I'm not making any resolutions

Every year at this time, a lot of people make resolutions for the new year.  I'm not.  I'm not making another new year's resolution again.  A resolution is a resolve or determination to do something.  If I treated new year's resolutions according to the definition, I could probably deal with them.  However, in my head, resolutions have a negative connotation. They are vague promises that I make to myself and never keep. 

Last August, I had my aha moment. I hope that moment eliminates the need to ever make another new year's resolution. At that time, I decided to do what I needed to do to put my life on a better track for myself and my family.  I researched goal-setting strategies.  I made a list of things I want to accomplish in the next two years.  These were measurable goals, not vague, unmeasurable statements.

There are a lot of things on my list, including church, reading, writing, working, etc.  This blog is not about those things (though I may throw them in from time to time). This blog is about a journey I'm taking. A journey that begins with lacing up my running shoes.

This year 2011, I plan to run in 6 races.  They are races because someone will win them.  Will I win them? No.  For me, winning is finishing the race.  I'm the slow one.  I am there so fast people will have someone to pass.  A few days, I was trying to decide what those 6 races should be.  My ultimate goal is to run in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 30.  When I'm trying to work out how that would be possible, I mention it to my husband.  He surprises me by saying he will run in it too.  FYI: Jeremy and I cannot run together.  He is a lot taller than I am.  His stride is much longer and I can't keep up.  I'm thinking this is never going to work.  I say that if we are going to do it, we need to run a half-marathon between mid-April and late May.  He says ok.  I'm still thinking this isn't going to work.

The next day, I start looking for a half-marathon in my time frame.  I am realistic in knowing that I cannot be ready for the half in Atlanta in March.  I find the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon (http://nashville.competitor.com/) for April 30. It fits my time frame perfectly.  I found it on December 30.  We have less than 48 hours to register before the entry fee increases as the new year arrives.  I'm so excited.  Jeremy thinks it is a bad idea.  He wants something that won't require an overnight stay.  When I present the options, he caves and we register.  We also made a hotel reservation.  Now, I'm really on the hook for this.  Slight panic sets in.  I pull out my handy dandy beginner half-marathon training schedule.  It is 17 weeks.  I get out a calendar we are using to log our training.  WE HAVE EXACTLY 17 WEEKS UNTIL THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALF MARATHON.  How perfect was that?

Here is the beginning of my list of 6 races:
1. Country Music Half Marathon 4/30/11 (already registered)
2. Warrior Dash Georgia 5/15/11 (already registered)
3. Marine Corps Marathon 10/30/11 (I really want to run this one)
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?

So, no resolutions for me.  Just a list of races I want to run in 2011.