My New Year’s Resolution

For a little end-of-the-year inspiration, I urge you to check out this post over at Runs with a Cross. Blogger Randy, who just completed the Dallas White Rock Marathon, writes of taking one of his first post-race runs in the cold and wet of a North Texas morning. And the experience is one of pure joy:

About five minutes in, I was just overwhelmed. Sure it was chilly and I was getting wet, but it was just plain awesome.

Then, at that moment...I was reminded what I am. I am a runner. I love this stuff. This is what we do. Bring it on. What else you got?

We’ve all had runs like this. Indeed, it’s why we keep running — that feeling of pure exhilaration. Yes, sometimes the thrill is in the challenge, but often, the thrill is in the lack of a challenge, in seeing all the fruits of your hard work, when suddenly hills, rain, or extra miles are no longer quite so daunting. I am a runner, and it feels great.

And while that feeling could be a temptation to pride, Randy places the credit right where it belongs:

Forget the health benefits of running. This was about pure God given pleasure. I'm thank to Him for allowing me to experience this on a day that otherwise looked to be so ordinary.

This is something I don’t do enough: thanking God for the gift of every run, indeed, the gift of every day. That will be my New Year’s Resolution: To be more grateful.

PS — My other New Year’s resolution is to take up RunnerMom’s 10 for ’10 virtual group run. Any other takers?