Happy New Year.

Happy New Year
1 January, 2009

Well today is Thursday, January 1st 2009. The first day of a new year. Resolutions? I've none; Not that I couldn't make a few. Its just easier not to make any and then I don't disappoint myself by breaking them.

So how did I start the New Year? by sleeping out the old and sleeping in the new. I woke about 5:00 AM and got dressed for a run. Long Sleeve Cotton Tshirt, wicking drawers and supplex shorts, knee braces, socks and worn out running shoes which need replacing. Lets not forget a MP3 player, small traffic wand, reflective belt and headband. Then off I waddled into the morning darkness; obstenably to run 4.5 miles, but ran 8.05 miles instead followed by a quick dip in the pool all before sunrise.

Breakfast after such a work out consisted of half a grapefruit, medium banana, small orange juice and left over lasgna. While I may not be an overweight sarcastic furball of a cartoon cat the lasagna probably didn't help with the mental imagery.

So how did I end the year yesterday? Started with a shorter morning run of just 5.6 miles making my recorded total for 2008; 1145.66 miles, for the month of December 164.48 miles. It would be interesting to see what sort of mileage I would of recorded had I been doing so since the first of last year. But thats neither here or there. Last year I ran in three 5K races, one 10K race, two Half Marathons, and one Full Marathon. While I never won a race, I did finish every one I entered. I also raise a bit of money for charity too over the course of last year as part of my preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon. So all in all it wasn't a bad year.

It was an even better year for many of my friends and cousin who all returned from Iraq.

It wasn't a great year for Team Guinan, John Guinan passed on back in June from a brain cancer, Jim Guinan closed his family store last january and another patron Mike Mihalic passed as well. But for all the losses Team Guinan persevered and raised funds for Braking the Cycle, John's charity effort and rode in the 275 mile Gettysburg to Manhattan cross country ride. On a note inline with that I was fortunate to support Team Guinan for that effort. I was even more fortunate to recover a lost member of Team Eagle who strayed onto another cross country bicycle ride course similarly marked as Braking the Cycle's route.

So alot of good things happend last year even with a few bad occurances. Yes, the economy isn't as good as it should be. The price of gasoline has gone up and down like a manic depressive bouncing between exstacy and depression and I needed a new transmission for my van. But overall I've had life pretty good and stand no reason to complain about my lot in life. I've been blessed with a comfortable life, good friends and a healthy extended family as much as my Aunt and Father drive me up the wall.

As for what the new year shall bring, I shan't hazard a guess, no predictions, no estimates, no conjectures.
Life shall go on and I shall muddle through as I am wont to do. But for now I'd like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe and rewarding 2009.

As part of a Holiday Running Challenge I participated in here are my miles for 27 Nov to 31 Dec 2008 and 1 Jan 2009.

Team East.
1 Jan, 8.05 /
31 Dec, 5.6 / 30 Dec, 5.6 / 29 Dec, 5.6 / 28 Dec, 4.5 / 27 Dec, 8.05 /
26 Dec, 4.5 / 25 Dec, 5.6 / 24 Dec, 6.7 / 23 Dec, 6.7 / 22 Dec, 4.5 /
21 Dec, 4.5 / 20 Dec, 4.5 / 19 Dec, 5.6 / 18 Dec, 5.6 / 17 Dec, 4.5 /
16 Dec, 4.5 / 15 Dec, 2.68 / 14 Dec, 13.1 / 13 Dec, 2.68 / 12 Dec, 4.5 /
11 Dec, 4.5 / 10 Dec, 4.6 / 9 Dec, 6.55 / 8 Dec, 4.5 / 7 Dec, 4.5 /
6 Dec, 6.55 / 5 Dec, 4.5 / 4 Dec, 6.93 / 3 Dec, 4.5 / 2 Dec, 4.5 /
1 Dec, 4.5 /
30 Nov, 4.5 / 29 Nov, 13.1 / 28 Nov, 4.5 / 27 Nov, 4.4
Nov = 26.5 miles
Dec = 164.48 miles
Jan = 8.05 miles

Holiday E/W challenge for myself 199.03 as of 1 Jan. Tomorrow Jan 2nd, I don't plan to run for a change. My legs, knees, ankles and feet can use a rest.

And thus concludes a year of running and starts a new year of running.

Have a safe year everyone.
Q