New Year's Resolutions

  This is not a blog entry about my New Year's resolutions but about those of others. I'm writing this as it was somewhat humorous to me yesterday to see everyone's resolutions so blatantly obvious.

  On the weekends I like to run 9 miles as Cathy is able to give me the time away from Benjamin. It seemed like the West Orange Trail was more crowded this Saturday than my previous runs. Then it hit me. I was witnessing the obligatory "Get in to shape" resolutions.

  I'm not chiding their efforts but simply observing that by February it will be remarkably quieter on the Trail than it was this weekend. Look I remember what those first runs were like. I thought I was going to die. I kept asking myself, "What the frick are you doing?" But I continued on with running.

  I saw people yesterday who received beautiful new bikes for Christmas, people who dusted off the old ones, people on something that resembled a stand-up Big Wheel, people roller blading and people who just looked like they were in cardiac arrest. All types, all sizes. All of them had one thing in common though. They made the same resolution. 

  I hope they all keep with it. I'm glad I did and feel so much better for it. Today I'm at the same weight as when Cathy and I met (Although I look a lot older now than when we first met almost 14 years ago but that could be because we have a son and mortgage which both drain any energy I may have had as a 21-year-old.). 

  When I first started running I couldn't go half a mile without stopping. I remember reading about how Tiger and his wife Elin would go out for 6-mile jogs and think that was insane. Yesterday I ran 13 miles for the third time in my life. Don't get me wrong my quads are feeling it this morning but it's the fact that I was able to do it that excites me. 

  So for anyone reading this entry who has made the "Get in to shape" pledge I congratulate you for thinking about your body. But I also know that making that decision is the easy part. Sticking to it from now on is the hardest part. Now hope on that Big Wheel and get out there.