2006 year in review

Ok, I wasn't planning on doing a YIR post, and it may not be the last one of these I do, but I was googling myself and came across Jon Walk's reader participation thingie from the end of 2005.

My response was here.

The update for 2006 would be:

Top 10 running events from 2006:

1. Finished the marathon

2. PRed a single mile.

3. ...

That's about it.  Everything else has been eclipsed by my brand new baby boy and my lovely wife.  All running and most cycling was put on hold.  I don't think I've even been out running 10 times this year.  Certainly not 20 times.

Regardless, I'm not upset about it.  It was a good year.  The best year, for that matter.  Sure, there were and are trials.  But there will always be those.  Sure, it could be a lot worse, and a lot better, but I'm not one to wishthingswere, I deal with howthingsare and give thanks in all circumstances--even the hard ones.

Goals for 2006 went like this:

run in and finish the marathon (yup)

participate in a triathlon (nope)

ride 2000 miles (not even close)

Celebrate new years (call me in a couple of weeks).

 

My sister is still getting better, and she still inspires the hell out of me.

 

There is something that I didn't expect, though.  Every time I happen to drive along some section of the marathon course I have flashbacks of that day--M Day.  I look over to my lovely wife and say something along the lines of "you know, earlier this year I was running down this stretch of road".  It's a cool feeling. 

I find myself actually wanting to run the marathon again.

I still hate running, but I LOVE FINISHING.  Weird, I guess.  Just the other night we were driving down Studemont toward Allen Parkway and Memorial where it dips below the cross roads--where the sign is hung that says "If you were running the Chevron 10K you'd be done by now!" (it's right near the 6 mile marker) and it all came rushing back to me--the fat Elvis, the alien guy, the cheering throngs of people, the crazy sense that you're actually doing this and it's not killing you.

Yea, I'm going to do it again.

And I'll probably do it several times again.

Just another great reason to hate running.  I'll it reason 649:  it's an infectous disease.

 

Peace, love, and good tidings to both of my readers.  Have a holly jolly Christmas, a fantastic new year, and if you do nothing else before the sun sets on this fine, fine year, smile that you made it through another one.  That smile may very well be an inspiration to someone who really, really needs to know that things will get better.