The Oh Nine Project

A fellow blogger has encouraged me to join him and other bloggers in his network, in announcing my New Year's Resolutions for the coming year. The idea will then be to follow up on the progress (or lack of progress) that we make towards our goals.
Sounds like fun to me, and I've found in the past that publicly stating one's goals can be a real motivating factor to achieving them.
Here is my primary goal for 2009:

I want to be running significant distances again by September. Prior to moving back to Saskatchewan, I was logging some serious miles running every week. Since then I have lost all interest, passion, ability and stamina for running, and I want to get it back. Just saying this and wishing for it won't help me however. I'm a firm believer in having a plan when it comes to achieving goals. The first stage of planning for me involves setting the goal, the second involves recognizing the obstacles.
Obstacle 1: The mystery pain that surfaces along the inside of my leg after my first 2 or 3 weeks back running every time I try to get in to it again.
Obstacle 2: Finding the time to run, as a father and a chef.
Obstacle 3: -50 degrees, come on!
Here is how I plan to tackle the above problems. I believe the mystery pain is caused by a combination of factors. I'm heavier than I used to be, which puts more stress on my muscles and bones. This in turn wears out the cushioning on my shoes quicker. I also tend to push too far too fast in the early stages, mainly because I don't have the time to build a proper base. Although from a cardiovascular perspective I'm ready to go for a few miles at a time, my legs aren't.
The Plan: Today I bought a treadmill, with emphasis on cushioning. I'll be receiving it in about the second week of January. Cold will no longer matter. Impact of my heavier frame on the running surface won't be such a big issue. Restrictions on spare time to run won't be an issue because I can do it in the home. It's my hope that by the time spring arrives I'll have dropped enough pounds, and built up enough strength in my legs to start running the bridges again, which I haven't done in at least 2 years, possibly 3.
So there you have it. My goal for 2009. I'll keep you updated as I go.