In 2011, Hit the Ground Running

For a while now and though still far from perfect, I've been rather constant with my running.
On average, the so-so weeks see me running at least 5 miles per day [by so-so I mean those weeks where I may run up to 20 miles on the weekend — that is to say 10 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday — and then do the other 15 over three different weekdays.]
On the good weeks, my total may come up to 45 or even 55 miles, especially when I do really well in managing my time schedule.
Most of my running I do on a treadmill, in a gym. It's better on your knees, whatever shape they may be in.
The gym is a rather inexpensive, no frills facility which I chose not only because is close to where I live but also because the sandwich board that advertises it had two words magic enough to attract my attention: No Contract!
When I first started visiting the gym it had been almost four years since last I had gone regularly to a gym. As a matter of fact, I recently joked that as far as I can remember my only running at the time was mostly to catch a departing bus.
My concern was not so much that I would not keep up with my intended purpose of getting in shape. I didn't.
It was mostly around the what ifs.
What if I have to change jobs? What if I move and that makes if difficult to come as often as I want? What if a longer conmute will prevent me from going to the gym as often as I need it?
Basically, why pay for something you are not using — you better believe it, bin dere done dat enough times to justify my concern.
Less than four months after starting my self-training schedule in early January 2009 I was able to run the 5K in the Miami Corporate Race in 34m51s.
Not otherworldly but not too shabby after a prolonged 4 year span of not doing any kind of competitive running.
I didn't run those 3.1 miles in 2010 and don't know whether running the MMXI MCR is in the cards for me this year.
Were it to happen I am more than confident that I would be able to shave off a few seconds off my 2009 time — how about 34m45s, LOL! God willing, that is.
An added benefit to my having been constant in my running over these past two years: I have strenghtened my knees and my ankles to the point that now [as you can see in the attached video] I can run on pavement without so much as resenting the pounding.
I am not much for those dreaded New Year resolutions but if I were to commit to some on this inaugural day of the second decade of the millennium, here they are:
— Stay close to God (and praise and thank Him always) as He wants me to.
— Do as much running or exercise as I can to stay healthy (He'll do the rest, I know.)
— Be more constant in my writing, beginning with my blog.
For Day One, it's working. Thank you, God, for all your blessings.