeks back into my comeback I ran a local race as a tempo and was surprised that it wasn't absolutely terrible.
Nanaimo T&F Club
- Started back coaching with the track club again after a less than ideal spring where I was unavailable due to racing/training and eventually injury.
October
Birthday
- Turned 33. Can I stop now?
Running
- Still running, still building, slowly getting easier.
November
Gave Up on XC
- Was striving to run the National XC race at the end of November, but wasn't where I wanted to be training wise in order to give it a real go. It was a hard day to sit back and watch, but definitely the best choice for me.
Auntie Update
December
BC Road Runner Finalist
- Nominated for BC Road Runner of the year against Asics Teammate Rachel Cliff and new BC/Canadian Natasha LaBeaud. These girls are smoking fast so I kinda predicted I would not be the ultimate winner. Huge congrats to Rachel for taking the award. Definitely a honor to be nominated along side these two.
Strength Begins
- Begun working with Greg Howe out of Island Optimal Health and Performance. Excited to have him take my running to the next level along with my own coach Matt Clout.
- I am back! Workouts are kicking butt and I am getting to where I want to be.
2015
- BIG things are coming in 2015, running wise and in just life in general. Happy New Year everyone! Stay tuned!
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