Every good blog has a back story… a reason for being.  For me, this is very clear.  I wanted to create a place where I could detail my journey back to physical fitness…back to a running career that I enjoyed.  I can remember my competitive running days but, as the years have gone by, those memories become more faint.

I was a decent runner by any measurable standard.  I can remember running in Hamilton, NY and struggling to break 4:20 in the 1500 (4:17.11) and I can remember cold fall cross country races where I often struggled to break 27 minutes for a 5 mile race.  I had a few good ones, (26:57) and a few bad ones (I can’t even remember how man).. I’ll have to admit there was some googling there to recall exact times.

Fast forward fifteen years and I’ve been in, essentially, the same position. I can’t recall where, exactly, I lost the desire to run.  It seems like I just woke up one day and was fifty pounds heavier than I was in college and seemingly just done with running.  To be fair, I’ve had bouts of success… a ten-mile week here, a twenty-mile week there.  I’ve strung together a few “this is the new me” starts that last a month.  I can remember doing a few Reach the Beach relays around 2006 where I was able to string together a 30 mile month!  I did a half iron-man on about 15 miles a week in training…but never hitting over 30 miles in a month.  How does that happen?  One week on, one week off…

For me, it’s now about motivation.  I wake up at 4:45am every morning so I can prepare for the day. I do some work, get the kid’s school things ready and then start breakfast.  There’s definitely a chance to fit a 4-5 mile run every day there… why don’t I do it?  Because I’d rather stay warm drinking my coffee.  But, if I start to remember the feeling of being in great shape, the feeling of having more energy and the beautiful “aloneness” that running can give you, I feel like I could give it another shot.  So, I find myself here… on this blog.  The goal is to see if I can document (for my own purposes and others) the struggles and thought processes it takes to get back into shape.  Will it work?  Who knows…but at least the struggles will be documented and shared.

I’m turning comments on for this blog… anyone who’d like to do this journey with me, I’d love it!  I want to hear what you’re thinking…how the runs are going and what you’ve found gets you out the door when the warm smells of coffee brewing keep drawing you back in.  So, let’s do it!