Candidly, my attempts at a training cycle this season have been pretty crappy.

As much as I hate droning on about the past two years – and would love to never use that saying again – they really have been a challenge. 2020 and especially 2021 were survival mode years with too much up and down to count. 2022 has only been better in that I’m employed again and love my job. But outside of work? I’m still a bit of a hot mess and running took a backseat.

For starters, I’ve spent too much time comfort eating, which has not only got me up to my highest weight and guaranteed my favorite pair of dress pants don’t fit, but has thrown off my system. I get tired too easily and my back hurts if I have to sit more than an hour. I have to have near-daily arguments with myself to not be lazy, to unload the dishwasher and pack my lunch in the evening so I’m not rushing around in the morning. Which I’ll likely be doing anyways, but that’s besides the point.

To put it simply, I’ve been living in a way that doesn’t benefit me, my health or my running goals.

Matthew Inman, best known as web comic The Oatmeal, has a book about running, called “The Wonderful and Terrible Reasons Why I Run Long Distances.” Aside from being hilarious, everything he says is true and relatable. He frankly says that running can be a pointless endeavor, so signing up for a race can give meaning, create an end goal and give a runner motivation to stick to running and their training program.

That’s the only reason why I’ve been setting new goals in spite of my running (and life – just being real here) being very ho-hum at best. The grief I ended last year with gave way to anxiety over the past month and a half. Running and being active generally helps manage my emotions and gives me clarity when I’m going through something. Registering for races even when my training sucks forces me to think of a future beyond myself, puts “it” in perspective and keep moving forward.

So with all that being said ….

I’ve got a second running goal alongside my 50 full marathons by the time I’m 50! Drumroll please …

I’ve decided I’m running a half in every state before I die. Next month is State #3 – Run The Bluegrass in Lexington, KY.

Originally I was registered for the half in March 2020. I wound up running that as a virtual race, which frankly wasn’t satisfying at all. I decided not to register in 2021, since I had no idea what was going on in the world and thought it might be a dumb move when I didn’t have a job (and didn’t want to hear my ex complaining.)

This past fall I realized that if I kept waiting for something else to happen, I would never register and get that goal started. So I said “screw it,” charged it to my credit card and grinned ear to ear when I saw that confirmation email.

So Reader-friends, in a week and a half I’m heading down to Kentucky with my mom. I’m finally getting something I’ve been wanting to do started after a two-year delay, and even better: Mom and I are finally getting a weekend away together since November. Physically I need to run, but emotionally and mentally, she and I both need to get the hell out of our homes and go someplace fun.

Today’s post is a little shorter than usual for me, but nonetheless I’m going to end it on the same note. I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy yourselves.

Yours in writing and running,

Allison