December, and on to a New Year

–StartFragment –>I’m not sure if it’s the getting used to the darkness and cold again, or the hustle and bustle frenzy of holiday hubaloo, but December and I don’t get along very well. I tend to feel down, negative, and easily overwhelmed. Pull over I want to get off the Busy Train and just sit and watch the stars. Like my garden, I need a bit of time to sit fallow.

I love the New Year, and this year I’m particularly looking forward to it. I found 2010 a bit of a struggle, but the good news is that it is ending on a much better note than it started. Today is my last day of work until Jan 3, and I’m lucky to have some downtime to relax and spend time with family. And run a million miles.

I haven’t made resolutions in a few years, but this year I jotted down about ten without particularly giving it a lot of thought. That tells me something. I’m trying to keep them framed in a positive way, for example instead of saying “I’m going to stop doing X”, I think it’s healthier to say “I will do Y.” I want to simplify and streamline, but in doing so I don’t want to define my life by what I don’t do.

Last night we ran later than usual, and the woods were snow-covered and intensely peaceful. It was just what I needed, I was off that train and everything felt just Right. After moving a computer mouse all day, it felt so good to move my body, be in nature, breathe the air…. just be.

A very happy holiday to you.

Sara

About the author

Sara Montgomery and Derrick Spafford

Derrick and Sara are trail runners from Eastern Ontario who discovered that running on snowshoes in the winter months is a great way to enjoy their favorite trails year-round. They competed in their first snowshoe series (The Mad Trapper Series in Low, Quebec) in 2005, each finishing 2nd in their respective divisions. Plans for 2006 are to return to the Mad Trapper, to take in some races in New York and Vermont, and hopefully cap their season with the U.S. Snowshoe Championships in March, as Canadian guests. Derrick runs a company, Spafford Health and Adventure (http://www.healthandadventure.com), which specializes in coaching and event promotion. He is currently planning an annual snowshoe race to be held in the Kingston area, starting this winter.

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