One year ago, I decided to run a marathon, along with completing 2 other running races. This was my New Years Resolution 2011. My fat butt has never been athletic. Ever. But for some strange reason, I was one of the first people of the year to sign up for the 2011 Seattle Marathon.
I chose Seattle because I have friends up there I can visit, and it was one of the furthest away in the calendar year to train for. Which to me, meant 10 months of training – from ZERO to 26.2 miles! 
It took me a few weeks, or was it months(?!?!), to tell the BF that I was going to do this. I know he would have thought I was a total nutzo. I told him and he thinks that I am cray-cray – still when I sign up for more races. I still have not told the BF about Sogonapmit.
I halfheartedly slogged a few miles every week at the start of 2011, until I got around to signing up for the Runners World free Smart Coach. It did help me get a running plan for free and it helped me get through my marathon, but my own laziness is something that holds me back. Like not adding enough regular crosstraining – especially when my long runs started to get long – like 6-10 miles. And even at the end of the year, I took my rest days a little too serious. I have a fear of being injured and not being able to go to work or to perform my physical job.
I didn’t lose any weight other then 6 pounds near the end of the year. I take my nutrition just as serious as my rest days. I gained 2 of those pounds back within this month. Thanks post-marathon recovery.
I wanted to do only 3 races for 2011, but I wound up doing 6!
My first race was a 10K. Then a Half-Marathon. Then two 5K’s. Then I get around to my Marathon. Then finish the year with a 2.5 mile run.Oh and a 10K virtual run this weekend. So, that makes 7 races in 2011.
I don’t know if it is the running itself, or saying that “I did this!” when there are others who think that it is impossible, or just knowing that there is a community of crazies out there that like to run too, but something is keeping me going into the SECOND year of running.
I have goals for 2012, but not like my other goals of years past where I write down a bucket list of sorts. I think the year I met my BF I had down a whole bunch of things like, learning another language (Japanese), taking singing lessons, and starting a girl band with my BFF at the time. I wanted our band to sound like CocoRosie. Yeah, the CocoRosie band thing didn’t work out.
In 2012, I will be making some fitness improvements as my resolution. I need to lose weight so I can increase my speed and set what people call PR’s. (I don’t know what a PR is – yet. I have yet to set one.lol) I may enlist the help of a running coach/trainer, but have not found the perfect person in Boise to help me out – yet. One coach I am looking at is $400 for 2 months of training minimum. My bank account says OUCH!
There are other things that I would like to accomplish in 2012, but the weight and the speed issue are the biggest deals for me. If I can get down 2-3 pant sizes, or down 30 pounds OR MORE, I would be cool with that.
I am ready to start this new year and start to tackle my challenges NOW!
Here’s to another year of healthy running and to achieving our highest goals!
What is on your list for 2012?