Good morning everyone and happy New Years Eve! So I know I'm early, but I so wanted to start this month'ss thread for many reasons. The obvious ones, it's a new month, a new year and because I've never gotten to start the running thread!
But more because this month's thread is pretty special to me. January 2011 marks the one year anniversary of when I started running seriously. I'd run in high school as a source of exercise and a little bit in the begining of my weight loss journey. But last January, I had hit the preverbal plateau of losing the weight for the second time and decided that it was time to start doing something about it. So, like many of you, I started running. It was tough at at first. 5 mins was difficult, but within a month or so I could do a mile. By April I was up to 3 miles and I was addicted. I never expected to fall in love with running the way I did and by July I was at my "goal" and ready for a bigger challenge, so I signed up for a half marathon and officially started calling myself a running. The training was a challenge but so rewarding and in November I ran my first half marathon.
Today, I'm still logging in the miles, about 20-25 a week, and I'm 10 lbs past my goal putting me at about 50 lbs lost in a year and a total loss of 130 lbs in the last 4 years.
I've got some big plans for 2011, I'm registered for my next half in August and will likely do one next New Years Eve as well. I'm setting a goal for myself of 1000 miles in 2011, but with my training for the halves I'm hoping to beat that. The big picture is the LA Marathon in 2012, but mentally I'm having a really difficult time imagining running 26.2, so I'm not committing to anything on that front yet.
So what are your goals for the new year and the new month?
Happy running in 2011!