Sunday, January 1, 2012

I Resolve Nothing! Kinda.

I don't mean to be a Debby Downer, but honestly I HATE the first month of the year because everywhere you look, whether its TV (talk shows and commercials), or on social media (twitter and Facebook) or even just online (blogs, online news), everyone is making grandious gestures and promises that probably less than 5% even keep...They say that by February 10th, resolutions will have gone by the wayside.

And I don't know about you, but when I set a singular goal and fail...well I feel a) like a failure and b) worse than when I started.

I have a few things I would certainly like to be better at in 2012, thats pretty much what I think about every new year, and its the best resolution I can think of.  At least for me.  I personally don't like to set myself up for failure.  I don't want to tout any numbers for PR's, or miles I am gonna run, or $ I will save, or to lose X number of pounds...you get the idea.  I see it all the time, and I see many people in general and friends fall flat on their face and then some even have mental anguish over it.

I think its important to have goals, yes...but to put so much pressure on ones self with seemingly unattainable goals (or lofty at best), I just don't see the sense in it.

The only thing that is much different from this year compared to the past 5 is that this will be the first year I will not be training for a marathon(s).  Not even for Houston 2013.  I want to take the entire year off from running anything over 15 miles at any given time (15 miles max long run for half marathon training).  I do want to focus on getting faster at shorter distances for a change, and just give my body (and my head) the break that it so deserves.

One of the things I am going to differently on the blog though is that I am not broadcasting which races I am doing ahead of time.  I think if you've read the past few months though you already know that I am doing the RnR Seattle Half in June, but outside of that, you don't know squat!  I havent signed up for RnR Vegas and based upon the debacle from a few weeks ago, not sure that I will either.  I will just be posting training and then of course race recapping...

I love running, I truly do, and barring injury, I doubt I ever stop, but I just want to want to run and not feel like I have to run..you know?  I am a by the book kind of trainee and I get so caught up in the scheduling of it all, I find myself sometimes becoming resentful. 

A couple of days ago, I was out having sushi with a friend and the subject of 2012 marathons came up and when I said again that I would not be training in 2012, I got this 'oh sure J, riiiiight...' kind of look.  I honestly think that no one believes that I can go a year without training for a couple of marathons, let alone even one marathon.

I'll show them!!!

OK, so I don't want to hear about how you're going to eat better, lose weight, run faster, run farther, spend more time with family and all that jazz...I want to hear something different! 

What say you?

2 comments:

Heather said...

I agree - I do not set resolutions! I do have a goal though...a goal to run 500 miles this year...

Something I need to do every month to achieve!

K said...

I always set goals for myself each year, but not without reflecting on whether or not the goals are realistic. They should not be so far out on a limb that you are doomed for failure.
I have usually started new routines on Feb 1 rather than Jan 1. I need that one month buffer between crazy holiday festivities and reflection about where I am headed. If I start some before that, it's bonus.
Do what works for you, don't worry about what others think about what you will or won't do. It's not about them. And the people who want to pull you down shouldn't have an impact on your life anyway.
Keep on doing your thang, June! You are the only one who can do it as well as you!!!
Happy 2012, no matter what you do!!!