Resolutions

Are you a New Year's Resolutions maker? We are. I, in particular, have always been a big fan of "fresh starts": Mondays (for the work week), Saturdays (for the get-things-done weekend), the first of each month, and the New Year. I must admit, though, that I generally set myself up for disappointment.

For example, I was going to take 7 full days "off" so that I could get my office organized and rearranged in order for it (the office) to be more useful and useable. And, it would be my "treat" to balance out the work I'll need to do to get the business website for Chicken Mama Originals online once and for all! But, here's where the aggravation happens: although it feels like it's been but a few days since The Holidays, and I haven't even BEGUN to think about taking down the tree yet . . . it's already nearly the middle of the month!!! And those "Seven Days Off"? Ha!

But, I digress. Back to resolutions.

Tom is a runner. And, by that, I mean A RUNNER. He was a triathlete before I met him and then switched over to (just) marathons. He's completed more than 50, easily, including The Ironman in which he finished in the Top 100. His fastest time is 2:41. (For those of you not familiar with the distance of a marathon, it's 26.2 miles.)

Training for (him) and traveling (for both of us) to marathons each year used to be a BIG part of our lives. There was - at least - one every June in Duluth, one in August on the Wisconsin/Michigan border, and another Wisconsin trip in October. When we moved up here to Swamp River Ridge in 2006 - coupled with Tom starting to work here at home (vs. traveling to Minneapolis) on the Rez in May of that year - his opportunities for running were nearly wiped out. There just wasn't any time.

He's missed his running routine horribly. It's something that provides him with his own "me" time, it's an outlet for stress, and it helps keep him healthy. So, Tom's New Year's Resolution this year was, you guessed it, to get back in to running! He's been extremely wise and not set himself up for failure. He's running just short distances to begin, and he'd mentally prepared himself that he might need to do some walking his first times out. But, to his pleasant surprise, he's still "got it" and hasn't been in oxygen debt enough to need to walk!

I'm very proud out him. He's been deliberate about getting out there each day, and I know he's regaining a huge part of what "identifies" him. The above picture is of him and the dogs heading out on their first morning run of the new year!

I'll sign off for now and get to MY resolutions later. Tom just came in asking for a fresh-from-the-hens egg brunch. Can do!