Challenges Abound! The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge and NaNoWriMo

I recently completely a challenge this past November. I participated in National Novel Writing Month on NaNoWriMo.org and I completed a 50,000 page novel. I responded well to having a daily word count goal and meeting that goal consistently as the month progressed. My novel is a Mystery/Thriller and it is about a thirty year old former law student named Jay who decides to hike the Appalachian Trail. Jay comes upon an unconscious, young girl while he is hiking along and he decides to help her. At first, she doesn't remember her name or where she is from but as they hike along bits of her life start coming back to her. Her mysterious circumstances lead them on a facinating journey of discovery, risk and healing. I like the story. I never thought that I would write a thriller but the idea came to me and I just went with it! I would like to thank NaNoWriMo for helping me write my second novel and let's hope that I can take both novels off the shelf and throw them into the editing phases in the near future.

And now, for another challenge. One for the month of November. Thanks to Gwen Bell I came upon this challenge to blog on every single day of December. This will truly be a challenge for me because I don't make it a habit of being online on weekends or holidays but when I need to, I will stack two short blog entries together and spit them out to meet this goal. Here goes...

Today is December 1st! Can you believe it!?

And the blog topic for today is: December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

I traveled quite a bit this year for triathlon, to visit family, and of course, for pleasure. My favorite trip, though is actually one that I embarked upon while in the city limits of Austin. That trip was the 2009 Longhorn 1/2 Ironman. I traveled 70.3 miles in less than 6 hours. I traveled back fairly close to where I started, which I think makes the 1/2 Ironman a trip in every sense of the word. The best part of all was the intensity of those moments at and before the finish line. I was first greeted by two of my favorite people in the world: my parents. Then I got a legendary hug from my training partner, Jennifer. And then I got hugs and congratulatory words from Rand, Kyla, Betty, Frank, Jeff, Mylessa, Corrie, Joe and Liz. It was the best trip because it was one that I had been anticipating for months. It was the best trip because I had everyone that meant something to me in the same place cheering me on while I took it. It was the best trip because since I was a kid I've always wanted to make it to the end of 70.3...and I did. October 25, 2009 was a special day for me and it will remain special to me for the rest of my life. The feelings of joy, elation, and accomplishment I had at the finish line of that trip are the stuff that a great life is made of. That great life is mine!