I have missed running, and even thinking about running. I miss the planning of the workouts, that extra spring in my step knowing I am going to have a good workout or a hard one. I miss reading Runners World and all the blogs I follow. But if you aren't running, reading and thinking about running are depressing, so pardon my absence.
Since it is the New Year, my goals for the Year:
1. Run New York Marathon in 2011. I have a guaranteed entry, so the hardest part is done. But to really run it, I have to lose weight, get back to training. I know I can -- after all two years ago, I started on March 17, lost 40 pounds and still ran it. I am lighter than I was then, and starting 10 weeks earlier.
2. Beat my 2009 time of 3:42 in said marathon. I used to have a super secret goal of qualifying for Boston. not this year. I just want to run, have a 3:30 something, and not get hurt. BQ is for next year when I hit age 45 and get an extra ten minutes.
3. Lift more weights. I resolve this every year and fail. But I think this will help the injury bug I have developed and also help with my weight swings.
4. Run more NYRR races. I ran 2 last year, I think. I didn't feel fit so I avoided them. but they are fun and rewards for training.
5. Remain involved. It is one way to motivate me and keep me going, thinking about running. There will be life interruptions, I know (we are moving in 2 months, for example), but running as a source of stress relief and general healthiness should not go away.
Happy New Year to you and good luck with your goals, even if they are super secret ones that you admit only to yourself.
I love Peter Saville and this is an old New Years card he created for Yoshi Yamamoto:
