Day 678

My journey of running everyday continues as my running log nears the end of it's yearly cycle 2010. It fills up day by day and week by week. The running streak is such a personal challenge that I almost forget about it until someone asks me if I am still running everyday. I am then reminded and always a little excited to count my progression of days. I go to my Day of the Year Calendar that I printed off of the internet and add together last year and this year and feel happy that the number has grown, almost without me knowing. Today is day 678. I am not sure what it means as it is just a number but my challenge continues to march on in spite of itself. I surely don't want to jinx myself and I know for some unforeseen reason my streak could end tomorrow but I have not had a cold or the flu or an injury that keeps me from running each day for all of these days. In my mind I owe that to the streak. I think the streak is keeping me healthy! I am sure one day sickness or injury will come and I will deal with it them but for today the Streak and I are great partners and together we are enmeshed in our daily challenge, keeping each other alive and well.

I have had some fun running experiences this year. The Boston Marathon hurt this year but it was still nothing short of amazing. It was a bigger challenge than it was in 2009 but the crowd and the course and the city are incredible and it never gets old. The finish line of the Boston Marathon is almost overwhelming. This picture is of us standing at the finish line the night before the race...I could hardly imagine crossing it the next day and I have crossed it 3 times. Something about it! I also ran all of the Runwithpaula Events this year and TEAM RUNWITHPAULA took first place in the Women's Sub-Master's Category at Hood to Coast. 7:11 overall pace. My girlfriends are superstars!

In October, 9 of my girlfriends went on a girls weekend to Victoria, BC and ran the Victoria Marathon. (10-10-10.) The weather was gorgeous and the course was truly beautiful. I really enjoyed the course being marked in kilometers rather than miles - I didn't know if I would like it but I LOVED it and had a blast in the city having High Tea at the Empress and eating and drinking our way through a very fun weekend.

This year I have gone some very interesting places and met all kinds of interesting people through running including finishing my first triathlon. I couldn't do any of this without my husband, kids and girlfriends. I like to call this the circle of inspiration. I find myself inspired by someone overcoming a challenge or setting a goal and achieving it or risking it all for a PR and accomplishing that goal - or maybe not - and the grace and beauty that comes from it. True self discovery comes from pushing ourselves. It is not easy to announce to the world that you want to do something extraordinary - as relative as that may be - but the rewards are plentiful and the true you is just waiting for you to take yourself to the next level. Never stop striving to be the best you can be. Live your life with challenges and goals and eat something really fattening and take naps and hug your kids. You know what I mean. SO...what goals are you going to set for 2011? Make your goals fun and make them real! You can do it.

Up next? I am sure there will be something to keep my running life exciting that will include my girlfriends that make me laugh hard on long runs and cheer for me on my intervals. I love my group runs and my track workouts and my solo runs and I promise myself to keep on running know matter what day it is.

Run Yourself Better!