January Check-In: A Quietly Good Start

Twenty-two days into January, I think I finally have enough data to say—confidently—that I’m off to a good start this year.

After taking January 1st off, I’ve run 17 of the last 21 days, putting me just over a 75% run rate for the year so far. That lines up closely with what I was doing back in 2020 and 2021 during some of my strongest training years, which feels like a meaningful benchmark.

Mileage-wise, I’m sitting at 79.05 miles, which puts me on pace for about 111 miles for the month. One hundred miles is clearly within reach, with room to exceed it if things keep trending the way they are. Pace has been respectable too—averaging a little over 8:30 per mile. I’ve mixed in a few quicker efforts, kept plenty of easy days easy, and tried to stay focused on consistency more than anything else.

Every run this year except one has been on the treadmill, thanks to a brutally cold January. That’s been fine overall—it’s allowed me to stay consistent and catch up on a few TV shows—but mornings have been the biggest challenge. I was waking up at 5:45 and still not getting on the treadmill until after 6:30. I moved my alarm to 5:35…and still didn’t get on the treadmill until 6:30. Time pressure has been my biggest obstacle lately, with nearly every part of the day feeling fully booked.

Today was a good example of how unpredictable motivation can be. I woke up tired and unmotivated, with the modest goal of just getting through two miles. Five and a quarter miles later, I had doubled my energy level—and my sense of accomplishment. Most of the run sat around a 9:15 pace, but I finished the last 1.25 miles at 8:00 flat, which felt strong and controlled.

I still haven’t fully captured that light, effortless feeling of peak fitness, and maybe that’s just part of getting older. But I’m starting to appreciate a different perspective: the ability to run 5.25 miles at all, to finish stronger than I started, and to feel better afterward than before—that’s worth acknowledging. Even if it’s a little slower and doesn’t feel quite as easy as it once did, it still counts. And right now, consistency matters more than anything else.

For now, the plan is simple: keep showing up. The focus over the next few weeks is on maintaining consistency, letting the mileage build naturally, and resisting the urge to force fitness before it’s ready. If things continue to feel stable, I may start to layer in a small amount of intentional structure—but only if it fits cleanly on top of what’s already working. There’s no rush. This is about laying a foundation that lasts, trusting that sharper fitness will come as a result of steady work rather than chasing it outright.