Motivational Mondays (Aug 9)

Today's not the end of the year nor the start of a new one, at least not on the calendar, but it does make me look ahead at the next 365 days.

It's my birthday today. Yay me. I'm turning 35 today (yikes) and will spend the day relaxing... for a little bit, since I do have to work and all.

But I also am looking a little ahead to the next year. While I am now officially halfway to 40 (whoa), I am not exactly feeling depressed. I know once you hit 30, you long to be in your 20s but when I was in my mid- to late-20s I weighed 300 pounds, so no thanks to being 27 again.

Physically I am in my prime, and I will strive to continue topping myself again and again. That doesn't mean PRs or anything like that, but rather to just enhance my running and fitness continually. A year ago, for instance, I'd run one half-marathon and a handful of other races. Two years ago, I'd run one 5K ever. When I turned 32, I weighed probably in the 220s. As I turn 35, I can now count two marathons among the races I've completed. When I turn 36, I hope to have run three full marathons between birthdays.

Age doesn't have to be demoralizing. For me, it's invigorating. I'm not as young as I used be (obviously, none of us are) but I feel much better now than I ever have.