A shiny new year

I love new beginnings and goal-setting. However, I think I would be more excited about starting a new year if I lived in, oh, say, California. In the Midwest I feel like, OK, new year, let's go!... And then I realize, oh, wait, it's 16 degrees out. I think I'll just stay in my yoga pants inside all day. Not the actual ones I wear to yoga, but the ratty, faded Old Navy cotton ones. #socomfy Oh, California.

That said, I dragged my dragging butt out to a New Year's Day 5K today. It was really 16 degrees, brr.  I've done this race several times. It starts at 11, which unfortunately means hubby is trying to watch football and keep up with the energetic babies while his errant wife is frolicking through an icy Lincoln Park. Bad wifey. After having friends over past 1 a.m., really great friends for a really fun night, it was a little tough when the babies woke up this morning. But oh, their flanneled, warm sweetness and soft hugs. Lovely. And I was meeting a very fun running friend, so off I went.

I ran it for fun and didn't really race, though I picked it up in the second half. I finished 10th in my age group (of 68). If I had actually race at my 5K turkey trot pace from this past Thanksgiving I would have been in the top 5, d'oh!

So, that leads me to my half-baked running goals for the year*.

• Run a half in January. Zero goals other than to not suck.
• Run a half this spring and train to break 2 hours. (current PR is 2:07) I have my sights on the Drake Relays.
• Get some pedicures. I hate spending money on stuff like that but, hoo boy -- well, I'll spare you the runlikeamama running feet report.
• Run a fall marathon. Where? TBD.
• Stop carrying my phone around in my bra -- phones are so big they don't always fit in pockets, so I stick mine in my bra as a convenience. Problem is, it sometimes rings in front of someone while it's in my bra. Oops. OK, that is not a running goal.
• And for probably one of the most shallow running goals you'll ever hear of, find some tiny little 5Ks and place in the top 3 in my age group. Two points to make related to that goal -- I will change age brackets upon my birthday in March, which increases my chances of accomplishing that. Yes, there is a benefit of aging when you are a runner who does races. Booyah. Secondly, I'm not particularly fast, but I love the idea of getting faster and getting some validation. For a girl who was told wayyy back she was unathletic -- priceless.

 *Subject to change since I am a woman and I am supposed to change my mind if I believe sexist generalizations.

I also want to have another strong mileage year, after completing 1,119 this year. Which brings me to... drumroll please... how does she do it??? Haha, sounding all self-important makes me laugh. Or maybe it's the generous glass of wine I'm drinking.

This is the secret to sticking with runs and training plans while working and juggling two babies under age 4 (or whatever your personal situation is) -- sheer, utter stubbornness.

See, the babies are up about 6:30-ish. I need to run and be home before then, so I get up between 4:20 and 5, depending upon what run or workout I'm doing. I need to get to work before 9, before 8:30 is the ideal. I get home from work by 7 usually, and it's dinner/bath/hugs/tea party/playtime/storytime/get-your-butt-back-or-you're-going-to-time-out before I eat dinner close to 9 and crash for the night. So there's no daytime workout, no fancy gym at lunch, no nighttime warrior run.

This is where the stubborness is a benefit. If I don't get that run in early, it won't happen. It's perfect. When I was unemployed, I found myself procrastinating on runs. Not now. When you have to wedge something into your schedule with the determination of squeezing your butt into your tightest jeans or wrestling a monster stroller into the car while not losing sight of your kid in the garage -- well -- that's just what you do.
Girls grow up being told they are supposed to be all nice and crap -- I like embracing my stubbornness as a middle-aged chick and having it work for me.

Happy running in 2013. See you on the path.