Happy New Year!

I know it's a few days late, but I was busy putting together my goals for the year and my tentative race schedule. I'm sure you were all in such suspense waiting for them.

I'm not a big resolution maker, but the one resolution I'm making this year is to be more diligent about tracking my mileage. I've never had a good way to do it. Sometimes I remember to post an ORN at the bottom of blog entries, but sometimes I don't. I almost never tally at the end of the month. So my resolution is to be better at it. What's your best method for tracking your mileage? Do any of you actually use those training logs you can get at the book store or do you have some Web based thingy? Do tell.

As far as my race calendar goes, I want 2009 to be a year of middle to short distance races, focusing on having fun and improving my times. I want to diversify and try different distances. I've never actually raced a 10K or a 15K.

The only long race I'm doing is my marathon in March, which is kind of a left over from 2008 anyway. And to be quite honest, after missing almost 2.5 weeks of running because I've been sick, I may have to drop to the half anyway if I can't kick this thing and get back to training. I mean I'm hoping I don't have to do that. I'd love to run the full 26.2, so it's just something I'm going to be evaluating for the next few weeks.

And now for the calendar:
Valentine's Day 5K -- Feb. 14
St. Paddy's Day 8K -- March 15**
National Marathon -- March 21
Scope It Out 5K -- March 29**
Cherry Pit 10 Miler -- April 5
Annapolis Half Marathon -- May 31
Baltimore 10 Miler -- June (no set date)
Dawson’s Father’s Day 10K -- June 21*
Dog Days 8K -- August 2*
Virginia Beach Half Marathon -- September 6***
Metric Marathon -- October 4*
Under Armour Running Festival (still deciding the 5K or half marathon, this will be a decision made much closer to the event) -- October 10
Komen Race for the Cure 5K -- October near the end of the month
Down’s Park 5 Mile -- November 7*
Celtic Solstice Five Mile -- December
Anniversary Run 15K -- December 13*

* = These races are still very much up in the air and could be swapped for races that sound like more fun or work better in my schedule. Races with stars could be skipped if a big sporting event will conflict (this mainly pertains to fall races).

** = Would really love to do both of these races, just not sure how realistic it would be to race three weekends in a row, with one of them being a marathon. Perhaps could use one as part of taper and one as a recovery run if I run them just for fun.

*** = My mom and I did this race two years ago and wanted to do it again this year but both of us were nursing injuries. If she wanted to do this race again, I would.

So there you have it. My plan for 2009. I really just want my running to be fun. I've felt these past few weeks that I've been really having to force myself to get out and run (although that could be because I'm sick)and I hate that feeling. I want to run for fun and run races that don't require insane amounts of time for training.