Good-bye 2011, Hello 2012

The year of 2011 wasn't exactly the year for adventure, but it was a year for self-challenge. I spent the year being more active than I've been in my entire life. I ran my first 5K and 10k races. I discovered that I like spin class. I discovered that I despise bootcamp. I rediscovered my love for roller-skating. I think most importantly, I discovered what many of my limits are. I've begun to learn to focus on what I'm capable of, regardless of how it stacks up to others. To this I have my Garmin Forerunner 210 to thank. There are days when I know I'm moving slow enough that snails can out pace me, but when I look down at my Garmin and see that my heart rate is at 80% of my max I know I'm really doing about as good as I can do and that's all I can ask of myself. Of course there are those day that I feel like I'm moving like a jaguar and I look down at my Garmin and see that I'm still moving slower than a snail and my heart rate is at 50% of my max. It's at this point I usually whine to myself and say "but I don't wanna" and then suck it up and pick up the pace, because I know I can do anything for an hour. So regardless of whether I felt like I had a bad workout or a good workout, numbers never lie. They tell me whether I did or did not try hard enough.


In discovering my limits, I've also rediscovered the joy of exercise (No, that's not a mistake. I meant to use the words joy and exercise in the same sentence). When it was all about the numbers, how fast I could go, how quick I could knock out the miles, I lost sight of why I enjoyed hiking, or why it was I decided to start running. It wasn't fun anymore. At that point I decided to compare myself against myself. I admit that this is easier said then done. But I also admit that I would rather be the slowest person on the planet and be having a good time, then be fast and utterly miserable. So when I stepped out onto the greenway this morning for my first half-marathon training run, I turned on Garmin but then I didn't look at it again until I was done. I listened to myself. I could feel myself settle into a pace that was comfortable, enjoyable. I had fun.

So that's what I want 2012 to be about. Having fun. For the past two years I've stressed about my life and the direction that its going. I've stressed about my physical health and tried to push myself beyond what I'm currently physically capable of. I was still chasing after an adventure that had already ended. I set to many unrealistic goals for myself. So this year its two goals; (1) have fun, and (2) be positive.

I have a good feeling about this year. I don't know why, I can't explain it. I just feels good. So good-bye 2011, hello 2012. I can't wait to experience what lies ahead.