I didn't stay up for the countdown; I turned in at 7:30 PM to catch my 2:30 AM date with the night...

...and just like that, at 4:18 AM following my back day session, I earned the Garmin badge, "Start Strong: Record an activity on New Year's Day." And yet, I did more than that. My longest walk of 2023 was yesterday; I vanquished it a day later. At 25℉ windchill.

I'm posting my pace here to compare it with January 1, 2025:

• Mile 1 - 22:11
• Mile 2 - 22:02
• Mile 3 - 22:06
• Mile 4 - 22:06
• Mile 5 - 23:24
• Mile 6 - 23:41

Creatures of the Night

Today's St. Elmo, Bartlett Blvd, and Stage Rd differ from the past mornings of Highland, Central Ave, and Poplar Ave. I cannot get over how inviting the sidewalks are! Seriously, I'm used to the late '40s sidewalks around campus—all buckled from oak tree roots, peppered with shards from thrown liquor bottles. And I don't have to swivel my head so much towards that which lies waiting in the dark...

Honestly, these 4:15 AM walks come off a bit more post-apocalyptic, something 28 Days Later or The Walking Dead. The streets are empty and the only sounds I hear when I pull off my headphones are the night wind and the hooting of owls. There was also an unnerving crosswalk light at the intersection of Stage and Bartlett Blvd that kept repeating "ID test...ID test...ID test." The early morning traffic began to ebb onto Stage Rd where I found the least lit street of my walk despite its commercial density. I pass the homeless, a reminder of my Memphis walks, and consider the things to come.

Today also marks my tying my 2023 (May 16 - May 25) record of a 10-day streak of meeting my steps goal. My daily minimum is 10,944, or 10/9/44, the date I'll be the same age as my dad when he died.

Before my year kicked off, I decided to defer to next year the resolutions of no coffee and a half-gallon of water daily. For now, I lean toward coffee's ability for greater weightloss. I'll revisit this for 2025. As to water, I really don't like being forced to drink water; I'd rather listen to my body's needs. As to the other resolutions, everything is live. If I fail, I'll pop on one of these 🔴.

And there's nothing like a chilly morning to look forward to getting my beard back! This New Year's Eve shaved nonsense has got to go! By December of next year, well, I'll look like I've been adventuring with Thorin Oakenshield as this beard will be places it never has been, Destination Unknown.

Ahh, the last post of the year...

Isn't this when I regale my readers of the adventure of '23?

Or look back with misty eyes at things I'd like to have back?

Maybe even throw up fist pumps about leaving that UofM neighborhood for the 3rd/4th and final time to purchase a place in my hometown?

I suppose I could do all of that.

And yet, I am drawn toward the future. Change yet remain me, the me that I ever was. Some folks fade away, I ain't. When I look out on the horizon of this upcoming year, I am reminded of the words I said in 2012 in my grad class over in the Czech when asked by my favorite professor how my teaching was going, "I'm kickin' ass and takin' names."

So it shall be.

Check out the final copy of my New Year's Resoutions. Instead of proclaiming it and then shoving it away to some shelf, I have a daily focus to accomplish every one of these.

I got to...whatever it takes.

I have reached the event horizon. Not only have I surpassed the 60th day of carnivore, seeking to push beyond my prior carnivore streaks of 637 and 237 days, but also my mindset views each day as an opportunity for fitness, to whittle away and optimize this physcial frame—it's not chiefly about this weightloss thing.

Last week, I recorded 24 ½ miles of walking events; four days into this one, I'm at 12 ½ miles. HOWEVER, for both weeks, I haven't configured Garmin to accurately record walking indoors (because yes, I walk at 0.2 mph indoors), so the numbers listed are more or less for my outdoor walks.

And today for the month...

...I've just edged out May for Total Steps of 2023! And I've got 3 ½ days to go! Just like that May most steps record broken on Sunday, today's another day that steals the victory away in the waning moments of the year!

"Here I am, rock you like a hurricane."

And there's a LOT of slack in there, too. My January is gonna tear December up!

Two weeks in, my lifting is in rhythm and I can see how I can take it the distance into 2026.

Never in my life have I maintained this perspective on fitness, that is, not holding weighloss as the primary factor. Truly, it's the value of movement!

In the next upcoming days, I'll release a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired character sheet that's aptly named HOME GYMS & GARMINS that I'll work weekly to achieve.

Do yourself a favor and watch this:

YouTube Link