New Year’s.  A time to look back and wish upon what you could have done better.  A time to look forward and see what you can “improve”.  Not sure I buy into the idea of New Year, New Me.  You are what you are.  Though, we should appreciate and  support anyone’s pursuit of good living.  But it is a NEW year.  I suppose every day is technically a new year.  But we flip the calendar, we change how we date things, we think about new beginnings.

For some it is another year closer to slowing down, to the end so to speak.  I suspect committed athletes feel this cycle of life more than other citizens of the world.  We can compare our performances to our past, younger selves.  But more than that, we live our lives in cycles.  We lay out a schedule of training for the next event we want to go for and then live that schedule.  Day to day, week to week until BOOM! we start the race and we finish and then we look towards the next big event.  Slow down, speed up.  Plan, train, work, race.  Do it again.  Until we choose to stop or until we are stopped.  It is somewhat comforting, knowing what I will be doing on a morning or afternoon two months from now.  But at times I feel that I am missing out on something.  Some key element of life.  That “something”, is today.  So despite the fact that I harp on the idea of resolutions, I encourage my friends, family, students, athletes, myself to be in the present.  Run for that day while being aware of the ultimate goal of running, self-improvement.  Raising the bar for oneself and challenging the talents you have been blessed with.  Focus on the next step, that next mile.

I started out my year right this afternoon.  Another ANGRY COW production, the 2014 Udder Buster Trail Run was another one for the books.  Jim Craig ordered up some 50 degree temps in January, moved the race from the streets of Panama, NE to the singletrack of Wagon Train Lake.  Record turn out for the 3 mi, 6 mi, and 15 mi distances made things interesting on what turned out to be an incredibly muddy run.

Personally I had a great race for not having put much race specific work in.  My last month has been highlighted by lots of easy miles, lots of core work, and lots of drills.  Thought anything under 2 hours would be sweet (8 minute miles).  Found myself in a group of three including Jeremy Morris and Chad Sellers.  We had each other for company for about 3 laps and then the course separated us out.  Ankle deep muck, treacherous corners, pine trees, water was par for the course.  Made it out with one fall and no pulled muscles, which is a minor miracle.  Ended up averaging just a hair over 7 minute miles, with a finishing time of 1:46 and change.  Post race chili and beer and cinnamon rolls and brownies and beer and coffee topped it all off.  Thanks Jim, well done.

On a personal note, my life has gotten nuts lately.  School, running, teaching a college class, Spring track will start soon.  Unreal.  Oh yeah, I have a baby girl now.  You won’t see her that much on social media from me.  As a matter of fact, this is likely the only time I will put her online.  Not that I don’t love her, but that stuff is not my thing.  Embrace the adorable: