LIFESTYLE – 2010 | Endurance Magazine

BY STEVE LACKEY

Like every year, 2009 has delivered so many awesome moments for so many people. But more than any other in memory I am ready to let it go and leap freely into the new year.

For some reason, I am feeling an overwhelming optimism about 2010. Just another year, sure. Though there seems to be an excitement I hear in the people with whom I speak; as we brainstorm with clients, as we share with friends what we have planned, as our team zeroes in on all the awesomeness we will deliver after learning so much about what we can do over the past year.

For 2010, we are so proud to deliver over 3,500 women to the finish line of our Ramblin’ Rose Women Only Triathlons by adding two new venues in Raleigh and in Rock Hill and increasing the capacity of our already established venues in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Chapel Hill. This is by far one of the most inspiring things we do. (Registration opens December 1: www.ramblinroseevents.com.

In addition, what we have in store for the bold new Tar Heel 10 Miler and Fleet Feet Sports 4 Mile Run is beyond exciting. Two thousand runners (10 milers and 4 milers alike) will finish their respective runs inside UNC’s Kenan Stadium in front of the ESPNU cameras that are on the ready for that day’s UNC Spring Football game. (We’ll see if we can coax them into turning their cameras on for at least a few moments during our race—no promises!) Registration for the April 10 races opens December 1: www.tarheel10miler.com.

As for me, I’ve got some truly awesome goals for 2010. For one, I’m taking my running seriously and am excited to see if I can run a half-marathon under 1 hour 30 minutes. If I can do that, I’ll be training to qualify for Boston later in the year—I get excited just typing that.

Second, I am so inspired by our friend Meghann Gunderman’s efforts to lead the youth of Tanzania through the Foundation for Tomorrow’s education initiatives (see cover story) that I plan to join her and thirty-five other philanthropic endurance citizens next July in riding from Kilimanjaro through Tanazania to the Indian Ocean. Four hundred miles in 10 days across the rugged African terrain. How do you plan to spend your summer vacation? You can join us by registering at www.thefoundationfortomorrow.org/ride.html.

Finally, after deferring for three straight years, I will run the ING NYC Marathon next November. I am looking forward to truly enjoying that one for all the experience it has to offer.

Needless to say, I am treating 2010 like it matters.

And am looking forward to sharing as much of it as I can with you.

Inspire. Perform. Endure.