Summeresolutions

Roughly six months ago, when the world semi-simultaneously flipped a decade, billions of people did two incredible things. Firstly, they counted backwards from ten while being moderately to severely buzzed. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, they set their sights on the new year, the clean slate of a fresh era, and collectively pledged to make themselves better. How inspiring it was to shake ourselves free from memories fond and forgettable, to focus on the dropped crystal ball and the optimistic future within.

Whether we've followed through with those resolutions uttered ages ago or not, a half-year lays ahead, leaving time aplenty to make a change, live a dream, and embark on our declared adventures. It is time to renew and realign our promises to ourselves - Summeresolutions!

Here in the apartment, Ian and I made a resolution to run a 10-mile route around Ann Arbor. Last week, I felt physically unprepared and mentally freaked-out, since Ian told me how marathon runners finish races shorter in stature than when they begin. I'm 5' 7" tall, and really can't afford to lose precious centimeters. Despite the serious risks the run could potentially impose on my game, we went for it. We marked our heights on sticky notes on the front door and began playing mythbusters.

I received my first cramp at mile marker 0.5, experienced bouts of sobbing hysteria a half-mile later, and we got lost three miles in. Aside from a possible big foot sighting, the rest of the run was smooth, and even scenic at times. And by smooth, I mean that I could feel my vertebrae compressing with each impact and that the emotional distress I was in overshadowed any actual pain.

Finally, having conquered the adversity of ten pounding miles, we returned to our apartment. Before celebrating our triumph, I kicked off my shoes and slammed by back to the front door. Ian's grim look told me I didn't even need to gaze at the mark. I was a full centimeter shorter than 1.5 hours prior. Ian also posted a statistically less-significant loss in height.

Myth Confirmed: The run was free, but it cost Mark a dime.

Was I scared? Yes. But after a good night's sleep, I came to a few realizations. Running 10 miles is sort of like living a decade. Even though you face setbacks 1/20th into it, get lost along the way, or run into dangerous mythical beasts, you must press on and push through. When I woke up, I returned to the post-it note and noticed that I recovered my lost dime and then some - I was at the top of the note!

Aim high and keep it up - you'll come out a bigger man.