Not a bad start...



Such a scenic view this morning.

My main resolution for 2012 is to run 1,000 total miles (treadmill, trail, road, etc.).  I've been running rather steadily for the last year and a half and have really enjoyed the progress I have made, but have been unable thus far to get sufficiently motivated to attempt/train for anything greater than a 10k. So I thought that creating a year-long mileage goal could perhaps provide the motivation to attempt a half marathon at some point this year.  The thinking is that in order to achieve the overall 1,000 mile goal, I'll be forced to consistently run about 20 miles each week, which would likely be sufficient training to attempt the half.  But, if I decide to not attempt the half marathon, I would still be working toward accomplishing the 1,000 mile goal.  
This blog, which I'm aiming to update at least once a week, will serve two purposes: 1) It will allow me to share my experiences as I attempt this challenge, and 2) will ultimately hold me accountable for the goal I have set.  I hope that those of you who follow this blog will find enjoyment with my experiences, but also push me when I inevitably slack off.

So today began the quest.  It started off fairly well with two laps around Centennial Lake in Columbia, MD, which equates to 5.2 miles.  I had not run more than 3 miles since October, so I'm extremely happy with the relative ease it took to run this morning.  I did need a little boost after the first lap, but Europe's Final Countdown provided the appropriate motivation.  Legs were a little sore afterwards, but my wind was great considering the cold.  I wanted to make a good statement with the first run just to boost my confidence for the overall goal and this did the job.

I plan to run a few miles tomorrow morning on the treadmill, which the majority of my running will consist of.  I just haven't found the drive to run outside at 5 a.m. I will likely check back in this Sunday with a recap of the rest of the week.  Talk to you then.