another year already

Damn.  2011.  How the hell did that happen?  I remember - nearly 10 years ago - peeing on an EPT stick (and really - it wasn't "early" in any sense of the word), seeing the giant "+" sign pop up, and musing that, by 2012, I'd be the mother of a 10 year old.  I was facing 9 months of pregnancy first, which seemed like a long time...so the notion of 2012 seemed, well, far away.

Yet it's almost here now.  My son will be 9 in 4 months.  9.  Got that?  9.

Now that we're past the doldrums that are the holidays, everyone is thoroughly indulged and I'm back to the usual hectiness of life - rather than the holiday freneticness (is that a word???  more on THAT later) - it's time to get back on the damn exercise saddle.

*** DISCLAIMER ***

I am not going back to the gym as a New Year's resolution.  I am not one for New Year's resolutions.  I lost sight of my regular gym routine early last fall.  Too busy at work, too busy at home, blah blah blah real reason, too lazy and feeling like an old fogey.  Trying to go to the gym during the holidays is an exercise in futility.  There's a party or a gathering or something every night.  So the next option - join the masses of totally irritating people who will go to the gym starting Jan 3rd (and taper off sometime around Jan 17th).  I need to do this NOW because I start a new BIG project at work very soon and, once that project ramps up (love the IT jargon?!?!), if I do not have a well-established schedule and routine, I will be back to square zero of working until 6pm every night.

Of course, I had a work gathering / sales kick-off meeting last night, so that was out.  SIGH.

Anyway, I know me.  I know I need a purpose, a goal - so my plan is to run a 5K.  With G.  In April.  I do.not.want.to.look.like.an.ass.  As a 17 year old, I could run a half mile in 2:23, a two mile in under 14 minutes, a 4K in 17 min on a hilly course.  While those days are WAY LONG OVER, I will not walk one foot of that 5K and I will not run that 5K in 50 minutes. 

With my almost 9 year old in tow, though, a goal of 30-ish minutes would be good.

Now - I went to the gym today, tired from being out TOO LATE last night, with the goal of actually being able to run for more than 10 minutes.

I made it 21 and 2 miles.  YUCK!

Here's the issue - that 17 year old and her kick-ass, state open times - yeah, she's there, in her size 1 jeans, teasing me.  I keep telling her that I'm an old 37 year old fart who will NEVER and I mean NEVER run a 4K in 17 minutes again.

But 27 minutes would be nice.

So I'm back writing here and back journaling my runs in Daily Mile with the hope that this will keep me honest, keep me motivated and maybe, just maybe, I can see some actual progress.  After all, it was only 3 years ago when I was going to the gym 3-4 days a week, had energy on a regular basis, and flattened out (mostly) my several years post-baby gut...I'm not that much older - RIGHT???