A Year in Review

After enjoying a few moments of solitude that accompany a quiet house at 6:20 a.m., I stepped cautiously over the threshold and out into the frigid air. The world around me was silent; most people still curled up under heavy blankets, and as I jogged toward the trailhead the thick frost added a hushed crunch to my stride.

I ambled quietly along the Blenkinsopp Valley with naught for company but a few lingering stars. With the holidays behind me, and two solid weeks of running under my (expanded) belt I couldn’t help but reflect on the previous twelve months, once again amidst a whirlwind of emotions.


Winter
Reviewing my journal, I can only assume I was particularly busy in early 2010 what with only 6 entries in 3 month the last of which indicated I was going to stop writing. Obviously that didn’t happen. But given home renovations, a pregnant wife and continued rehabilitation running certainly took a back seat. With a foundation light on both quality and quantity I opted to forego early season race plans and instead took solace in a few, arguably laboured strides.

Spring
On the heels of a torn hamstring and with only two workouts in seven months, I set aside a fragile ego and gained pleasure adding my solitary footsteps to the pounding of the masses in the TC 10k. Although far from race ready, I a managed to sneak by 10,511 runners finishing just outside the top 100 with a time of 38:04. Participating in this event reignited my desire to race, and before the arrival of the dog days of summer I had completed my inaugural mile. The experience truly painful (5:04). Paul O’Neil once said, “a man who sets out to become an artist at the mile is something like a man who sets out to discover the most graceful method of being hanged. No matter how logical his plans, he cannot carry them out without physical suffering”. I concur wholeheartedly.

Summer
With the coming of warmer weather July also saw the arrival of our second child, Corbin Thomas Lord.

Needless to say running once again was pushed to the back-burner, but despite the reprioritization (or perhaps because of it) I still found myself on the track… suffering, and narrowly missing my mile goal of 4:5X, finishing in an agonizing 5:00.5.

Autumn
Orange and red leaves brought the return of the Victoria’s premier running event and my participation in the half-marathon. Somewhat slightly more enjoyable, fall also saw me revisit Maui to participate in my first Xterra Trail race… and so on a hot humid morning, an ocean breeze ruffling a ragged lock of hair, I smiled knowing I was amidst a moment of serene calm, just seconds before the arrival of an unholy storm.

All the best to everyone as they head out onto the roads and trails, enjoy 2011!