Jan 1, 2008 | 6:55 pm
797 out of 933!
Good Morning and Happy New Year!
I decided 100 days ago that I would open up the new year running (!) the First Run, an annual 5K race that begins at the first moment of each new year in Portland.
I just checked online and I saw my ranking in the finish line – 797 out of 933. Pretty cool!
A few years ago I used to enter a new year like this: inebriated, disappointed in the year that had just finished, worried about the year that lie ahead, trying my hardest to make cheer, and headachy the entire new year day.
Fast forward to today. This morning I RAN (and walked) 5K, or 3 miles, last night. I joined with 933 other sober festivants and jubileers to enjoy a healthy and fun party. I was grateful for the event, acknowledged myself for the risk of celebrating in a non-traditional way, and followed my intention to enter the new year running.
I never would have imagined that I would have enjoyed such a celebration into the new year.
Oh – 797 out of 933… Um, to be honest, I would have loved to have seen that number higher. I know that I wasn’t accountable to my fitness for the last 100 days as much as I had planned. There’s another 100 days starting now, right?
And, ultimately, I was 1 of 933. I was one of 933 individuals who chose to celebrate with health, fitness, joy, fun, happiness, sobriety, risk-taking, and self-love. Pretty damn cool.
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2008!
Joseph Lyons