2011

Friends, loved ones, fish and strangers…what is doing?  I can not believe that it is only four more days till Christmas!  Our family is going away for a lovely holiday in Yamba so this will more than likely be my last post for 2011, and what a year it has been!  There has been SO much happening I am just not sure where the time has gone!? 

Socially and family wise things have been super.  Pria is growing so quickly and Tegan and I are learning new and wonderful things every day on how to try and mould her into a Godly little girl more and more.  Tegan and I celebrated nine years married and I am starting to feel ol…nah, just hitting my form!  Work is also going well and keeping me, and the crooks on our toes!

All that aside, this is primarily a running blog, so a bit of a re-cap on 2011.  It has been quite a big year for me running wise!  I have taken part in a number of organized runs and really found my niche in the trail running scene!  I have met so many beautiful people this year and I am sure they are friends I will now have for life!  Us trail/ultra runners are a special breed!  And for those wondering, yes, I have turned into a real hippy and I love it!  Hug a tree and go vego I say!  This years runs have looked as such:

Mini Kokoda (Trail) – 50km

The North Face 100 (Trail) – 100km

Gold Coast Marathon (Road) – 42.2km

Relay for Life Bundaberg (Grass Track)– 107km

Cane 2 Coral Bundaberg (Road)– 15km

Glasshouse Tour (Trail) – 100miles (161km)

3 x Lighthouse Series runs – 10km each

On top of the organized runs, my training has been a major improvement this year, doing more k’s per week than I ever have before.  In the New Year, upon returning from our holiday, I will have a analysis of my k’s for the year/weekly averages.  This is some data I have never really kept before and upon doing it this year, it is quite interesting.  On a quick glance, I expect to have done over 5000km this year averaging, hopefully, 100k a week, give or take.  That info is to come.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

There has also been a major turning point in my running as far as ethics, mindset and footwear goes in 2011.  I have really embraced running on a whole new level this year and my life doesn’t feel complete if I am not doing it every day.  This year has seen me move from conventional running shoes, to a minimal running shoe, to sandals and barefoot.  I have taken the last three to four months to focus solely (no pun intended) on sandal and barefoot running, to really give it a go and make an assessment after completing Hares and Hounds, January 2012, in my sandals.  At this time, I am surely going to continue embracing the huarache sandals and completely unshod running.  The freedom and liberty it presents is amazing, along with a vast array of other major benefits to be discussed in future blogs.   

Another major thing that has been incorporated into my life is this blog.  I just want to take the opportunity to thank you, who ever you are, wherever you are, for reading this.  It is strange but I really feel a sense of ownership over this blog, and almost a responsibility to do it now.  It is something that I really enjoy doing and from some of your lovely comments, it appears that most of you enjoy reading.  My goal from the start has been to try and lift people higher than they are at the moment, encourage you to think more highly of life, get active, smile and love someone or something more than you have before.  As I have said people, life is but a breath so let’s embrace it together and ENJOY!

I pray that as the next year moves on, that you will continue to read my ramblings and be encouraged by my randomness.  Lets work to make this world a better place, cause if we don’t, the next person might not either…and what a shame that would be!

As a side note, please stay safe on our roads this holiday.  There have been too many fatalities that my mates at work have had to clean up this year, so take it easy and have a good time!

Keep smiling people, Merry Christmas and I hope it is a blessed time of the year for you!  Go run a trail, smile at a stranger, call your supermarket workers by name and have a chat with them, kiss a dog, hug a cleaner, go for a swim in the ocean, love nature, embrace life, go bare (foot that is, or if the other tickles your fancy, maybe that too!) and GO LIVE!  Bless you all and until 2012, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Run on friends, run on!