Last Sunday, Jason and I spent the day skiing at Eldora, a small resort just outside of Boulder. Later that night, sitting at our dinner table, we reflected on our day. I shared that while it felt great to get out on the mountain for the first time this season, it was also a good opportunity to reflect on my year, my health, and my habits. Then, I hung my head, feelings flooding back to me from a place I was in several years ago, feeling bad about not meeting my commitments. It was a new year, a new start and a month ago I signed up for a winter running series at a local park. One 10K in January, one in February and one in March, and while that distance would be no issue for me, it was more just a chance to hold myself accountable. One Friday night, we were both home from work, home from Christmas in Montana, and out with friends; it felt good. Cold outside, warm laughs and delicious beers inside. And the hours passed. And while I told my friends about the run, I didn't keep my promise. To myself. And while I always have a plan for the mornings of my runs {I'm happy to share it!}, I didn't stick to it this time. The run started at 9 a.m. I got up at 8:15 a.m...noticeably tired, dehydrated, and then fell back asleep. Convincing myself I would make the next one... Back to the dinner table last Sunday night. When I was sharing my runner's remorse with Jason, he asked "When was the last time you went for a run?" Normally, without hesitation, my response would be one or two days ago. But this time...it wasn't that easy. I actually had to think...for a while! And my first response was "Well, I bought those new running shoes two weeks ago..." And then it hit me. I hadn't run regularly since before we left for Europe. SIX MONTHS AGO. Sigh...I knew I had been out a few times since then but honestly I couldn't remember the most recent. I looked over at Jason, smiled and said "What would you think about me running a marathon?" He replied quickly with "Why do something that is so taxing on your body that just leads up to one event? Why not make it a habit, part of your lifestyle, like you did before?" I thought about it and it made sense. Who goes straight from swimming a lap to being an Olympian or from skiing their first run to navigating a double black diamond? So I set my sights on running more than a marathon. I was going to run...400 miles. Here's my habit: run two miles a day for two days in a row. Then see how I feel and go from there. If I can do two miles a day for two hundred days, that's 400 miles! Much more attainable than stressing myself out over one marathon. Technically, I'll have run just over 15 marathons' distance in the course of that 200 days. Join me in my two by two, I'm happy to have you along the way. And if you think running two miles a day is no big deal, then I would ask if you already do it as a habit. Or every day. Now where did I put those new running shoes...
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