You have probably noticed that 2009 is over and we have started 2010. I ran much of 2009, and kept track of my running using a Nike+ system hooked to my iPod. It kept track of distance and speed and calories. It did miss some runs – there were a few weeks when my old iPod was broken and I had not gotten the replacement yet. There were some runs during which the battery ran out or the Nike+ just froze. I had two races that were 39 miles just in themselves during which I did not wear my iPod. Still, the Nike+ system logged everything that I did record, and the 2009 results are:

905 miles for 102,000 calories with an average pace of 7:40 per mile.

102,000 calories is about 29 pounds burned off. Over the year, I lost about 10-15 pounds. It is a bit intimidating to think that I ate about 15 pounds worth of food that the running simply kept off, as opposed to actually losing it. If I did not run, I would be tipping the scales at over 190 pounds. I think I’ll keep running.

But not yet. I decided to take 7 weeks off from running in hopes that a nagging injury to my left knee will heal. So far, it has been four weeks since my last run on the treadmill, and I am aiming to try running again on February 1st, just one day shy of 7 weeks off. What a shame – I hate not running. Running is how I manage stress, control my weight, and generally feel good about myself. I also expect I will be in pretty lousy shape come February. After my marathon in late September, I got sick for three weeks, and it took about three weeks of running to get my lungs back to where they did not hurt when I ran. I can only imagine that taking 7 weeks off will be harder. Still, I’d like my knee to heal, and in a very un-Riordan like way, I’m trying to be patient AND sensible. Maybe 2010 will be the year I run 1000 miles, in only 11 months.