200 Days Running

When I started this journey, to write and run for the last 200 days of the year, I really thought I could do both.  But, who was I kidding.  However, if I take a deeper look at the year, it's not like I didn't accomplish anything.  I can look at my stats for the year and see that I have done more with my running this year than I did probably when I was in the military.

This year, according to MapMyRun, I have a total of 951.1 miles.  That's a fair distance I would say.  The goal was to do 1000 miles, so did I reach the stretch goal, no, but, when I see that it's because I was lazy at certain points throughout the year, then I only have me to blame.  You see, I am the queen of the blame game.  While, it's not always someone else's fault, I always feel like I should feel guilty of coming up short in my own mind.  But, the more I look at some of my thoughts, the more I realize I am total nut and that's about how my life is now... a bit nutty... I feel like I could have/should have/would have done better if (fill in the blank here)...

Now, I love to run, and I will continue to do so, but I have to say that it has taught me a lot in the last year.  That I love to push and train for an event.  It keeps me going when I don't want to get up and move.  I love to get the medal at the finish line.  I worked hard to be able to finish some of these runs, it's not easy doing a half marathon, or a 10k or a 5k or a one mile fun run.  I like the competitive spirit that I have and I wish I had a running partner who wanted to do some of the same things with me.  Running has also taught me that when I get really in a runt, sometimes, it takes a lot more miles to figure life out.  And once I figure it out, I have to run some more miles to figure out how do I let it go.  And then, for a bit more fun, I will have this same issue come up over and over, and I will have to run to get through it again and again. UGH!! I feel like such a petty child somedays too.

I did run 207 times this year, so while it's not doing the 200 days in a row, or as much as I would have liked, I did better than last year.  And last year I did better than the year before.  And that year I did better than the year before.  You see, I am always looking for a way to improve my health, and nothing has stayed with me, until Vanessa started running.  And she was the one who in turn got me to run with her.  I was so slow and I think it would be a horrible run for her to come with me, but I loved the time we got to see each other.  It's what made her and I so much closer than before, and now it kills me that I don't get to run with her anymore due to our schedules being what they are.  I miss running with her.

This year also found me some new friends which I am glad to be able to call them friends now.  I met a few from our running group, and then another girl who was my little one's soccer coach last year.  I have been blessed and able to run with both of them.    I have gone outside my own comfort zone and I hope to do that some more in the coming year.

I will be keeping this blog going, I'm rather fond of being able to talk about running like this.  For the coming year, I will be doing the Rock 'N' Roll race in January and then I will be doing a Ragnar Race in February.  I don't really know what to expect for the second race, but I am a bit nervous and I am hoping that I will do well for it.  For the race in January, I will do the 5k with my little one, and then the half the next morning.  I am hoping for a quicker time on the half, and not anything special for the 5k.  But that will be epic for me and her! I can't wait for the photos for that one.  As far as any other races, I am thinking about how to get to change my job and location so I can move to a larger city type place and run more that are available to me.  Here's hoping on that one.  It's been a dream for the last three years now.  But until that happens, I think I will have to stay here and do what I can, when I can.  Maybe do some more virtual runs this year.  Who knows..  Until the new year, have a good night, Run Happy ~

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