So remember how I wanted to get into the swing of things and run again?  Yeah, I’m really slacking.  I was doing great at first, but lately I’ve just been lacking motivation.  When I get home from work I’d rather just be a slug most days than go out to the gym or run around the neighborhood.

Today, however, I was Facebook stalking a friend of mine who is a pretty active runner.  She’s built like me but way more athletic than I am.  Looking at her race photos – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and seeing her with other runners made me really want to get into it again.  I wonder though if I’m not as motivated this time around because I don’t have a partner who is running with me.  In years past, I ran with my friend Heather.  Now we’re 100 miles away from each other.  And while I know people in this area who are runners, they are all more elite than I am and it intimidates me.

I thought I would dig out my old race bibs to try to motivate me.  I’m not as fast as I once was, but that will come with time… and looking at these old bibs gives me something to shoot for… beating my own PR.

• My first race was the Miles for Medals 5k at CMU’s homecoming in 2008.  I finished in 36:29, an 11:45 pace.
• A week later, I ran the East Lansing Pumpkin Trot 5k in 37:45, a 12:09 pace.  It was the day after the Central/Western football game, and my version of “carb loading” the day before was with beer.  Ooops…
• A week after that, I ran the Race 4 a Reason 5k where I got my PR: 35:22, an 11:23 pace.  We had almost run the entire thing when Heather felt a pain in her foot I think it was, so we slowed up and walked for a bit.  It was a great race though.
• Almost four years later on Cinco de Mayo in 2012 I ran the MOM 5k for mental health awareness in 41:40, a 13:25 pace.

So I’m making myself a couple of playlists, and I’m going back to my trusty old Couch 2 5k plan.  I know I can do it!  I will beat my 5k PR in 2013!