New Year & New Goals

This year is starting out really well. The training group that Jon started had the first run a couple weeks ago. It felt so good to run with a group again. Everyone in the group is fun to be with and the conversation always makes the miles go by very quickly. We met at Jon and Erin's house at 6:30 a.m. and set off for an easy five mile run. The weather was a bit cool and threatened to start with the freezing rain, but it held off until we were nearly done.

I missed last weeks run, so I was really looking forward to running with the group this Saturday. We met at the Fargo Running Company (Lamont offered to open up the store before and after the run. Thanks Lamont!). I got there a little before 6:30 and was pleasantly surprised by the number of people. Penny did a head count as we ran and I believe she counted seventeen people. The route was a seven mile out and back that took us across a couple of overpasses (a.k.a. North Dakota hills). I was not feeling very energetic, but running with Erin and Jerry kept me moving along.

I'm changing my running schedule a little this year. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be the same as last year -- 4 to 5 miles each day. Saturday will still be the long run, and I plan on putting in some extra miles in order to increase my weekly total. I'm adding a run on Sunday to get used to running on tired legs. Jon suggested this as a way of training for an ultra marathon.

I guess that leads right into some of my goals for the year. I plan on running the Trail Mix 50K in April (here is a link to their website http://www.trailmixracemn.org/ ). I know it is going to be a big step, but I look forward to the challenge. I'm already registered to run the Fargo Marathon again this year. I'll probably do the FM Half Marathon again. If Trail Mix goes well I may try Surf the Murph 50K ( http://surfthemurph.org/ ). I know there will also be some 5K and 10K races in the mix as well.

I've added some more songs to my iPod. "My girl Dances" by Hot Fiction is one of my new favorites.

"Give You Hell" by The All American Rejects
"So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin
"Clean My Wounds" by Corrosion of Conformity
"13 Angels" by Corrosion of Conformity
"Senior Limpio" by Corrosion of Conformity
"London Bridge" by Fergie
"Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani
"My Girl Dances" by Hot Fiction
"Hot in Herre" by Nelly