Appropriate way to begin 2011. You want something? Go get it. Period.
Love that clip. Might be the Dad in me, but a father telling a son that he can achieve anything in this world is about as real as it gets. It's a conversation that I have with my little ones every now and again, rarely a planned event, but something that just comes up in the nature of our relationship. If nothing else in this world, if I can inspire my children to reach a little bit further, to raise them to be confident in themselves and not to shy away from something just because it's difficult, to pursue their dreams - isn't that what it's all about?
The new year has gotten off to a pretty good start - did a 6 miler New Year's Day, a 20.36 miler on Sunday, then after a brutal Taewkondo class Monday night, another 6 miler yesterday. My hamstrings are feeling a bit tight today, but nothing some good stretching at class tonight can't remedy.
Miami is less than four weeks away. I've got a 15 miler this Sunday, then one more 20 miler the following week, as I'm following the Hal Higdon Intermediate II schedule leading up to the race.
I've been tinkering a bit with the remaining 9 races, trying to figure out logistics and trying to keep travel to a reasonable minimum. Here's what I've decided upon:
1/30 Miami
2/27 Hyannis
3/20 Atlanta
5/1 Flying Pig Cincy
5/29 VT City Burlington
7/10 Mad Marathon VT
7/31 Around the Lake
8/28 Quebec City
10/3 Maine Marathon
Looking forward to them all but a few in particular - going to pace a good buddy for his first full marathon at Flying Pig, and some family will run in Quebec City.
I've had a hard time finding something that works for me in the month of June - Lake Placid is the weekend of the Montreal Grand Prix and that would have been ideal but I already have tickets for qualifying and the race. Forza Ferrari! So the inaugural Mad Marathon on the 10th of July near Sugarbush will be my June race, followed a few weeks later with the Around the Lake. I did the 12 hour race last year when I managed 51.6 miles in 11:00:16, the final 7 miles with a hairline fracture in my talus bone. Fortunately that healed nicely and was still able to hike up a storm with my Dad in Montanta a few weeks later, and I was back running in 3 weeks time.
Unfortunately Chicago is out as the final race due to a scheduling conflict - so I will end this 12 month journey where it began, at the Maine Marathon in Portland. Seems a proper way to wrap it all up.