2/29

5k — 20:20

5.25. miles — 39:00

The Beginning

During my abbreviated college track career, training consisted of running around the streets of Lewiston/Auburn Maine. For those of your unfamiliar with the landscape of the state's second biggest metropolitan area, suffice it to say it's hilly. Being unaccustomed to the rigors of college running (hence my abbreviated career), when I reached the top of a hill, I was content to continue at the pace I was going. My legs were tired, and I was running fast enough, thank you very much. Real runners, however, speed up. "Use the hill," they call, cresting the summit and lengthening their strides. Celebrating the moral victory of reaching the top of yet another incline is for the weak, or the kids whose high school track practice consisted of jogging a mile to a friend's house and playing hoops. True milers lean downhill and run faster.

At the time, it seemed like no big deal. I moved on from the track team and enjoyed my four cold years. I've come to realize, however, that my inability, or unwillingness, to "use the hill" is a larger metaphor for my life. I'm not a lazy person — often, quite the opposite — but I'm not good at seeing projects to completion. I'll get 90 percent of the way there (to the summit, if you will) and then coast home. Not a bad way to live, but not ideal, either. This blog is part of my attempt to overcome this problem.

I'm not sure what's going to end up on this page — concert reviews, random thoughts, and a mileage counter are some preliminary thoughts — but I'll try to inspire myself, and possibly some others as well. My hope is that future posts won't be as navel gazing as this one, but no promises.

All I can say is that I'll do my best to speed up once I reach the top.