Friday, December 26, 2014

A New Year....

2014- where do I began or end? I have no clue! Looking back to the last week of 2013 the one thing that sort of sticks out in my mind is just really wanting 2014 to be better than 2013. I'm far from perfect but I wanted to avoid going totally off the rails and doing dumb stuff...... 2013 was just craziness with people left hurt and my life pretty much in shambles. If I could get through the year without cratering I was going to be golden! The last 12 months have been pretty even keel personally for me and that's a huge improvement. Had love, lost love,etc but no major hiccups and I've gained a coupla personal friends through that. Running has been the one thing thats been consistent. I wish I knew how many miles I ran this year..... I know its over 2000. 2015 I am logging every one just to push myself. The people I've met through running have just been incredible. Life changing to say the least. Sure the running exploits are cool and I conquered some things that many will never do in a lifetime but going into 2014 it wasn't about that and still isn't. I just wanted control of my life and my behaviors. That's still a work in progress.
  Career wise- I couldn't be happier. I left a industry I still love but needed to grow as a person and am now in one that's real parallel to what I was doing but with new challenges. I'm very blessed!  I hope people who read this can take away that anything they choose to do in life is possible. Everyone has their excuses for not taking control of their destiny but if one really has the desire and the fire in their soul than anything is possible. I've learned that the human spirit is tough. The body is simply a tool for the mind. I've let go of many fears in 2014 and its helped me grow as a person. During a race- no matter the distance- my focus is getting to the next aid station. I dId this during my 1st and only marathon (I sucked) and every race including my 100 mile finish. Life is like that. Sure huge goals are great but in order to reach them I have to focus on the next leg of my journey to my ultimate goal.  It's taken me 47years to figure this thing called life out and I'm still working at it but it's really simple once I found a system that works for me.
2015- man o man- I cannot wait to do this in all facets of my life. One of my biggest priorities is working with a couch to 5k group. More details later but I want to encourage others to take a chance and see if a running group will impact their life as it has mine. I don't know enough to coach nor do I have the desire to but I do plan on mentoring people who want to try running a 5 or 10k and doing things that just a small fraction of our country does. My running- I've already signed up for Bandera 100k and plan on dropping at the 1/2 way mark but we will see... No promises! On the advice of my coach and another mentor I'm sitting out Rocky Raccoon 100 but will be there to probably pace someone 20 miles and help them get their 1st 100 mile finish. The last loop is slow n I could use the time on my feet. I'll run Possum Kingdom 52 miler and train hard all spring for a 100 miler in May. My long term goal is to run Hardrock 100 and a finish in May would get me in the lottery for The Rock. September- another 100 in Arizona that finishes on my birthday. A buckle for my 48th would be kinda cool. October- I have a rematch with Cactus Rose and I hope to be done under 26 hours. As you can see, I want to spend less time in races and more time training, helping others and of course volunteering. I've been a taker for many years and 2015 I plan on giving more than I take. Personally just a balanced life as I have now is great. Life has its ups and downs but if you keep moving forward it gets easier.
  Thanks to everyone who had a part in making 2014 a success. Many people I see on a regular basis and others inspire me at races as they blow past smiling. Some people I follow on social media but we've never met but your desire to succeed does help others and I thank you for sharing. There are people from my past - some I've hurt- but they have a part in making me push hard to be a better person and I thank them as well. Things happen in life that put us at certain places in certain times and it's up to us to seize that moment. May your 2015 be better than your 2014. Go be Awesome!

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