My new laziness PR

I've reached a new PR - the longest I've ever gone without exercising in my adult life. Even when I had swine flu, when I had bronchitis last year, or after I recovered from running 50 miles, the longest I took off was five days. Today is day 7, with no end in sight. 

Well, I guess I'll spend the last day of 2011 the same way I've spent the entire last week - on the couch, in my pjs, half asleep, and coughing my brains out. Things could be worse though, I'm lucky enough to have a handsome man waiting on me hand and foot. I was supposed to finally run this morning with Lily. I went to bed at 10pm last night, and then when I was still up, coughing like crazy, and unable to catch my breath at 1:30, I thought maybe I wouldn't be getting up at 6:30 to run. Eric made me some Theraflu and watched reruns of The Office with me until I fell asleep sometime around 2. I'm constantly trying to convince myself that there are worse things than a week of being bedridden, and I won't be completely out of shape when I can finally run again.

I appreciate all the ideas for resolutions on yesterday's post. I'm surprised so many people suggested procreating for 2012. If all of those people could just send us a donation to pay for childcare while my husband and I both work full time and attend grad school, Baby Lindsey will be on the way!

I am most certainly adopting 3 of the suggestions: 

1. Place in my age group in a race - I really need to find a smaller race for this. The last 5K I did had 2,500 runners and a girl from my running group won my age group doing something like 6 minute miles.

2. Do a pull up. Emily, I will join you in this goal. 

3. Have a Hunger Games themed party. Consider my 29th birthday planned.

I feel like I should do something in honor of it being New Year's Eve, and all. I already did a look back at NYE through the years post last year, so I'll copy Kari and answer some questions about running in 2011 that she posted on her blog a little while back.

• Best race experience? Running the Baltimore Marathon for the second time, and getting a shocking sub - 4 hour time. I love this race, and I had no idea I could run a marathon this fast! 
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• Best run? It's really hard to say I had a best run, because I did so many runs with good friends, and had a lot of fun, but I think the Baltimore Marathon course preview was maybe one I was most proud of. I separated from a friend to finish the run at my goal pace, and built up some confidence that I was a little faster than I gave myself credit for.
• Best new piece of gear? My Nathan Endurance hydration vest.   
•  It's huge, holds a ton of water, and helped me survive my first 50 miler. And it's super comfortable. And cool looking.

This vest has totally helped me fit in with the popular crowd.

• Best piece of running advice you received? "Don't look down." Kara told me not to look at my Garmin during a metric marathon and it turns out when I'm not obsessing over the pace, I can actually run faster.
• Most inspirational runner? There's no way I can choose just one - I have so many amazing friends that I love to run with, and I read so many inspirational blogs - just being part of the running community is incredibly motivating.
• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? WTF did I get myself in to?

In 2011 I went from having run one marathon to completing four full marathons, two 50Ks, and a 50  mile race. I also went from being terrified of riding a bike to completing my first triathlon. While I had planned on the triathlon, when I thought of my goals for 2011 last year at this time I had no intention of becoming an ultra runner.  I couldn't have done it without some fantastic running buddies, and I can't wait to add some more ultras to my schedule for 2012!

In the comments, answer some or all of the above questions, and tell me something to make me feel better about my lack of exercise. It's mandatory.

Happy New Year!