Reflections & Resolutions

Ah, it's that time of year again. Christmas has come and gone...the mad chaos of the holidays ended as quickly as it came. So now I'm left with thinking of what to do next. As I was reading through my stocking stuffer Runner's World magazine, I kept thinking back to January 2010. The girls and I had started to exchange emails, FB posts and texts about who was running when and where and how the training was going. I really didn't kick start my training for SJR until March which meant I wasn't running more than once or twice a week until then. But I remembered how much I was running during the training and that I was running through the whining and griping of not just my own voice in my head but that of one (or sometimes 2) four year olds sitting in the Beast until I put in my mileage. I tried to think about how I got myself through all the times of self-doubt, heavy legs and whatever other excuse or distraction was looming over me at the time. And one thing kept popping up: it was April & Rachel. Without their motivation and support, I don't think I would've given it the extra push. They have brought out something in me that I really didn't know (or still don't know) existed: a love for running.

If you couldn't tell already, I am really very hard on myself. I am constantly comparing my looks, actions, accomplishments and failures to others. And then I make it worse by wondering what I should be doing to be like them so I don't have to suffer through it over and over. I don't know why I like to torture myself this way but I do. It drives my husband nuts...heck, it drives me nuts, too. But put me next to the girls on an open trail with all the days/weeks/months of gossip, gripes, and latest People magazine cover stories, and I no longer think about the insecurities. There, we are all the same. Three women just putting one foot in front of the other all while enjoying some laughs, asking for advice, and talking about that well-deserved coffee at the end. I feel at home with them there. While we all have different paces, it doesn't matter when we're together. What matters is that we have not only made the time to do something we all enjoy and love, but we made the time to share it with each other. (Yes, I'm also a sentimental and mushy kinda gal.) They've helped me realize that it doesn't matter what my pace is or how many water breaks I take or that I can't really talk and run at the same time. It's all about how I feel in the end. And I do love that running makes me feel more clear, level-headed and energized.

This past year was by far the most accomplished I have felt in a very long time when it comes to running. The amount of time and sweat I poured into training for the 2nd half marathon was unlike anything I had done before. I look forward to doing it all again and while not trying to completely overwhelm myself in the training process, up the ante. My 2011 running resolution is consistency (and hopefully adding in speed). I know that if I can remain as consistent as last year (and more) that I can accomplish even the bigger prize: a (better) PR. Because if I remain consistent, I'm hoping that will lead to more running dates {hint, hint} and that will in turn give me the extra push I need.

Happy New Year--and I look forward to some great runs! :)