New Year's Commitments

In a couple days many of us will embark on a year long push to do something new in our lives.  We call these “New Years Resolutions”. Wikipedia defines this type of resolutions as:  A commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.  Although I don’t hit the gym myself, I hear that there is an annual onslaught of “resolutioners” that will take up residence during prime treadmill time, attempting to stay on track for the entirety of the year in an effort to make a single visit into a habit, and a habit into a lifestyle. I will be interested to see how long that lasts.

I am a firm believer that we, as individuals struggle to take on large tasks by ourselves.  As many people know, I am motivated by team activity and social challenge. Together we can do much more than any single individual. Which is why my new found fondness of running is so odd.   It’s definitely not a team sport, but rather something you are always doing by yourself. However finding ways to take this solo sport and manipulating it into a team exercise is how I have found myself sticking to the lifestyle changes that I made earlier this year.

For the year of 2011, I am resolving to keep running and am trying to get ahead of the curve by committing to events that my peers can both participate in, and at the same time keep me accountable to my goals.

So here is my tentative list of runs that I have either already signed up for, or plan to sign up for as soon as it becomes available. I am also adding links so that anyone out there can join me!

5.  Shamrock Run & Walk: March 17th, 2011  https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/73567

with thousands of others by participating the 4-Mile Run & Walk course that starts on Monument Circle and heads to Fountain Square, home of the "Irish Hill."

4.  River to River Run: April 16th 2011 http://rrr.olm.net/index.html

Teams of eight runners compete on an 80-mile course. Each runner completes three sections that range in length from 2.5 to 4 miles. Teams are started in groups every 30 minutes beginning at 6:15am and continuing until the last group is started
at 8:45am. The finish line closes at exactly 8:00pm.

3.  Mini Marathon :  May 7th, 2011 http://www.500festival.com/marathon/

The 35th Running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon takes place on Saturday, May 7, 2011.  The Mini has sold-out for the past nine years with 35,000 registrants, and an additional 4,000 participants in the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K. The Mini-Marathon is the largest half-marathon in the U.S., and overall, the seventh largest running event in America.

2. Full (26.2)Chicago Marathon: Oct 7th, 2011 
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/cms400min/chicago_marathon/runner_information/index.aspx?id=4739

The 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, October 9, 2011. To receive the official announcement of the 2011 race date and registration launch, sign up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon's Mile by Mile E-Newsletter.

1. (either half or full) Indy Monumental, for old times sake: Nov 5th, 2011 http://monumentalmarathon.com/

The Monumental starts and finishes near the Indiana State Capitol Building in downtown Indianapolis.

Hope to see you all at the finish line(s)!