Thoughts on the New Year

I personally hate the whole New Years Eve and resolutions thing but I do like to make goals. Sometimes they are rather crazy like running everyday for a whole year! It really didn't start like that but I guess it was mid March when I realized that I had run everyday and it sounded fun (?). I thought about the rest of the year and thought about the challenges I would likely face: getting sick, vacations/travelling, weather, etc.  I was surprised that I really didn't get sick, okay I did one time and should have taken at least a day but whatever. It started as a cold and then became bronchitis. I think I even scared a few people at the gym a few times. I'd be okay running and then as soon as I stopped I would sound like I was coughing up a lung or something. But other than that one time, I didn't get sick. Could it have been from running everyday? Vacations/travelling, I knew over the summer we were going to be taking a vacation to Hilton Head and to Geneva on the Lake (a long weekend). I made sure that I could run on treadmills at the hotels we had to stay at travelling to HHI. I was that person on Friday night pounding out miles at the hotel. I even got up extra early the next morning to run 2 miles before driving the rest of the way to the beach. I decided I would wake up early (630) to run every morning before it got too hot and before the family got up. There is a nice bike path in the Sea Pines area that I ran on since running on the sand at least for me is NOT good. I did get lost once somehow while running on the bike paths but whatever. Once we arrived in GOTL I realized we were in a neighborhood setting and it was easy to get up early and run before the family was up there too. We had to travel to Iowa twice this year and again I knew that the hotels we were staying at would have treadmills so I just had to get up early and run. Weather was never an issue either since we have gym memberships. I guess what I am saying is that with a little bit of planning and A LOT of dedication any goal (resolution) is possible.

So today as I was thinking about it my main goal this year is to run the Canton marathon (April). I still haven't decided if I want a time goal or to just say I did it. I ran one, the Akron marathon 10 years  ago, in just under 5 hours. I had had little training and no real running support from other runners. I feel like I am in way better shape so I feel confident that I could run faster than 4:54. But do I dare a specific time? I will think more on that. I want to continue to be injury free too. And since I finished up my physical therapy I will be doing all the exercises that I was shown to help strengthen my weak areas (back, glutes, and hips) and will maybe get back to my old favorite Y class: kettlebell/kickboxing combo class. 

All I really know is that I am excited to start running/training again tomorrow. And I can't wait to run with my buddies as much as possible especially Amanda who is going to be running the Canton marathon with me.