January 1st has always been just another date to me. The whole New Year rigmarole generally leaves me cold. I’m not really one for binge drinking, hate standing about in busy pubs, and hate holding hands with strangers for Auld Lang Syne.
This year however feels a little different. For one thing I’m not working and we’re actually going to a New Years party (although the process of sorting this out has been only slightly less complex than the middle east peace process). But the main difference however, is that I’ll be celebrating the end of a year in which I have made some real achievements.
Sure I’ve achieved things in the past. I’ve got two university degrees, a good job, a fantastic wife and two wonderful kids. I’ve even watched the first seven Star Trek films in one sitting. But these are accomplishments that evolved rather than were achieved. They were the natural by-product of the way I happened to be living my life at the time. There was no Herculean efforts involved. No triumphs over adversary. (Hang on, did I just call my wife and children “natural by-products”? I think I did. Quick, lets move on before Kerry notices).
But in 2008 I did some stuff. I walked 76 miles, I was the instigator in raising over £6000 for a charity that is very important to me, and I’ve lost a total of 57lb on my diet. And putting all false modesty and self depreciation aside, I’m pretty proud of myself. These were things that were difficult to do, things that took me several miles outside my comfort zone, and things that on many occasions I seriously considered giving up on. I made a choice to do something positive, and then I followed through with it. Bloody marvelous.
So now I know I’ve got it in me, now what?
Well, here’s where the new years resolutions come in.
- I’m going to lose another 28lb, which will take me into the overweight section of the body mass index rather than obese. It is my considered view that the body mass index is a bunch of arse designed purely to make me feel miserable. I suspect that this 28lb is going to be just as hard, if not harder, to lose as all the previous 57lb put together.
- I’m going to learn how to play the ukulele properly. Nothing fancy, just chords. But I want to be able to get a decent strumming pattern going and be able to caterwaul along without losing my concentration.
- I’m going to climb (read walk up) Ben Nevis. The highest mountain in the UK.
And here is a tentative one:
-
I’m going to run a half marathon (13 miles).
I say tentative because I reserve the right to back out on this one. My knees are a bit dodgy and I started to get pains in my shins after just a six mile walk the day before yesterday so god knows what running it would have done to me. Never-the-less I saw Run Fatboy Run the other day and for some strange reason it inspired me somewhat. I’m not going to do it for charity. I’m probably not even going to do it in any formal organized event type thing. But I am going to run for 13 miles, for the simple reason I never thought I would be able to.
Added to these resolutions are the usual ones about trying to be a better dad, husband, nurse, and all round good egg. But they sort of go without saying, I would be doing those anyway as part of my general quest to be a reasonable human being. But this year I’m going to try to go above and beyond again, because I’ve discovered it’s a nice feeling when you get there.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 2:10 am
It was the twinges in my knees (among other things) that made me say to myself “time to lose some weight”. So I think at 85 lbs (what is that, like 423 stone or something?) lighter your knees and shins will be feeling much better.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 2:17 am
congrats on the weight loss and i’m sure you’ll do great with the rest.
hope you had a great holiday!
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 4:11 am
Now, this whole Jan 1st thingy. Well, seeing as I’ve never ever ever managed to stick to any resolution in the history of resolution making, this year I think I’m going to abstain. A resolution of abstinence if you will. Or something.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 4:28 am
I have only lost 20 lbs, and feel like 57 is off in the never never. I have never been big on New Years resolutions. When my wife and I were first married, she said something about doing resolutions, and I spouted off about how they’re a waste of time, as no one follows them, and probably something about insincerity.
Yeah, bad husband.
Once I got motivated and wanted to them together, I was (not so gently) reminded of my previous tirade, and essentially left to my own devices. Well, it was a rookie mistake I won’t make again!
Now, if I could watch all of the Star Trek films in one sitting, I would be quite content!
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 4:51 am
I need to do my resolutions too. Might as well post them. Good idea.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I’m up to running 2.2 miles on a treadmill. I want to be able to run 5 miles. Sometimes I miss smoking because at least I had an excuse to have no energy.
Good luck in 2009.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 6:49 am
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 9:49 am
56lbs is a lot – and another 28? were you really that big? You didn’t look it.
I sincerely hope you manage to do that run. I’m thinkin that would be a real achievement for you? I once had to do a 5 mile run in a certain amount of time while in the Navy and had to really push myself to get there. I hate running so felt great that I did it.
Happy New Year!
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I’m on a fitness mission too and plan to start running and swimming as well as attending fitball (which is the funniest exercise in the world.) I’m not normally one for resolutions, I just have an urge to get fitter. It’s the first time I’ve ever really had that ‘urge’ so I’m feeling positive about it. 2009 bring it on. :D
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
If your knees should fail you, take to your bike. None of that impact on your knees. Better still, join me in cycling the Trans-Pennine Trail. I’ve been looking for an excuse and some willing victims, erm, cohorts to join me, perhaps raise some money for charity along the way.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I also think the whole BMI thing is rubbish… but then again I’m not looking to run more than 20 feet.
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
BMI pfft..only if you want to reach the aweful age of 120 and still be able to run those 13 miles
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Arjans last blog post..A shadow of myself
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on Dec 30th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
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on Dec 31st, 2008 at 2:12 am
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on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 10:09 am
No, there is nothing wrong with me, I am just the most unco-ordinated runner you have ever seen, however, as someone above has mentioned, if you ever decide to transfer your excess energy to the bicycle in order to attempt some futile grand cycle-type gesture then I am your man – I cycle ok.
Correction, I have cycled ok in the past but my two bikes still lie at the back of the garage where I flung them after the last journey (Leeds to Copenhagen since you ask) and they could be dusted off again if encouraged – I won’t chicken out this time.
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on Jan 6th, 2009 at 11:15 am
And I enjoyed the New Year’s Day walk. Even if it was a few days early, and we looked like a group of divorced dads…
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on Jan 6th, 2009 at 11:21 am
It’s from Burns’ ditty, “Auld Lang Syne” (translation: A long time ago, or ‘days gone by’)
(And a quick Google search reveals this page as the first result!)
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on Jan 6th, 2009 at 11:34 am
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on Jan 9th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
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