Happy New Year. January is already rolling on. I haven’t even wrapped up last year it seems, but tick tick tick, the wheel keeps turning. You can’t stop it because you’re not ready.

Christmas season has come and gone, and we are undoubtedly settling into the frosty fog of winter and trying to get or keep the gears moving. “No sitting down folks!”

The turn of the year is always interesting, it always seems to bring this new feeling, a refresh, or hard reset.

In the running world that tends to mean you are slowly building your race calendar for the year. First half marathon, first marathon, maybe even first actual race. Destination races, local classics, or even taking a step into a self propelled project.

I too, am quietly pulling the trigger on a few races that have been on my list. A tour down to Colorado for the UTMB Desert Rats Trail Race, and the Wild Horse Traverse 50k in Kelowna. There are a few others that I am debating, but there in lies the vague. I am currently on a wait list for shoulder surgery with an unknown or vague date. 12-18 months. The clock is ticking, of which I am thankful for, but 12 months and 18 months are very different numbers, there is also the possibility of getting bumped up early for a last minute cancellation, which factors a whole new addition of challenges or considerations while planning out the year.

Now I’m not one to just sit back and wait until surgery arrives, and continuing with the running hasn’t posed any new damage or strain to the shoulder, but it is the unknown timeframe that has gotten under my skin. It is the process of the medical system here, and it is what it is, which I can leave aside from this ramble. But it does put me in this strange place of feeling unsure what to commit to this year. January – June. Probably ok. July and onwards becomes this ticking clock that remains ticking down until I receive the call. There is part of me that says “life goes on, do your thing until you are told otherwise” and part of me that wants to reserve myself from leaning into projects that I “may” not be able to do, but I can’t say for certain. The Vague!

Luckily more and more races have cancellation insurance for a small fee. Perhaps that will be my guide, that and building my own running projects that don’t have stern timeframes.

We shall see what this year holds!

Cheers.