01 January, 2013

Hoppy New Yuuurrrr!

Resolutions:

Avoid negative projections regarding the thoughts and actions of other people.

Language clean up.

Mindfulness... body, mind, spirit.

Positivity - be the change you want to see.

So what does the year hold? We shall see.

I ran yesterday for the first time in weeks. 1.5 minutes on, 1.5 minutes walking, for two miles. I'm still supposed to wear my brace... but still, no pain :D I feel a little like I'm learning to run again. I find myself constantly running a mental checklist on my biomechanics. Am I driving through my stride? Is my knee dropping in? Where are my feet falling? So much to think about... for reference, I think about the finishing sequences I see on TV of pros crossing the line, how they're running tall and not letting their hips drop. That's what I want to look like.

Christmas has come and gone... so has NYE. So now there's the open expanse of January, flying in a holding pattern until something happens. It's the Tuesday of months... except for the fact that it's punctuated by a special little boy's birthday :) Then there's Paul's birthday and Valentine's Day in February, and it's all downhill from there, into the sweet relief that is March, with it's warming, longer days and springy rain showers. But January... January... a whole month of my body screaming for something to do, for the challenge of sweltering sunshine.

But January isn't all bad... it's a time for planning. Planning the year ahead, with finances and training, trips and fun. And as I sit around and plan for the coming year, something beckons to me. Deep inside, I find myself yearning for the slow, gentle pain that comes with hours on the bike, on foot, in the water, as each discipline further molds my character and body. As I plan for races in 2013, I'm considering passing up one great opportunity to pursue something a little different. Nationals or Half Ironman? I'm oscillating toward the latter... I have a little longer to make my decision, which will depend largely on the progression of my recovery from recent injuries, but right now, I'm lusting after 70.3 more miles of swimming, biking, and running.