On Setting Goals

About eight months ago, I decided to sign myself up for the gym and "become a runner" after seeing my sister complete her first 5K. I remember standing on a hill on Thanksgiving, looking down at the crowd of runners, with my mother standing next to me with tears in her eyes. 

"Think about it Michael," she said to my Dad. "This time last year, she said she wanted to run it. And now she's doing it."

I didn't know it then, but my little sister would inspire me to set a goal for myself — something that seemed impossible at the time, but in two months, will become very real. I'll be running my first 5K at the end of July, and I plan on doing it in 30 minutes or less.

It's also fair to mention, I have never been a runner. In fact, in middle school, when kids would run laps to complete their one mile and grab a popsicle stick to show how many laps they've done, I was the kid who broke the popsicle sticks in half to "finish" my mile more quickly.

Two days ago, I ran three miles. Voluntarily.

So if you need me between now and the end of July, I'll be on a treadmill.