Welcome to the New Year! Each year, many of us make resolutions to change something. Do you find that each year it’s the same resolution? What are you thinking of for 2018?

Take a few moments to weigh your options for 2018 and what your fitness goals will be. Your choice of fitness can be walking, running, spinning, or other forms. Take a few minutes to take make a realistic plan which is attainable. Write your plan out and track your progress. Let this be the year you see results.

Let me offer the following to you for consideration: I’m doing three miles of running on the treadmill, then four miles on the cycle. I should note that this is in the gym. (Depending on your part of the country, it is probably cold outside.)

If you’re new to this column, the workout may not seem too aggressive. In September 2015, my doctor detected a leaky mitral heart valve. I continued to run and in May 2017 I completed my 110th marathon. In between, my times were getting slower. On July 10, 2017, I underwent open heart surgery for a valve repair. It’s been a long road to where I am now.

Through this column I’m sharing that we all have challenges to overcome. Now is the time to face yours. In order to be successful, write down your plan and be consistent.

You’ll come to understand that with any fitness program there’s a certain amount of emotional attachment. The following runners shared their comments about this.

“I think we’re capable of more than we realize. If you put your mind to something and really go for it, and if you can train your mind to continue to push your body in the face of adversity and discomfort, you can accomplish so much more than you ever thought possible. That continues to happen for me in running. Winning JFK and being the 6th-fastest performer ever is another example of that,” stated Eric Senseman, winner of the 2017 JFK 50 Miler in a time of 5 hours, 46 minutes, and 46 seconds.

The female winner was Emily Harrison-Torrence, with a time of 6:27:43. I asked her a few questions:

How has running defined you?

I’d like to think running has defined me as dedicated and determined, and probably hard headed too. Running hasn’t always come easy and there have been times when some probably would have thought it best to stop competing, but I have become very in tune with myself and knew it wasn’t time to stop yet. Where there is a will, there is a way.

How do you mentally prepare for a 50 Miler?

For me, a large portion of my mental preparation comes during training. If I’ve put in a good effort in training, then I feel more ready to take on the distance. Another aspect that helps me mentally prepare is learning as much as I can about the course before race day. Being able to visualize and expect certain aspects of the course go a long way in building confidence.

How do you compare the win from 2013 to this year?

After placing second to Ellie in 2012, it was great to secure a win in 2013 (6:34:52), but I think, in a lot of ways, my win this year means a lot more. The past couple of years have not gone well for me at JFK, which was frustrating, but I didn’t give up, and I did a lot of work to figure out some health issues that were inhibiting me from training to my potential the past few years. I feel healthy and was able to train like I used to, so it was a joy to see it all come together on race day.

Do you find this sport to be emotional?

This sport is very emotional, and I feel it invokes different emotions for different reasons for everyone out there. You could be emotional because you’re conquering your personal demons or goals, or because you’re running in memory of something or someone. You could be emotional because you’re putting your body through so much and you’re experiencing the highs and lows of being on a course for several hours to all day. Whatever the reason, I think you’ll find a lot of emotional and inspiring runners all along the JFK course in any given year.

The fourth-place finisher (7:05:18), Angie Darbyson, answered the following questions:

How long have you been running? How did you get into running ultras?

I was a bit late to the running party, I started just eight years ago when I was 28. My father had just been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and my sister suggested we do a 5K as a fundraiser. Running quickly became a main coping strategy through those terrible years. Before his death in 2011, I promised him I would run a marathon in his honor. I figured if he could get through ALS with a positive attitude and a smile on his face, then I could get through any race.

Did you have to alter your plans during the race given the weather?

I found the weather to be okay, actually. Here in Ottawa/Gatineau, we get a lot of wind, snow, ice pellets, and cold rain, so when I see rain in any race forecast, I’m pretty happy about it.

What did you learn?

I learned once again that I should never take myself or any race performance too seriously. Things seem to go way smoother when I go out, have fun, and just do my best regardless of what the day brings. It’s important for me to remind myself to keep smiling and enjoy the run up until the end because things could always be much worse.