Desire and Freedom

Wow.  To say it's been a long time since I was writing here is, well, a massive understatement.  Looks like I have some work to do with updating some stuff here, but that will come in time.  So it's 2015 and time to think about how I want my year of running to turn out.  I have already had some race experience for the year that tells me how I want it to NOT turn out, which actually helps me out immensely.  It has helped me focus and actually have goals.  I do not plan to tackle any new distances this year but I do plan to improve on some of the old stuff.


"A wolf howling at the moon is a symbol of freedom and desire. Your animal instincts coming close to the surface - a connection with our true, wild beginnings. Just as you are never happier than when you are in Nature."


This design is a piece of jewelry from Tarma Designs.  I love their jewelry and the symbolism of their pieces gives me inspiration.  It is this particular piece that really got me thinking about my running goals for the new year.  Freedom.  Running, especially on trails, makes me feel free.  It frees my mind from stressors and worries and clears my head.  I love having to think about nothing except picking my feet up and putting them down and everything physical, like what it's going to take to keep me moving forward.  I love making my body feel the pain of pushing hard and the rush that I feel when I have pushed hard and overcome.  The freedom is there; all I have to do is put my shoes on and head out the door.  It's the desire that needs some work.  The desire to actually run is never the problem; it's the desire to be happy with what I know makes me happy that is the constant struggle.  I love to go to races not to actually compete but more to push myself either in improving my time or pushing through a certain distance.  I love to celebrate with my friends the many victories that come with competing against others as well as myself.  But I need to know what my limits are and what makes me happy and what does not.  Certain distances make me happy.  Certain distances, one in particular, do not make me happy and I don't enjoy myself and yet I keep signing up for it.  This year my desire is to be happy with all of my "races" and that means doing only what I know makes me happy, not what I think will make someone else happy or simply to impress others.  The focus of my desire for this year will be to push as hard as I can and bring life back to what has become commonplace for me.


I am excited to do some new races this year, some annual favorites, and some that I haven't done in a long time.  I won't go into extensive detail of my race schedule but I will put it out there that my goal race for this year is a brand spanking new event, one that I am so completely excited about and one that I plan to work hard on going for a personal best time at this distance.  This race is the Twisted Branch Trail Run 100K.  This race is going to be epic.  It's a point-to-point race so there will be no "easy outs".


I am excited and honored to be an ambassador for a second year for The Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company.  I feel very fortunate to have this local resource for my running needs and a place to just hang out and talk running.  And the Team FLRTC ambassadors is a great mix of people who will also fit all of your running (and triathlon) needs!  I have also found inspiration from a great nearby group, #TrailsRoc.  They have a great philosophy and put on some super fun events (races and group runs).  These guys know how to have fun with running and volunteering (they run a mean aid station at both The Virgil Crest Ultras and Cayuga Trails 50, and they KNOW how to take care of you!).  I encourage you to check them out.


So there are my thoughts so far for this year.  I have not gone into great detail in hopes that this will keep me excited to keep coming back here regularly and often to post about my desire and freedom.