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Monday, June 22, 2009

4 Year Blogoversary

Yesterday was my blog's 4 year blogoversary, but I wanted to post something special for Father's Day, so I delayed my celebration until today.

So, first, a little history: In 2005, when I started this blog, Jerry and I had just gotten engaged and we had just bought our condo and we were up to our eyeballs in the initial stages of renovation. At the time, I was still an adjunct professor, so I was teaching at 3 different colleges to string together a decent income, and I also briefly worked a few supplementary jobs to try and fill in my income gaps. And, sometimes I went for short runs.

I'd always toyed with the idea of making running something bigger in my life, and while I'd run a few 5Ks, I didn't have much of an idea about how to make running something I was more committed to.

At the time, I was reading the memoir "Julie and Julia" (soon to be a movie this summer); it's about a woman who decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child's "The Joy of Cooking" and while she's doing this experiment, she blogs about it. I didn't want to cook, but the thought of starting a blog seemed like an appealing way of tracking an experiment. Combine that inspiration with an article that I had read in RW at the time about forming a habit in 21 days, and you have the two ideas that merged into my creation of this space.

And now, here it is 4 years and 1,383 posts later.

In that time, a lot has happened. Certainly, there have been a lot of personal highlights:
  • Jerry and I got married.
  • We got Scooter.
  • I got a full time faculty position at 1 college so I got to ditch all the other side jobs, and I finally started making a decent income.
  • We finished remodeling our condo (took us two years!).
  • We got pregnant.
  • We've taken a lot of fun vacations and have spent a lot of good times with friends and family.

But there was a lot that I accomplished with running too:

  • I completed the Disney Marathon.
  • Ran 6 half marathons.
  • Ran dozens of 5Ks.
  • Ran just about every road race in between: 4 miler, 10K, 10 miler, 15K.
  • Set and re-set my personal records.
  • Ran while pregnant.

However, the past four years haven't been filled with just accomplishments and highlights; I've experienced many failures, lows, mishaps, and embarrassing incidents, personal and running related, as well:

  • DNF at A1A HM in 2007.
  • DNF at Chicago Marathon in 2007.
  • Bad training runs.
  • Went without power for 2 weeks after Hurricane Wilma.
  • Fell on my face once.
  • Pooped myself -- and I wasn't even running!
  • Failed to achieve PRs at times when I was confident I should.
  • Injury.
  • Locked myself out of my car at a race once.
  • Car accident, speeding tickets, parking tickets.
  • Locked myself out of the house at least half a dozen times (about half those times were times when I had gone out running).
  • Drunken bawdiness and other obnoxious behavior.
  • Got fired from a job I only worked at for 3 weeks; quit several other supplementary jobs.

In all, it's been an eventful 4 years, and I've had a lot of fun sharing everything with the readers of this blog, many of whom have come and gone over the years, but I am always impressed with how supportive and encouraging the readers continue to be despite the fact that you guys are ever-changing.

I have no idea what the next few years have in store, or what/how blogging may change in that time, but I plan to continue to blog because I have lots more to tell you about. I don't know exactly what that will include, but I'm guessing it will be a mixture of the above accomplishments and highlights, as well as those failures, mishaps, and embarassing incidents. I hope you'll want to stick around and read about it all!

32 comments:

Krissy said...

What a great re-cap of your blogging for the past 4 years...! You have a talent for writing that is for sure :)

Laura said...

Congrats on 4 yrs of blogging. I really enjoy your blog and admire your dedication and interesting posts.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary. Great highlights and despite the lowlights, you have likely learned quite a bit about your rnning self.

d.a.r. said...

Wow, awesome recap! You have been through a lot in four years, very impressive. Happy blogoversary!

X-Country2 said...

Happy blogoversary! You're at the top of my google reader, so this is always the first place I visit in the morning. Always makes me smile. :o)

Marlene said...

Happy Blogoversary! Holy, that is a lot of posts! It's been fun tagging along for the ride so far. Here's to the next 4 years!

Wes said...

It's been a great 4 years. Thanks for taking us along! :-)

JojaJogger said...

Happy Blogoversary, and I hope there will be many more to come!

Anonymous said...

screech- back up- you pooped yourself? how does one do that? link it pls!

Shannon said...

The next four years will get to experience the many adventures of Norah and her future bro or sista!

Glad I found ya sista! Happy Anniversary.

Run Sarah said...

Happy anniversary - it sounds like it has been a busy 4 years, cant believe all you have finished!

Unknown said...

Happy 4th Blogoversary !!! Thanks for the terrific journey you have given to me and I look forward to reading many more in the years to come.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! Glad you are still planning of blogging. You had an amazing 4 years in blogland.

Lily on the Road said...

Happy Blogoversary!

Thanks for sharing and truly "Life's fun if you don't weaken"

Casey said...

Way to go! Congrats. Loved the recap.

teacherwoman said...

Wow! 4 years already! Look at all the things that have happened in the past four years! It will be exciting to see where things are in another 4 years!

Sara said...

wow, congrats on a great 4 years of blogging. i must say, we've all had our highs and lows, but i think its kind of fun that you can look back over your posts from the past few years and reminisce. also, i always remember the title of your blog to try to keep a new [good] habit for 21 days. can't say they've all stuck, but be sure you've inspired at least one of your readers :)

Oz Runner said...

cool reading the history of your blog and running...happy blog-versary

SavvyFitChica said...

Oh girl, I'm here for the long haul. You're totally stuck w/ me.

Happy 4-year anniversary!

RunningLaur said...

What's wonderful post, Jess. I love that you included your ups AND downs - and I love that you share it all with us. Your running story, as well a your life is so great to follow and pull inspiration from. Thanks for sharing it all!

Carolina John said...

very cool! you started the blog 3 days before my first child was born. i could tell some stories too about the last 4 years..... i'm looking forward to the next 4 years of your blog too.

N.D. said...

That is so fun! happy 4 years!

Aron said...

sooo fun and love the recap :) congrats on 4 years of awesome blogginess :)

nwgdc said...

That's a GREAT recap! Wow!

Sheeeeesh I was afraid for a minute you were going to tell us you were leaving ala Marcy. Thanks for staying around!

TonyP said...

Very cool. Happy blogoversary ! :)

C said...

Happy blogoversary! Four years is quite impressive. The only thing I've been able to do for as long/longer than that is be a graduate student. :)

Jess said...

Glad you're still sticking around to keep blogging! It's been fun reading this past three years!! (I wasn't there right in the beginning!)

Unknown said...

Happy Blogoversary, you've accomplished quite a lot in the last 4 years...and it seems like a lot of blogs don't live that long, so congrats on keeping up with yours. Also, belated Happy Father's Day to Jerry!

MCM Mama said...

Congrats on four years of blogging! Looking forward to reading your blog for many more.

Stuart said...

I remember listening to you on the Runners lounge podcast and thinking four years wow; looks like you've packed it all in!

Agate Lake Girl said...

Thanks for sharing all of that (and more) with us the last four years. I can't wait to see what Norah brings to the mix.
Miss you!

sRod said...

It been great following you through all your adventures! Can't wait to see what else is in store.