Ending and Beginning

2009 is nearly done. 2010 is there lurking around the corner. I'm happy to have accomplished all the things I did this year. I ran distances I'm comfortable with, finished my first triathlon, completed a half Ironman triathlon, ran a trio of fast marathons, qualified for Boston, discovered trail running and literally had an epiphany, became an ultra-marathoner, and maybe inspired some other people to push themselves and try some new things. But I'm still very sad at how this year wound down. We lost a dear member of our family just before Christmas, Penny, our 12 year old Golden Retriever whom Mrs. P and I got before we were even married. The decision we had to make doesn't hurt as much as it did last week, but the pain is still there for me to find whenever I want to go looking for it. It was with a heavy heart that I went for a much needed run on Christmas Eve, by myself on the Hinckley trails, and captured some winter images which reflected how I was feeling as well.

The end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 are going to be different this year. By running in this 24 hour ultra I will be able to bring in the new year exactly how I'm finishing the old one. They will be tied together for me in a way other years have not been. I've had no "off" season this year. The transition from one season to the next has been an active one. I fully anticipate a recovery period following the 24 hour, but it will be just that, "recovery" and not "off".

As I look forward to this run, which will be my longest one so far, I worry a little. The weather forecast isn't looking good at this point: rain, freezing rain, snow, wind. Yuck! My feet have been hurting lately too, and I don't know why. I'm worried my knee will give me problems. I'm anticipating a miserable, physically and emotionally painful experience. But when it gets to that point I'm going to remind myself how hard it was to make the decision we made last week, and it's going to pale in comparison.

Finally, in an attempt to finish my last post of 2009 a little more upbeat, Happy New Year to all! Hopefully it will find everyone happy and healthy. Best of luck to Team Ohio down in North Carolina. There will be a half dozen or so of us representing the state in Morganton. I hope to come back with stories and lots of photos!

See ya' next year!