Sunday, January 3, 2010

Hello 2010!

Happy New Year everyone!!

So I know I have been really bad about posting here since the summer. I'm sorry! A lot has been going on and just have not had any time this fall. So I guess I need to do a quick update...

Ran Cross Country again this year. I placed 4th in the districts race so qualified for the PIAA State Championships again. Had a much better race there this year, and even had two teammates running as well!!

The college search. Boy oh boy has this been an adventure. I'm applying to 9 schools which are all over the place. I have gotten 7 of the applications in and working hard on the last two. I have realized I'm not sure if I want to do Chemical or Mechanical engineering but I want to save the world! Actually that isn't totally true I have found the most perfect course at Edinburgh University in Scotland. It is called Engineering for Sustainable Energy. I had a wonderful conversation with the Head of Mechanical Engineering at the University and he has me hooked. It is a combination of Mechanical and Electrical engineering working with different energy types and then ways of making power grids more efficient. If you make a ton of power and have no way of getting it to the people what good is it? Next year will be the first year they are having it. YAY for another pioneering step. I have actually gotten a conditional for the course so it all comes down to my SAT scores now. I need 600 minimum in everything. That means 600's in the 3 sections of the regular test and 600's in both the Physics and Math Level 2 subject tests. So wish me luck!

On the training front. Well I have been a bit crazy this fall. Along with all my Cross Country races and Orienteering events I have run 3 half marathons in the last 4 months. Two of them were road races, The Philly Distance Run and the Philadelphia Half Marathon. Both of them went well. My time goal was 1:45 for both. I sadly did not get that but on the second one I got close with a 1:49. The last half marathon was a wonderful course put together by Tom Overbough and DVOA at Fair Hill. I had a wonderful run around in the woods for 2hrs and 33mins. And according to the garmins I was wearing (yes two testing them more to come later hopefully) I ran about 15ish miles.

After that I had the joy of getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth out! That was painful! I was out for at least 4 days and still not feeling myself after that. They are feeling much better now and I'm back to eating. I lost almost 10 pounds from not being able to eat for almost a week. There was a scare for a bit that I wasn't going to be able to eat my birthday cake or go ice skating but both happened!

So I'm now 18. I had a wonderful 18th birthday on Christmas eve spent with my family and our family friends the Pews. My mom made wonderful Carrabian soup (my tradition) and then we went ice skating. I had a wonderful time. It is scary to think now though that I can vote (sent in my registration already), Sign my own wavers, get drafted, and even drink in some countries. I'm looking forward to a great 18th year of life! However 2010 is going to have a hard time topping 2009.

A look back on 2009:
* Competed at JWOC for the first time
* Went to the Bright Green Youth conference in Denmark
* Made it to XC States yet again
* Became US Orienteering Champion in F-20
* Completed 3 half marathons
* Applied to College (or well almost all of them)
* Ranked 14th in F-21+ in the USOF rankings (and yet not ranked in my own f-18 or junior f-20)
* Ranked 2nd female in DVOA's Rankings and 1st in F-18 & under category.

and that is just from the summer haven't even gone back to the beginning of the year. I had a wonderful 2009! So hope 2010 can create another great list at the end of the year!!!