Looking Back on 2025

I began this year with 3 things: (New Year, New Expectations)

3 things for 2025:

1. As the new OR USATF Youth Committee chair, organize and execute a success 4 day, Jr Olympic Championship meet.

2. Get back to regular, injury free running.

3. Continue to keep those I love, from 3 - 80s, as my purpose.

 As 2025 comes to a close, about 6 weeks left, I'd say I accomplished 1.5 of those things. 

1. As the new OR USATF Youth Committee chair, organize and execute a success 4 day, Jr Olympic Championship meet. I chaired, organized, and executed a successful 4 day USATF Oregon Jr Olympic Championship meet. It left me exhausted and motivated to make it better for 2026. However, the organizational structure made it too frustrating to be able to organize the quality of meet I felt the youth athletes deserved. I resigned about a month ago and am much less stressed about it.

2. Get back to regular, injury free running. Define "regular, injury free running".  This is year 67/52 of "on earth/been running" years. "Injury free" doesn't have the same meaning as it did, 10, 20, 50 years ago. If my feet aren't sore and I can do a 3 mile walk with run breaks with limited aches, that is "injury free". "Regular", I wish my runs were as regular as my bowel movements. But there are days and weeks I don't run. Mysterious aches, swollen feet or ankles, cramps in my calf, gout in my toe flaring up. "Regular" has become, lace up my running shoes, get out the door and move as best you can on that particular day. Some days I feel like the 67 years I am, others I still have the illusion of being the athlete I once was...a much slower one, but still an athlete. The goals of running are ever changing. (The Ever Changing Goals of Running: An Update)

 3. Continue to keep those I love, from 3 - 80s, as my purpose. This one, this one is my north star. But just as following the North Star can be challenging on a cloudy night, following it in my life is challenging. Knowing what is the "right" decision to make for an elderly parent, navigating parenthood with adult children, supporting a spouse transitioning to a new after-career life style, supporting friends when I'm not really good at maintaining those connections. 

Reflecting on this year reminded me of the 2005 Yakima Marathon I ran with my best friend Marky and a mutual running friend from Vancouver, BC affectionately know as Runrick. The course was point-to-point following the Yakima River. The beginning was a flat stretch for about the first 19 miles. Some up and downs, but nothing taxing. Around mile 19 began a long, gradual uphill. It didn't seem intimidating, but after a couple of miles of climbing, it began to take a toll on my legs, lungs and heart rate. Then at around mile 23 the climb crested and it was downhill to the finish. 

That sounds wonderful, but by now my legs felt like logs, my breathing heavy, my heart pounding. The three miles of downhill running was a relief for my breathing and heart, but not my legs. Downhill running on tired legs only beats up those legs even more. My quads were toast by the end.

And I'm comparing this year to that race? Yeah, kinda. You see the race is a reflection of life. It can start easy, with a best friend and you're feeling great. Then life starts to happen. The hills of making decisions you never imagined you'd have to make. Adapting to life with kids with grandkids and kids who are the age you mostly see yourself. Respecting their independence, yet wondering if they still need a parent, or should I morph into something else? Hoping, praying, my parenting when they were dependent on me was enough to help them be strong enough for their own challenges. Wondering if there is more I can do? 

Entering a new stage in life where I have more time with my spouse. Finding new common interests to share. Not annoying her with the habits I've acquired while working at home. 

Finally, finishing the year/race. Exhausted, yet feeling I did the best I could at that moment, at that time. 

Each race, each year builds upon the previous training/experiences. A race can't be rerun, but you can learn from the training hopefully make the next one better. I can't redo my past years, but I can learn from them, and hopefully make the coming ones better for myself and those I love.