Annual Report 2012: Exercise

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My year in exercise has been up and down. Always maintaining a through line of running and riding, but plagued by injury and life events that left me a little disappointed by the end of 2012. Overall miles were up over the prior year, but 2011 was a diet and return to exercise year. If you compare both years from May to December, 2011 is up 275 miles on it's younger brother.

Running
I had a banner year in running events in 2012. Participating in 4 times as many as I did in 2011 and improving my mile pace in each event. Shaving 10 seconds per mile from March to November. On the other hand two knee injuries (stupid Basketball) to the same knee (stupid Football) took me out of the game for multiple weeks at a time and even kicked off a month of physical therapy in June. I might have gotten back on the streets in the late fall in winter, but instead there was a steady drop in all activity and a rise in cookie and beer consumption (not pictured).

Riding
I have never been an event/charity guy for bikes (mostly racing), but April was the most miles I've ridden in three years running (Sept. 2009: 200+). I have Cycle NC to thank for that. It made for a great weekend of cycling and some intense long miles at fast paces (mostly flat). When the knee injuries took me out of the running shoes they took me off the saddle too, but I was pretty consistent with Sunday rides all year. Something I have to give big thanks to my regular group for, I hit a 9 Sunday streak from March to April. 2012 was also my return to mountain biking. A sport I miss all the time and want to do more of ever time I get out on the trail. Two crashes this year too, but lets breeze by those before my wife bans me from the bike.