New Year Resolutions 2008

Like millions of other people, I spend December 31st trying to think of resolutions to carry through the upcoming year. Most of the time they flirt with weight issues, better eating, so on and so on. Other times they touch on responsibilities—I will make more of an effort to send weekly correspondence to my adopted soldier in Iraq. I will give more to our church each week. I will try to be more patient with people. Once in a while they discuss work ethic—I will try to recapture the fire in my work that I have lost in December. I will work harder and make more of an effort to stand up for myself and I will delegate when necessary and appropriate. But more often than not, they are running related. I will improve on my mile per minute average. I will run X amount of miles this year. I will run a marathon.

This year was a bit harder. I really don’t have much of an interest on improving my mile per minute average—sure, I want to be a faster runner, but let’s be honest about it. I hate speedwork and won’t necessarily put the dedication into it that I should. I’m not so great with long-term goals, so saying I want to run 1,000 miles in 2008 may not be the best resolution for me. And I did the marathon, so I’m not sure I can make that a true resolution. So what is left?

Running every day.

I mentioned the idea of running at least a mile every day last year around this time. This year I’m serious—one mile, every day of the year, at least. Doesn’t mean I won’t run more—I have races planned, I have longer runs scheduled. But no more do-nothing days—on do-nothing days, I will run a mile. Dave asks what will I do when it rains? I will run. Ted mentioned snow—what then? I will run.
366 times this year (leap year—go figure) I will run.