Ask the Board: “What’s your New Year’s resolution?”

Most of us “don’t normally do resolutions,” but perhaps that’s because we can’t think of a good one we are excited about? Or perhaps we are tired of setting resolutions, only to fail? Research has shown it typically takes about 6 weeks to create a new habit, so try to keep it up until the middle of February for better chances of success! Maybe this is a good year to make a resolution and see if you can make it stick? Below are some ideas from DPMR board members that are doing resolutions this year to get you inspired. And for more ideas, check out the New Year’s Resolutions For Trail Runners article from Trail Runner Magazine. 

Aude Hofleitner: “I usually don’t do new year resolutions… I usually make résolutions from inspiration I draw from books, podcasts, articles or other runners throughout the year. For example, I’ve started rolling almost daily after starting to work with my coach two years ago and it’s made such a difference in how stiff I feel in the morning that it’s been easy to keep. I’ve also picked up the legs up the wall idea from Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor (at least I think that’s where I picked it up) and have combined it with reading before bed and sometimes I even add some ankle circles (while reading upside down)”

Meggie Inouye: “I am not sure about resolutions but I do have some goals…
1) This winter I will train for a spring 100k race (Canyons vs. Quicksilver) primarily with skiing (nordic, downhill, and backcountry) and gym climbing workouts and head down the hill for trail runs when I can.
2) Continue to build community with other athletes, especially other women, to motivate me toward my goals.
In order to accomplish goals #1 and 2, I am stoked to continue to serve on the DPMR Board in 2022 specifically leading diversity efforts and some group runs. I am also really excited to recently have signed up for the Uphill Athlete Female Winter Training Group… There are still spots if anyone else is interested.
3) Plan an awesome June/July vacation to Northern Italy and Switzerland to visit my brother’s family and include a multi-day family run/hike adventure in the Alps.
I have been corresponding with the team at Run the Alps to help plan the run/hike whose consulting physician is John Anderson, an esteemed DPMR member.” 

Carol Patterson: “Regain fitness lost while waiting for my broken collar bone to heal, i.e., keep moving!!”

Renee Elsdon Jacobs: “I also don’t normally do a “resolution,” but despite that, manage to find myself tackling the holiday pounds around the New Year, which is such a stereotypical resolution!  It’s the only time of the year that I am comfortable trying to loose weight, since I am not formally training (trying to loose weight while training can compromise training adaptations, put unwanted additional stress on the body, lead to over training, etc.). But this year, I’m really excited about making a resolution! I decided to start a gratitude journal, to try to bring accountability to my fledgling and anorexic existing gratitude practice. I know how transformative it can be to regularly bring to mind things you are thankful for. But despite that, I just don’t do it enough. I’m hoping that having a physical object and a pen at my bedside, staring at me, will help. I had always poo-poo’d the idea of a gratitude journal, but Deena Kastor’s book Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory convinced me that it’s worth giving it a shot.”

Angela Stark:“My New Year’s resolution: See as many of our 3 girls sporting events as humanly possible.” 

Chris Cloyd: “Also uncomfortable with the “new years resolutions” frame, so maybe that’s mine: I’m working toward being more comfortable with being uncomfortable.”