I haven’t met a runner who doesn’t enjoy a milestone. Longest run ever. PRs. 500 miles. 1,000 miles. Finishing a first 5k. Running a mile.
I’ve had some great milestones since I started this in April 2007. Today is one of those that feels a bit weird — 1,000 posts. Of the previous 999 posts, there are many I don’t remember. Most are forgettable.
Every so often, though, I write something that I will bookmark and re-read. In a way, it’s how I measure my success, failures and other lessons learned. I don’t blog to please anyone; I blog for myself.
It’s no different than when I kept a journal when I was a teen, only this is public.
Sometimes too public. Sometimes not public enough for people who want more insight. Mostly, though, it’s just the right amount for me to be able to reflect.
And that’s what today is. A reflection on posts that I like — some are posts that hold special meaning and continuously help me evolve; some are here because there’s a memory attached to them.
In honor of my 1,000th post, here are some of my favorites:
My 1,000-mile journey
It’s bittersweet that my one-time huge mileage goal happened the way it did. I learned a lot of lessons in 2010 — both good and bad — and that post highlighted many of those moments.
Game changers
This post isn’t necessarily anything special, but for a couple of weeks in January 2010 everything changed. A cold long run in the rain; a mountain adventure with some friends through ice. It often takes getting out of my comfort zone to set me straight, and this post highlights those moments.
Sham Rocked III
This is the race where I realized that PRs really aren’t that important. Doing something that others say are impossible are. This was my first race as a dad in 2009 and one that I hold close to me whenever someone wants to talk about how busy their life is. Wake-up calls by babies in the middle of the night is not an excuse to not run, and I was determined to prove that in early 2009.
Attack of the gnats
This post is one of the main reasons I do not run in the evening often, especially in the summer.
11 things my grandfather taught me
Of all my 2011 “11 things” posts, this one is far and away my favorite. It’s full of a ton of life’s lessons.
I am a marathoner
If I write a race recap of 500 words or more now, I go through it with a fine-toothed comb and edit it. Nobody wants to read mile by mile recaps. Really. My first marathon, though, and what I felt in the final miles became worthy of my longest post ever.
That feeling I had when crossing that finish line is a memory I’ll hold onto forever.
This is one of my favorite post-race photos ever, which was after the 2007 Richmond Marathon.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Always fun to look back and see where you’ve been and how far you’ve come. Looking forward to taking a look at your highlights!
I re-read the post of 11 things my Grandpa taught me. Brought a tear to my eye but was certainly worth re-reading. I am so thankful I had him for a father andt grateful you are my son.
I had to read the “I am a marathoner post…nothing quite like finishing that first one…stays with a person forever.