I know, this is gonna be another one of those corny "I'm reflecting on an amazing year" posts, right? <br /><br /><b>...maybe...</b><br /><br /><b>But...</b>I mean...<b>COME ON!</b> When your life changes THAT MUCH in the course of ONE year...you're allowed to have a post like that...(excuse me while I go pout and cross my arms in the corner). <br /><br />Really though...2013 has been incredibly life-changing for me! So many things have happened, so many things have improved...And I never in a MILLION years would've <b>ever </b>thought <b>any </b>of it could happen to me.<br /><br /><b>News Flash: </b>If it can happen for me...it can happen for <b>anyone</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11554363/?claim=tn8ees7ud8b">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br /><a name='more'></a>So what are some of these ridiculous milestones I hit and changes I made in 2013?<br /><br /><b>Weight, for one</b>. <br /><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjvzQd77Pjw/UegcZqAK2SI/AAAAAAAAA2k/BnyZWorX2uw/s1600/2012-07-25_09-00-15_455.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjvzQd77Pjw/UegcZqAK2SI/AAAAAAAAA2k/BnyZWorX2uw/s320/2012-07-25_09-00-15_455.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><br />I got back down under 250 lbs for the first time in years, and for the first time I can remember...I broke 200 lbs! I feel so disgusted with myself saying it, but I honest to God cannot remember, prior to 2013, when I last was 200 lbs or lighter. Probably middle school. Yeah...about that...<br /><br />I'm now sitting at about 175 lbs, and a LOT of it is muscle. How do I know? <b>I can see it</b>. There's another something I've never been able to do...see my own muscle! <b>Imagine that</b>. <br /><br /><b>What about this "running" thing?</b><br /><br /><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s1600/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s320/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><b>Oh, </b>right...<b>that</b>. The first time I ever "went for a run" happened in 2013 - March 23rd. I remember it vividly...three loops around Megan's neighborhood...3.25 miles. wow...some first run, huh? My first 5K happened early May, my first 10K on July 3rd...and my first Falmouth Road Race (7.4 miles) in August. Then...whoa...my first <b>half marathon finish</b> on October 26th. <b>WOW</b>. Seriously? You're gonna tell me that Fat Darrell ran a half freaking marathon? Guess I'm not Fat Darrell anymore.&nbsp;<b> And now I did it again - </b>I finished out 2013 strong by running 14.17 miles in one shot...a new distance record! <b>No medal for this one</b>, but that's ok...I have the satisfaction I need :)<br /><br />So...First run ever, first 5K, first 10K, first Falmouth Road Race, and first 13.1! Not bad.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>So how about all this cross-training I've been doing?</b><br /><br />I've completed 6 BeachBody workout programs now, 5 of which were completed in 2013 - P90X (2012), INSANITY, INSANITY: The Asylum, Les Mills COMBAT, Body Beast, and Focus T25! These programs are the main reason I lost so much weight and got fit, and they're the reason I was able to start running! I'm excited to add another one to the books soon :)<br /><br />What else? Well...for one thing...my little inspiration/motivation journey began. 2013 was when the biggest changes of <a href="http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html" target="_blank">My Transformation </a>happened, and many of my friends and family told me how inspired they were by the change they saw - so inspired that they got up off the couch and started their own fitness journey! That made me think - I sure wish someone had told me all these things I had to figure out the hard way! And so, "So THIS Is Fitness..." was born. Now, as we're minutes away from 2014...it has grown from a little blog for sharing my thoughts to something way bigger than I could've anticipated! I'm so happy to be able to motivate, encourage, inspire and guide so many people to finding their fitness like I did! It's a great thing being able to spread the fitness bug :)<br /><br />I'm so thankful for a great year, and there are some BIG things coming for 2014. 2013 was about making big change - 2014 is going to be about challenging myself, <a href="http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html" target="_blank">losing my limits,</a> and seeing what this new fit and in-shape body can do! Join me in the journey, and have an incredible year! I'm sure I'll go a little more in-depth on the year within the next few days, just wanted to reflect before the ball dropped!<br /><br />Happy New Year!