I know it's 'revolution', but it's my blog! Almost time to turn the page on another year and start planning ahead and boy am I ready. 2011 was not my best year. I am one of those people who make resolutions, 1) because I'm a 'planner'. I like to have an idea what I'm in for and another reason is because I like challenges. When I make a resolution I try to make it specific...not "I'm going to run more next year" or "I'm going to lose weight" or "I'm going to run a marathon or half marathon or...:" My annual mileage goal is the same number of miles as in the year, next year for example: 2012, that's specific. I break it down into months and weeks. I am going to run a marathon next year, probably more than 1 and I'm doing another Half Iron-Man. I'm already signed up. Once I get 'specific' I form a training plan; so now I have a specific goal and a specific course of action. The last ingredient is to have fun, make it fun, keep it fun. Not many things are more fun than success so I have to keep that in the back of my mind. I have to remind myslef of it when I don't 'feel' like running or training. Also expect the unexpected...Heaven forbid, but you can get sick, have a bike wreck (oy!), stuff happens. You gotta roll with it! If you can 'get back on the horse' then do it! If not, don't despair, make a plan B, or C. You don't ever have to give up, you do, on occasion, have to postpone. As one of my softball buddies used to say, "That's what makes life...life!" These last days of 2011 I'm making a personal accomplishment list and checking it twice, planning to re-do some stuff I loved doing and adding some new stuff for my goals. It'll help me end this less than steller year without seeming like I'm wishing time away. Professionally it's a little trickier - I love helping people accomplish their goals however in Run Coaching/Personal Training/writing/motivational speaking, sometimes (most times) you can't MAKE it happen. Clients don't just fall off trees; first off they have to know about you and beleive in you. They have to believe in me more than they believe in themselves sometimes , at least in the beginning.  Then THEY have to want it. They have to decide they want it bad enough to get help (coach or trainer) to achieve their goal(s).  Sometimes no matter how bad I want it for them, they just don't want it bad enough...not really. And when they do achieve their goals, you gotta let 'em go. Actually when that happens I let them go gladly. I probably get more satisfaction out of their success than they do! I do miss them however...yeah, I do.

So for 2012, don't just sit there, do something! How was 2011? You happy with it? Why or why not? There's plenty in 2012; you just have to 'want' it. Remember that great feeling when you got an idea in your head, you planned for it, went after it and GOT it! What a great feeling. Conversely, remember when you just flat quit on something....how'd that feel? It stinks; even 'stink' says THAT stinks! Why limit yourself? Don't you ever dream? Now's a great time to not only dream, but see if you can make it come true! Seriously, think for a second...what's holding you back? Why is it holding you back? The past is gone, our screw ups (some of mine are bloody legendary!), our indiscretions, our mistakes..our apathy, our lack of action...GONE! Now, today you can literally change that. It's time to move forward. It may take a year, or 2; maybe just a month. You CAN start now! One day at a time...."I'm going to spend 15 minutes a day on X" then it becomes 20, or 30 or 60 minutes a day and you get closer to the 'dream', "If you step over enough pebbles you'll soon find you climbed a mountain."  I like resolutions and I love dreams.....

Well, by the calendar we're about ready to close the book on 2011 and personally, if I ever see it again it'll be too soon! The Rocket City Marathon was last Saturday and by my account it was a great success! Randy go another notch in his gun, David and Jack set PR's (which to be honest I had nothing to do with) and Sara, Julie, and Nikki all not only conquered the marathon but apparently put on their dancing shoes to go out afterwards to celebrate. I guess that's just how they roll. I think watching a finish line,pretty much of any race but certainly the Half Marathon or Full may be one of the greatest recruiting tools ever for our sport. People see thers finish and are genuinely inspired by them. They see people of all sizes, shapes, and abilities cross the finish line throwing thier hands up in triumph. The winner may have finished 2 hours ago and no matter because, if I finish, I WIN! There's a great saying, "You don't have to finish first to be a winner." If that wasn't 'written' for the endurance runner, it should have been! Watching a finish is indeed one of my favorite things, along with watching people complete their first 2 mile run in the C25K program or finish their first 5K, 10K or Half. That feeling is closely followed by people conquering new goals as they train for an event....working for the Half Marathon and running their first double digit run (10 miles) or the first 20 miler as a potential marathoner. To me it's a glimpse into their soul, their real soul. You cannot fake pushing through mile 11, or 12 or 23 to reach a finish line. The effort, the pain of the latter miles is in an instant eclipsed by the unrivaled joy of seeing the words FINISH LINE as you approach, then where DID that kick come from? To paraphrase John Wooden, "Running doesn't build character, it reveals it!"  So now we turn our focus to 2012, what will it hold? What are the goals? Will it be a better year (good heavens I hope so...not sure I can take a worse one!) and if so what will it reveal. I do make resolutions and goals...I plan as best I can but the old saying "Man plans, God laughs," was probably written about me. Nonetheless, there are things I want to accomplish next year and another of my favorite things is working on goals. I discovered something about 'me' this year...I DO enjoy the training. I like working hard to get better and honestly that wasn't always so. I'm going to work on some of my favorite things in hopes of an exciting 2012. That's all we've got...hope. We never know ("Even when you know, you never know." 'Let It Ride'),  we change jobs, enter marathons, plan trips with the 'hope' that it will all turn out for the best. Hope, next to love and just ahead of happiness are my favorite things which reminds me of one more old saying, "The best things in life aren't things." If you've got hope, happiness, and love; then you indeed have everything!