In January 2023 I set the goal to run one thousand miles during the course of that year. I wanted to reach that number (and I did, by mid-fall — then kept going), but more importantly the miles accrued are clearly a measure of the amount of running done. Happily, I would say that the goal though interesting, became less and less a motivator.
The running though? I found and continue to discover joy, struggle and growth. The experience of the activity, the engaging with it, how it in turn affects and changes me — there is what really keeps me going at it.
During the latter half of last year, having built up my base, I realized those weeks often seemed best, when I was able to get in at least thirty-five to forty-five miles.
Doubling down on something that appears to be working well, I intend to run at least two thousand miles this year. Based on my Strava stats, this will be well over seven hundred miles more than the year before. It is definitely a challenge for me, a substantial stretch, but my habits seem to be supporting this.
Starting the mileage counter over at zero on the first day of the year and realizing how easy it is to fall behind pace, by skipping a day here or there, clarifies the difficulty. Great!
I appreciate that. It is supposed to take effort.
A journey of a thousand miles prepares you for a journey of two thousand miles.