Looking Ahead To 2011

Resolve is ever present with the coming of each new year.  Although resolutions can be made at any given time, (for many) New Year's is the perfect time to set some goals.  The new year gives you a fixed time to complete your objective, which in turn makes it measurable.  A year also allows ample time to complete a well thought out goal. I personally tend to get down on myself when faltering on the path towards any particular aspiration. It's nice knowing however, that one or two slip-ups along the way won't eradicate my chances of hitting my target; they just make it a little bit more difficult.

For someone like me who enjoys crunching numbers and doing comparisons, I've always thought that a key component of goals is that they're measurable. In 2010 though, one thing I've come to learn is that a goal (for me) doesn't necessarily have to be so.  A goal just needs to be something I can imagine myself achieving.  Whether that's measurable or tangible isn't important, just that it's there is enough to motivate me along the way.

Afer reviewing my goals for 2010, I have to sit back and laugh just a little bit.  I was very ambitious, but also maybe a little reckless.  OK, no maybe about it... I was completely reckless! 

• For someone that had only been running for 9 months, attempting to log 2,500 miles for the year was just plain dumb.  Looks like I'll end up around the 1,800 mile mark for the year.  A far cry from 2,500.
• Running 8 races was far beyond my abilities.  I managed to get 5 actual races in, along with a "Fun Run" that I'll go ahead and count.  That puts me at 6.
• And honestly, running a hundred miler was audacious to say the least (even though I did accomplish this). 

With last year's results in mind - along with the wisdom I've gained from my first full year of running -  I've come up with some goals that seem very attainable for the coming year...

• 2,200 miles for the year
• 6 races (at least one hundred miler)
• Gain balance in my personal life

The last one is something that I completely failed to achieve last year.  It's funny because when announcing my goals for 2010, I said "my head is telling me that these numbers are the balance I'm trying to achieve".  I thought that totally focusing on running and pushing myself to the edge would bring me balance.  Exhibiting brazen disregard for others (and myself) is not balanced by any stretch of the imagination, though.  I especially want to thank Lydia for this revelation!  She opened my eyes up to the fact that my obsession was reforming other aspects of my life.  Jumping from a harmful addiction to a positive one is still addiction.  Period.  Passion for running itself is not harmful; allowing it to control your life is.  Of course, I have other non-running related goals that - hopefully - can also help me achieve those related to running.

I've learned so much about myself in the last year.  Much of it comes because of the things I've accomplished.  However, without the guidance of goals to push me forward and to keep me motivated, things probably would have been lost in the shuffle.  I look forward to working on these goals, and to conjuring up many more short term goals to help me along the road to success in 2011!