1 Year and Counting!

Today marks the one year anniversary of this blog! What's amazing to me about this is not that I've kept this thing up and running for 365 days, but that it means that I've been running for at least that long. Yes, there have been ups and downs, time taken off due to a veriety of injuries, and all that, but the focus on running has remained consitent for well over a year (and documented here for exactly one).

So, what has transpired in the past year?

• I've completed five races ranging in distance from 5k to 30k: two 10k's (#1 and #2), a 30k, a 5k, and a 10-miler.
• I've lost track of how many kilometres I've put behind me, but I'm well over 700km this year alone so I'm certain I've done over 1000km in the past year.
• Five pairs of running shoes have come and gone, with a sixth on the way (I ordered another pair of Asics GT2140's the other day to make sure that I have a backup pair as the marathon draws near).
• I've posted 290 times (including this one).
• I've labelled 120 post as "running" (yay!).
• I've labelled 123 posts as "injury" (ouch!).
• My ankle, though still wonky, has become a trusted ally rather than a feared malefactor.
• Instead, I've had several other ailments to contend with...
1. Plantar Fasciitis (still ongoing since last October 6th, though slight improvements have been realized. This is a bugger of an ailment and it sure does seem to take FOREVER to resolve.).
2. Left knee patelar-femoral syndrome.
3. Right knee patelar-femoral syndrome (still shaving and taping this one on every run).
4. Left calf crampitude (that took two weeks to resolve).
5. Left hip/ITB issues (as a result of the left calf thing).
6. And now, right calf crampitude (day one, and counting!).
• I've completed the 100 push ups challenge, though failed on the 20 chin ups one.
• Around this time last year I weighed 199lbs, having started the journey in January 2008 at something more like 210lbs, and now I weigh around 186-188lbs.

In short, it's been quite a ride and I look forward to what the next 365 days hold in store. In two months I will be running my first marathon, if everything goes well and this right calf decides to heal quickly. I think that most of all this blog has kept me honest and motivated. The comments that have been left on my posts by the many readers who take time out of their busy lives to read my running commentary (pun intended) are so much appreciated because they afford a tremendous amount of support and motivation. It has surprised me just how much this aspect of blogging brings to the whole experience, and I'd like to thank all of you who have left words of advice and encouragement on this site. To those who are regular contributors I am especially grateful. For fear of leaving anyone out I will not create a list here, but I think you know who you are. I will continue to be inspired by your own stories and wish everyone health, success, and as many PRs as can be crammed into a regulation sized sidebar.

All the best everyone! Here's to another year of running and blogging!