Some end-of-the-year numbers

On New Year's Eve, I went to CrossFit.  Not really a surprise there, but it was my 150th CF workout of the year.  In 2011, my first full calendar year of CF, I made it to CF a total of 108 times, or just more than twice per week.  I decided that my goal for 2012 would be to get to CF 150 times in 2012.  And I did exactly that, with 148 workouts at my normal gym, one workout at CrossFit Boston, and one at CrossFit Hell's Kitchen.  That wasn't all that I did for the year, but CF was definitely my primary workout focus.

I ran just over 100 miles in 2012 and ran zero races.  Almost all of those 100 or so miles were run hard - sprint work or interval work.  This was my first calendar year with no races at all since 1984.  It was my second year in that time span with no marathons or ultras completed.

After averaging close to 1800 miles per year for 24 years, my yearly mileages for the last three years are 235-255-103.  I do hope to run a few more miles this year than I did last year, but I doubt that I'll ever do even 500 miles in a year again as a runner.  Maybe I will hike that many miles one of these years.

I didn't ride my bike as much in 2012 as I did in 2011.  In 2011, I did some commuting on my bike and this past year, I rode purely for pleasure.

My total skiing days decreased from 2011 to 2012, primarily due to a terrible snow season in the winter of 2011-2012.  I still skied about 40 days in 2012, but I ski closer to 50 days most winters.

At the end of the year, I see that I did something "athletic" 225 out of 366 days in 2012.  In 2011, I was 227/365 - nearly identical the past two years.

So, while my cycling and running and skiing were lower than normal, I spent a lot more time at CF - an increase of almost 40% in the number of workouts.  And, I have a lot to show for that.  I established new lifetime PRs in just about every significant lift this year.  Although, as I've written about before, my use of exogenous testosterone to offset clinically low levels of endogenous testosterone production certainly contributed to the better numbers in the gym.

At the end of 2012, I weighed about 20 pounds more than at the end of 2011, and I'm currently just a few pounds below my highest weight ever.  Yet, I'm still wearing the same pants size I wore a year ago.  I'm wearing larger shirts these days, but that's because my upper body is way more muscular than it has ever been in my life.

So, what's ahead for 2013?  Realistically, I have to say that I don't honestly know.  I know some things I'd like to achieve, but life has a funny way of interrupting plans at times.  Here are a few goals that I have for this year:

Decrease my body fat percentage, preferably by losing some body fat rather than adding more muscle mass.

Go to CF about 175 times this year.

Compete in a power-lifting meet.

Get better at the gymnastics types of movements at CF - double-unders, ring dips, handstand push-ups, muscle-ups, etc.  I am terrible at these movements right now.  Even my burpees and box jumps need some improvement.

Run a few more miles and hike more miles than I did in 2012.  I spent very little time moving outside in nature this past year.  I did a lot of fly fishing, but no peak bagging or trail running.  That needs to change.

However, I also intend to continue with the re-kindled love of fly fishing and I'm looking forward to catching some nice trout this year, hopefully with my son as my fishing partner.

I'll let the bike riding happen however the mood strikes.  I enjoy riding the road bike, but I have no real goals there.

Continue to work on my flexibility and mobility, get my shoulders a bit more healthy, and be a more versatile athlete.

I want to pass at least one certification exam related to ski instruction.

And lastly, at the end of 2013, I'd like to be able to say that I'm a better all around athlete than I am today.  Right now, I think I've improved from a year ago in a number of areas, but my increased weight has been a hindrance in other areas.  It's probably a net gain, although I am not really comfortable at my current weight. I feel the weight the most when I run or when I'm skiing.

I'm very much looking forward to going to the gym with my wife this year.  Now that we are both going to CF, the workouts are even more fun than they were before.

And hopefully, the little company I work for will continue to stay in business.   I have a fun job and my decisions have a huge impact on how the company is perceived by our customers.  I'd like to see us finally get over the hump and become profitable.