Calendar from Domestica, a very cool shop in Des Moines, Iowa
How do you feel about New Year’s Resolutions?
During the last few years, I didn’t make resolutions; I made to-do lists. And I’ve kicked each one off on my birthday in April ever since my 30th year on God’s green earth. However, for whatever reason, 2012 just very much appeals to me and I have some things in mind I’d like to get started on right away. I’m excited. This is unusual.
I have a lofty goal for 2012: I want to will run a 5k every month in 2012. That’s a dozen 5k events. That’s, uh, math is hard 60+ miles. The point: to run a faster 5k by the end of the year by running 5ks regularly. To run a faster 5k than the last one I ran. To run a faster 5k, period. Join me if you’d like, either in person or in spirit.
Confession: I am really, really slow. That’s ok. It’s gotta be. I’m still going to do this.
I also signed up for the Lincoln Half Marathon in early May. And I have free admittance to the Bolder Boulder in late May because I volunteered at a trail race in the fall. What the what is going on, you ask? I’ve never run more than 5 miles at one time in my life, so the idea of running at all, let alone 13.1 miles (that’s about the length of my commute from my house in Longmont to work in Boulder) or a 10k is unfathomable to me. Friends who love me say I can do it, so I am trying to believe in them believing in me. Hence, the 12 5ks in 2012 …
They will keep me on track I hope. My journalism background has me trained to hit deadlines. I needed deadlines for running to keep active, to keep going to the gym, to never stop no matter how slow I am going because the point is to finish. There are plenty of training programs online that tell me what to do to be able to finish a 5k (have fun, don’t die — them’s my rules). I also have support through friends, in real life and online. I will need it.
I’m not a natural talent like some people I know. I often feel like this. But I like crossing the finish line. I like using the body given to me and putting it in motion (because I know one day I won’t be able to). And if by chance all this running makes me smokin’ hot healthy and strong in the process (though I’m pretty sure running doesn’t give one better ta-tahs, sadly), then so be it.
What do you hope to do in 2012? This running business is one of many things on The List for 2012.
