This weekend marks the end of my 2008 running season, and after Sunday I will start off the 09 season with base training. I’ve gotten a taste for running and marathoning over the past two years, and have been able to log some decent miles, and get some good races under my belt.

In 2009, I’ll have a couple of serious decisions to make when it comes to my training. Currently I run a comfortable 4 hour marathon (sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more). I do this with a base weekly mileage of anywhere from 40-60 miles per week, and I’m rarely out of my comfort zone during training. First choice of 2009, stick with what I know and maintain that 4 hour pace. It’s easy, and doesn’t require a complex training schedule. This plan seems safe, but right now I’m feeling young, and looking for a training program that will produce results, something I can get excited about. So, I come to choice number 2 for 2009: increase my training to push my boundaries and be uncomfortable. I’m not sure what kind of results this type of training will give me, but I’m thinking that with the right motivation, I’ll be able to take on the challenges that come with a more aggressive schedule. Choice number 2 gives me goosebumps, makes me anxious, and fills me with curiosity and desire. Choosing number 2 means I need to invest in motivation.

Perhaps the one killer of training programs, lack of motivation. I’ve found that with the right kind of push, I’ll run in any condition, and I’ll go the distance. Without this motivation, I stay in bed and make up excuses. Even if I’m perfectly well rested, well nourished, and highly capable of banging out a few miles in the morning – if the push isn’t there, I wont be there on the trails.

To kick off my motivational story for 2009, here are some amazing pictures of one of my running idols, Kara Goucher. She debuted this year in the ING NYC Marathon, and came in third; an accomplishment that hasn’t been made by another American since 1994. She’s inspirational, and her photos prove just how much of a fighter on the course she is.