2012 - A Year for the Record Books

2012 was an amazing year! If I had been asked in December 2011 what I expected 2012 to look like, it would not have been nearly this exciting. As a fitness enthusiast, I could not have asked for a better year. I can't believe what an amazing journey it has been and I am so excited to see what 2013 holds. Here's a look back at what made my 2012 spectacular!

I ran my first Bay to Breakers 12k race in San Francisco! I love running in San Francisco and this race is a beautiful short run throughout the city. A must run event on any serious runners race calendar!

I got to run with ultra endurance athlete Jason Lester on his journey across the country with the Nike Journey for a Better World Campaign. This was such an inspiring run and I can't believe I got to meet him and run with him. Dream come true!

I had the chance to work this summer for the Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis tournament as their marketing coordinator and I had the privilege of meeting some top ranked players, like Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish. As a tennis player and enthusiast, this was such a neat opportunity and I really enjoyed working with this team on their digital marketing, definitely something I want to pursue in the future (hint - Nike - I'm ready to be part of your social media team!)

The Nike Women team featured me in one of their campaigns for my achievements with the Nike Training Club App! The workouts on this app totally changed my body for the better and I am stronger and more toned because of these drills. Thank you Nike for recognizing my hard work!

In October I got my Black Belt in Taekwondo the week before I ran my 2nd marathon. I have been working on this achievement for so long and I made it to the big day! I was so honored to have put in the work and achieved this ranking, I can't wait to continue my journey in martial arts in the future. 

In October I ran my 2nd Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and got to meet my favorite trainer, Marie Purvis! She is the developer of the Nike Training Club workouts and I was in awe of her, seriously, such an amazing trainer! She created my customized training plan for the Nike Women's Marathon and I PR'd!

Nike Women selected a group of five ladies to train and dote upon with Nike gear for the Nike Women's Marathon and I was one of the chosen ones, along with Renisha, Elizabeth, Tiara and Nerissa. As Nike Women's Marathon 2012 Training Ambassadors we were given elite training gear, a personalized training plan, a photo shoot in San Francisco and an all expenses paid weekend at the race. Nike made my year with this one. I will never forget this experience and hope that it is not the last time that I get to work with them. This is a picture of the group of us before the race!

Crossing the finish line at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco! Such a proud moment. Thank you for making this possible Nike!

I found out about a month ago that I was accepted as a FitFluential Ambassador and while I haven't done much yet with them, I know there will be incredible opportunities to participate in campaigns with them and improve my blog and fitness knowledge in 2013. Thank you for believing in me FitFluential!

I got to visit the Nike World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, OR and participate in a live NTC workout. This was a dream come true, I flew to Beaverton, slept for 4 hours and then got up at 5:30 in the morning for this workout with Nike Elite Trainers. I was impressed with the workout and the facility. I have made myself a promise that I will work here someday soon, currently it's on my 5 year plan. Get ready Nike, here I come!

A group of my friends from work and I did The Color Run in Sacramento. This was such a fun race, not necessarily for time, but just a really fun event for the whole family to enjoy. I would recommend this to everyone! Find one in your city this year, you won't regret it!

I ended 2012 with a trip to Sun River, OR for a snowboarding trip at Mt. Bachelor and it was a blast. So fun to try out different sports. While in Oregon I went for a run in the snow, snowboarded and got in an evening of iceskating. 

2012 was a year of many adventures, running events and training. Thank you to those who believed in me and those who are supporting me now and in the future. Thank you Nike, Nike Running, Nike Women, Nike Fuel, Marie Purvis, Leah Kim, Tiara, Elizabeth, Renisha, Nerissa and FitFluential for making this a year to remember.

Watch out 2013, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and going for big goals!

An Amazing 2012

2012 has been an amazing year. I can't even begin to describe all of the amazing things that Nike has done for me to help me become a better athlete, reach for me dreams and set high goals for myself that I never thought possible. It may be a little early for a 2012 recap with new years still over a month away but I wanted to share how much I have grown this year and how thankful I am for all that my friends, family, and the team at Nike has done for me to make this year spectacular.

January was a big month for me and as I started a new job and started focusing more on my fitness and my blog. I had big goals for the year and shared them with you here on this blog. My four goals are listed below.

• Run a second marathon and beat my previous time
• Become NASM personal trainer certified
• Become Nike Training Club certified
• Get my Blackbelt in Taekwondo

Over the year I was able to meet two of my goals. On October 6, 2012 I became a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and the following week, on October 14, I beat my marathon PR by 18 minutes with a time of 4:29. Nike was an integral part of my achievement of this goal as they picked me as an ambassador for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and I was able to enjoy the marathon through the eyes of Nike. I participated in photo shoots and spent time with many Nike employees that just served to make me more intrigued by the company as a whole and how they do business. Nike gave me an insight into how they interact with consumers and work for their target market and are involving everyday people into their campaigns. It was such a valuable experience.

As for the goals I have yet to meet, the personal trainer certification has not gone as planned. I was having a hard time deciding which certification to take and recently changed my mind and am leaning towards the American Council on Exercise (ACE) certification. I plan to complete my personal trainer certification by January or February of 2013. As for the Nike Training Club Certification, Nike only picks certain trainers to teach their classes, but I am going to continue to pursue this option and look for opportunities to become a part of this amazing team.

Looking ahead, I don't know where my path may lead but I am going to continue spreading my fitness and running journey with you all here. I have also started a new twitter account @sistersinnike to continue sharing my journey and the journeys of each woman who shares this passion. Check it our and hit me up with your ideas for what you want to see highlighted. Personal interviews, photos, gear guides? Tell me what you want to see!

Taking a Leap of Faith!

This weekend was a weekend of firsts for me. I had my first 20 mile long run and my second mid term for black belt testing. Like the picture above shows, my life over the past few months has been a result of a decision I have made to not be satisfied with where I am in my life. I have decided to work for my first marathon PR and get my black belt in Tae Kwon Do. 

My journey to becoming a black belt has been a long one over the last two years. I have gone through many life changes throughout that time. It is an interesting timeline to see. In a span of two years I have gone from living in Oregon to becoming a Californian (which I am still not totally ok with) how I miss you Oregon..., I have gone from being single to married, had two different jobs, become a Nike training ambassador and really expanded my world and reach through this blog. 

My favorite Nike Lunarglide shoes and my Tae Kwon Do testing spirit!

As far as my running goals and ambassadorship, I am incredibly excited to have been given this chance. Training with Nike has given me a new outlook on life and what is possible. For the first time in my life I am seriously considering following my dreams and working towards my goals. 

I have never run over 100 miles in a month. I looked at the Nike+ running site to track my progress and over the last 30 days I have run 151 miles! That is such a great accomplishment for me. It is just proof of the work that has gone into my training and what taking that leap of faith can do. 

I dare you to take a leap of faith and pursue your goals. You never know what might happen when you open yourself up to the possibility of something new.