2016 was a long time ago.

I was still in my forties, barely, by most measures, but I was still there.  I turned 48 that year.
2016 was the last year that I was able to accumulate 1,000 running miles in a calendar year.  In the immediate years before 2016, I started breaking down, started having multiple running injuries. 

But, still I ran.  On and on.  As I always hope to.

After reaching 1,000 miles in 2016, I was unable to make that mark again.  I pushed my body as best I could.  I still worked out every day, or almost every day, but I couldn’t maintain high mileage weeks or months.  

And, in January 2020, almost two years ago now, I went under the knife to repair the tears in my right Achilles tendon.  (The tears in my tendon had led to the tears in my eyes as I pushed and tried to struggle through an injury that just wasn’t going to heal on its own.)

I have chronicled the surgery and its aftermath on these pages time and again.  

The surgery went well.  The physical therapy went well.  And I found myself getting stronger and stronger, day by day, week by week, and month by month.

Well, today I reached a milestone.  A big milestone.  Huge, if you ask me.

Today, after I ran a nice solid (and somewhat fast for me) seven-miler (57:44), I once again reached the thousand-mile mark.  2021 has been a success.  It’s been a great success.  Huge, if you ask me.
It’s funny, I never had any doubt that I’d eventually get back and be the runner I used to be.  I’m not there yet.  I’m older and slower.  I might never be as fast as I used to be again.  (And that’s okay.)  But I still want to be the guy that can run and run and run some more.

I want to be the guy that can reach 1,000 miles (and more) year after year after year.  

I don’t ever want to stop.

I believe that in life we have to find ways, many ways, to push ourselves.  We have to always strive to be more than we were and better than we are.  

I took a big step back today.

I rejoined the thousand-mile club.

It’s great.  And I feel great.

I can’t wait to see what 2022 brings.
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(I’ll be working on a running book in 2022 that will be a completely original, motivational, and fun.  Stay tuned!)