Always Striving To Be Better!

I don’t know the last time I ever ran ten miles in under ninety minutes, but it was a long time ago.

Guys in their mid-fifties aren’t supposed to be this fast.

As I ran today, I zoomed past lightning. He couldn’t keep up.

***

It feels great to work diligently toward a goal, any goal, and to achieve it. I didn’t think I’d ever be this fast again.

But here’s the thing about goals… once you get there, there’s always the next one. There is always a new mountain to climb – always something else to strive for.

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A Smart Choice

In 2022, I determined to run every single day for a calendar year. I set out on January 1 and I ran each and every day.

I set a lofty goal, and then, through perseverance, determination, tenacity, and will, I accomplished that goal.

I ran 1,700 miles last year, or an average of 4.65 miles each and every day. I am proud that I was able to do that.

I’m now writing a book of this experience which I hope will serve as motivation for other runners and goal-setters. We can all do more than we ever imagined. You just need to set a plan and get out there and do it.

We also can’t let failure get in the way of pressing forward. I had plenty of years when I thought about and/or tried to run each day and didn’t make it. I learned as I failed from each setback.

But last year, I accomplished my goal.

Then, on January 1, 2023, I went out and ran again. I only did three miles in a new running shoe I was trying out (the Saucony Tempus), but it was three miles and the running streak continued…

But then, on January 2, I made a very sound decision. I made a smart choice. Sanity prevailed.

I didn’t run.

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364 Means Just One More

December 30, 2022

***

One day. Just one more day. One day to go…

For a long time, the better part of a decade (at least), I had entertained the idea of running every single day for an entire year. In most years, I rationalized that it was a bad idea. I figured it would become burdensome. I figured it would get in the way of everything else I was trying to accomplish.

Some years I thought the idea was just plain stupid.

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91.6

Eleven twelfths.  

One to go.

91.6% through what seemed, at times, and often, like a never-ending task.

***

I once thought that it might be fun to run every single day for an entire calendar year.

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TOMORROW!!!

Tomorrow is the New York City Marathon.

I just completed my 16-week training period with a slow and easy 2.80 mile run. That run put me at 680 total miles for the 16 weeks. I averaged 42.5 miles a week for that entire period.

I’m in my mid-fifties, but those 680 miles were the most I ever ran in any training period. My previous high came way back in 2007 as I trained for the Marine Corps Marathon. I did 674 miles in training that year.

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300 Days

October 27, 2022

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I wanted to make sure I was correct so I counted and recounted and counted again.

Yes. Today was the day. I had it marked on my calendar so I assumed it was, I was sure it was, but I needed to check and double-check, and triple-check just to make sure.

I had to be certain about this.

300.

300 consecutive days of running!

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