An August AND a September Recap Story(s)

Okay okay, so I kind of totally suck at putting up my monthly recaps.  It's true.  And as the ultimate proof, here are BOTH my August AND my September posts all rolled into one, since I never put up an August one.  So how are my goals coming?  Well, 2012 WAS the year of the marathon, at least in that I completed one (not in the whole PR-ing thing) and I already volunteered at a race!  Check, check.

So what's left to do before the end of the year?

1)  Finish my degree.  Okay okay, that's not happening before the end of the year, but I AM making progress on this.  I'm happy to report that my results section ALONE is over 55 pages and growing.  My work on this is slow, but it is steady, and thanks for a fabulous advisor who lets me hang out at her house all night while she answers a million of my questions I'm learning a ton.  Lots done, but still lots more to do. 

2)  Travel to at least 8 new places.  Ummmm???  So far this year I've been to Kauai.  That was awesome and amazing, but it's only 1 new place. 

I also went to Philadelphia, which was new, but since it was for work I'm not sure it counts.  I can't think of any other new places I've been this year??  I better get on this.

 Remember this?!

3)  Miles.  In August I ran 71 miles (a new low) and then in September I ran 54 miles (a newer low).  This is to be expected since I took 2 full weeks off of running because of my dumb hamstring, split between the two months.  This brings us to a total of 838 miles for the year - not too shabby given that I still have 3 months left to rack up at least 162 more miles.  Hopefully I make it!

4)  Races.  August was a HUGE month in terms of races, so it's not to be overlooked!  First, there was my very first triathlon.  Although this wasn't officially on my goals THIS year, doing a triathlon has seriously been on my new year's resolution list for SO MANY YEARS that this year I just didn't want to let myself down again so I left it off.  AND THEN I DID ONE!

Me with all my transition stuff!  Despite all my planning, I STILL majorly messed up that first transition!

Gold medals!

Then there was that itsy bitsy thing we'll call HOOD TO COAST!  Remember my BILLIONS of posts about it?  Yeaahhh, you probably do.  It was pretty amazing. 

5)  Read 26 books.  I've read 43 books so far this year so this task is definitely done!  I read 4 books in August and 4 books in September (all but 1 were during my trip to Kauai! ah, the joys of reading on vacation).  Most of the books I've been reading are young adult dystopia (aka Hunger Games-esque) fiction, so if you don't like that kind of thing, I don't have much to recommend.  I read book 1 and 2 in the Birthmarked Series (Birthmarked and Prized) and book 1 and 2 in the Across the Universe series (Across the Universe and A Million Suns).  I liked both and will definitely read the 3rd!  Just add that to the list of the other books I'm waiting for (aka Matched #3 and Divergent #3!). 

Although my book reading has slowed down IMMENSELY since my new job started (and since summer ended), I've still got one recommend-ers that isn't young adult (you can give your sigh of relief now).  The book is Perfect Chaos and I think EVERYONE should read it.  A true story of a normal, everyday middle-class educated family who deals with bipolar disorder - written from both the mother's point of view and the daughter who experiences bipolar.  I read this book in one day and found it incredibly powerful.  PLEASE read it.  I have to be honest - part of the reason I may have been obsessed with it is that I've actually met the authors, but I still think you'll find it eye-opening.

 Read it!

How were your August and Septembers?  Can you believe summer is over already?!  I'm so sad about it.  Are you?  Or are you one of those crazy people who don't love summer best?