Gauntlet

I'm throwing down the gauntlet on myself.

In keeping with an idea of reachable goals to set for myself, I recognize that I have not been running much lately, and the main reason for that is a lack of urgency. As I am not currently signed up for a marathon, I don't feel the need to train for one.

But something happened this weekend that I found interesting. While visiting with family back in Ohio, I was asked a question several times that I didn't expect - "When is your next marathon?" I didn't realize how many people (even among my family members) even knew about this little goal of mine. I suspect it has something to do with my mother telling everyone, but it still meant quite a lot to have them just ask the question.

So I decided to set an immediate challenge for myself. Something urgent. If I can run 28 miles in the next five days, I will surpass 1300 miles for the year. Granted, I was on pace to do much more than that before my burn-out mid-October, but this is still a pretty darn good number, and I want it. So for the next few days, I'm going to push myself to get out the door and get moving early (and maybe late as well, depending on how it goes).

Immediate goals breed instant satisfaction.