Graphical Running

Graphical representation of mileage ran for 2013. The miles run per week for each week of 2013 is graphed in red. The miles behind of the cumulative goal is graphed in dashed black. Low points are attributed to Blizzard "Nemo" and a winter illness "cold" and indicated as circled.
Last year, I did a lot of running. 

I started a goal with my youngest brother. "We" decided to fill out a shared google data sheet with the miles and push-ups we had completed each week. My mileage numbers were set a little bit higher because I had done a little bit of running last year. "We" became "I" because he never really started running, but because I had to report back to him, I kept going.

This was a small miracle that I actually kept that goal going for the entire year. By April, I realized that the practice of recording the data was going to be very helpful for graphing at the end of the year if I just kept up my recording. (The push-ups goal quickly got neglected by May.)  July came, and we did a family 5k. I kept running, completed another 5k, a 10k and two of those color/chalk/midnight/throw things 5k's that's more like an extended running party.

I was trying to zero my mileage before the end of the year, and in the process, injured my knee. This meant that I couldn't quite make up my miles, and couldn't exactly run without it hurting pretty badly. Out of 52 miles of the year, I only missed 2 weeks (resulting in zero miles). I ended the year 16 miles short of my 8 miles a week for 52 weeks of the year goal.

I learned that, in making any effort at all, even if I didn't make the exact 8 miles that week, I could make up the difference. It seemed to affirm to me that it's always better to make some effort towards a goal than none at all. I think it's a miracle that I didn't injure myself until December. I went for two runs so far this year - one in march and one just recently. March resulted in my knee hurting again. This last time was more successful, but I think it will be a while before my muscles are good and ready to do a big running goal.

Also, I know I said I hate marathons and don't see the point. I watched the women's runner and men's runners win the Boston Marathon by live cam the other day, and was actually pretty impressed. I'm giving myself 5 years. When that day comes that I run a marathon, anyone who I've ever told "I will never run a marathon ever" will get a postcard from me saying, "I'm sorry, I was wrong." 5 years guys. Women run their best distance runs in their 30's. This is my decade. 

No injuries please. Here's to a slow but sure recovery and, hopefully, some more running in my near future. 

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