Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013

This is how it has been looking from my own perspective. in 2011, i did a The Good, The Bad and The Ugly comparison and matrix my year according to the items i noted down. As this year has been very kind to me with only one or two incidences of the Bad and maybe just ONE Ugly, I can quickly sum it up to be a GOOD year.
Family
On the family front, having able to spend more time with the family by getting to go home earlier has been the biggest perks in my career in the past five years. In the past 12 months, It has been eye opening for me to be able to wake up when the kids does, prepare them for school and be home before the sun set to spend a bit more time with them. Now with one going to Primary school, I still can't believe how fast time has past, or where has the time go. Embracing fatherhood was what 2012 has taught me. I will be spending the first 3 days of his Primary school life close to him (or as far as I can distance myself).
Cleaner Eating
Wifey has embraced my passion for clean eating and has been very involved with cooking and baking good healthy food at home. So much so that we are having thoughts of having a small setup done in the new future to cater for more personalised cooking that people would appreciate. Maybe that would set us for retirement.

Simple Pesto Tuna Spread with Avocado on Homemade Toasted Bread

The home cook trend became a lifestyle change where we do not eat out unless it is for occasions such as birthday of family members or if we want to treat ourselves to something different. But over the months, with more experimenting and refinement in all existing recipes, we now find burger patties, ribs, fish, noodles and anything outside to be "question mark" about the price and the quality of the ingredient involved. More healthy food recipe can be found here.
Sports
One of the most significant event that happened in 2012 was when me and wifey ran 3-marathons in 64 days. It started in Bali, then Borneo and ended with SCKLM. While it is usual for the more hardcore to score a least one marathon a month, I see this as an achievement for myself and wifey due to the fact that wifey has only ran her first marathon a year before and scored her second marathon finish at SCSM in 2011. So, her Marathon number 3 to 5 was done in a rather "rushed" scheduled. Wifey too has started running trails and loving it and has taken up cycling. We signed up for Powerman to do the full distance individually. All were well until a motorbike ran into her from the back.

Ouch.

She is still recovering but getting stronger as the day passes (i hope).
As for me, Sports has been great personally. I've buffed up on my own running fitness. Previously, ability to run at sustain 6:00 pace (min/km) is an achievement. Who would had thought I would be running at a sustained 4:20 pace (for up to 5km) or having a speed threshold of 4:39 pace (aka my 80% effort)? Personal best record fell like bowling pins as each run/race i begin to score a new PB. It was satisfying personally. For the record, below is my current PB for various distances.
1km : 3:38
1mile: 6:17
5K: 21:58
10K: 45:56
12K: 58:52
15K: 1:14:00
21K: 1:46:20
42K: 5:17:23
Will I swim longer, cycle faster and run stronger? 2013 will be interesting year to monitor my own progress.

As of December 29, 2012

My mileage (Swim, Bike, Run) for 2012 up to today is 2518km. If not because of the Chicken Pox, i would had likey wrap up 2012 with no less than 2580km. In 2012, I Swam 9km, Bike 653km and Ran 1770km. I also Walked a total of 86km. Compare this to my mileage in 2011 of 1010km total, I must say I not only shrunk (in size), but almost tripled in Mileage.

As of Today, December 31, 2012

The year 2012 got better towards the end with me being part of the Brooks Frunners. This has allowed me receive some of the new shoes (mostly not launched model) for me to try out and review. Then it went up one whole level with me being chosen by 2ndSkin Asia to be part of their Sponsored Athletes program! With that, it brought in Skechers and Hammer Nutrition too!

2013 only promises to get better with all these extras in place.
Career
The year started with me starting fresh in a new company that dealt with renewable energy. Having a bunch of fantastic colleagues that has shared and shown me what I need to know and grow together was the best feeling ever. There was just one common aim and that is to make the project work. 
It has been a fantastic LIFE-WORK BALANCED year. I am happy i managed to change it from WORK-LIFE Balance. Some might ask me "what's the differences". A lot. I would say. To start with, it's LIFE first before WORK. Something many can't achieve. And the "balance", well, it is NOT really a balance but definitely more weightage to LIFE itself. After all, having a family and watching the kids grow, something got to give. Truly, this balance can be achieved if we set our mind to it. 
As a dynamic person, I try not to limit myself to just this. There are so much to do out there. I've had it played in my mind in 2012 if i want to take the leap and turn into a Physical Trainer. Perhaps even a Life Coach? How about a Nutrition Advisor? Me and wifey too have a few plans and perhaps exploit her prowess in the kitchen with something more rewarding? I a not one that would talk about work in my blog. Suffice to say there are challenges and as wage earners, we have to be able to adapt and "make things work". Constantly changing and evolving, I am always open to opportunity. So, if any bosses read this and want someone as dynamic as myself to be in your institution, drop me an email. Never know what you (or myself) could get ;-)
Social
2012 has seen me engaged more in the social media. Launched my own Facebook Page as a mean to interact with people I will know. I have taken Twitter and use it as a mean to share healthy tips and training lifestyle. Learnt to utilise LinkedIn more for possible networking (and has gotten a lot of calls from headhunters). My blog (aka this one you are reading) has taken a life of it's own and the unique views are climbing steadily. The decision to use www.tristupe.com was a good one. At the same time, I saw the opportunity to use this blog to propogate healthy living and also training tips. It has became an extension to my lifestyle and I wil continue to strive to ensure more good articles are written. Indeed, it is a challenge to consistently write.
In 2012 too, I've used this blog as a form of activism. With Bukit Kiara very close to my heart (as I train and uses the hills almost daily), it become natural that I get involved and try to raise awareness about the destructions that are happening. You can read more about it all here.
Wrapping 2012 Up
Better Health. Better Life. Better everything. 2013 already looked and sound like a fantastic year. No doubt there will be road-blocks, but there is nothing a little flexibility and working as a team with my dearest family can't manage. So, here to a fantastic 2013 to you personally and your family too. May it bring a lot of health and much more joy that it ever did in 2012. See you all in 2013!