Running the Numbers

Every December I spend some time with my running calendar, looking over the past year.  Nothing extraordinary about that - in fact, I am sure most runners do something similar.  Or did something similar until they discovered Strava, GarminVivo, Map My Run or DailyMile.  I was late getting on board with the technology thing, but I will tell you, I am really starting to like the weekly pep talks I get from DM, my new best e-friend.

Reading  "awesome training this week!" or "great running week!" gives me purpose and just the dose of enthusiasm I need to get out there.   And instead of having to dig out my calculator on a snowy pre-January 1st weekend, I now rely on my app to figure it all out.  See, who needs Common Core Math anyway!

What this is all telling me is that I am running.  A lot.  I am nearly to my goal of 1000 miles by June 30th.  For the past few years, I have wanted to run 2000 miles in one year.  But not by being all freaky and PLANNING to do it.  I just wanted it to happen.

So every December I tally and see if I made it.  Then I wring my hands when I see I am 134 miles off, 79 miles off, or 26 miles off.  I do realize that if I counted earlier than December 31, I could actually go out and run the remaining miles (okay, maybe not the 134) but it doesn't seem as much fun that way. Its the mystique of not knowing that makes it a challenge.

Its a Brutiful Life

I like the word "brutiful".  I can't take credit for it, but mashing "beautiful" and "brutal" really sums up the last week.  Really the last month.  I am still running, but in a more relaxed, therapeutic way, which is so different from my running for the last almost two years.  It feels good.  It feels bad.  I am not sure how it feels.
After Umstead, I went to New York, I ran the American Odyssey Relay, I ran the Frederick "Nut Job" (the 5k Saturday night and the 1/2 marathon Sunday morning).  I have run a few of the Elementary School Challenge runs and even logged some buddy miles.  I have signed up for some races, but nothing long, and nothing trail related.  This is not good for me.  Floundering is not something I am good at, so I have to come up with a plan.

Unrelated to running, in this same brutiful month, I have applied for a new job, and been called back once, twice, three times for interviews.

I have finished out the semester with exams, grading, and topped it all with a gorgeous new (first) granddaughter.

Things are changing so fast, I can barely keep up.  And that is why running is so important.  Putting my shoes on and getting out the door is about the only constant I have had in the last 4 or 5 weeks.  Its automatic, its comforting, its direction with no real clue as to where I might be going.   But I will keep putting one foot in front of the other until I figure out what my next goal should be.  Spoiler alert: it will involve a long run and a trail, of that I am certain.  Just trying to nail down the when and where.  Because I will never take for granted being able to get out there and just going.  It helps make a better me for all the other things going on in my brutiful life.