running with regret

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. 

I think I can narrow down 2013 to two major regrets. I am sure I could come up with more but there are only two that I ponder every now and again. I think two is pretty decent number. While both are lessons learned and all the jazz there is one that I can take action with and other I just have to let go.

So 2013 actionable regret: The Zooma Half Marathon.
Hard to believe that it was just a year ago that I bamboozled my dear friends in to running the Zooma Half at Lost Pines Resort. And even crazier to believe that they are all still talking to me. Sadly I have done little to more like no running since the half (and I have the weight gain to prove it). I have a long list of excuses but I am slowly getting over those and working on getting back out there. Part of getting back out there includes a goal and right now I am pondering the half in NOLA in November. I've also wondered about having my goal for 40 being a tri but let's not get carried away!  So here are my reflections on running my second half:

• I need to train better. - I ran mainly long distances on weekends but I often skipped my shorter week day runs. Ultimately this hurt me because while I managed to run 10 miles one weekend I wasn't adding enough miles. When I trained with Rick he kept me on a strict schedule and we slowly added miles. It was tedious but we had a far better outcome.
• If I run a half with friends and we want to run the entire race together, we need to train together. I love my friends especially that they ran with me but we never trained together. I knew a few of my friends would run faster but three of us started together and probably could have finished together but we weren't used to each others styles. It all worked out fine but I would have liked to have stayed together the whole time but eventually I had to let them go ahead.
• I should review the course in advance. Honestly had I looked at the Lost Pines course, I may have freaked out and skipped the race; the hills were insane and scary. I think a little bit of knowledge would have helped though.
• Make plans that allow for enjoyment after the race. Lost Pines Resort was amazing and I want to go back someday. We all arrived on Friday, a bowl full of nerves and wandered aimlessly through the beautiful resort and then once the race was over we had to be out of our room. Next time I do this with friends, we make it a two night event and we enjoy/reward ourselves!

I am bulking up my playlist. I've dusted off my sneakers. I've weeded through my running clothes. Now I just need mother nature to cooperate and I will be out on the trails again. Ironically, Zooma sent me an email this weekend telling me they still had slots open for the 4/12 half at Lost Pines. I wish I was ready but baby steps, bird by bird, eat the elephant one piece at a time and whatever other adage applies.