BY: TAMMY WHYTE

I always enjoy the start of a new year, as it's a natural time to reflect on how the previous year went and the goals I want to accomplish in the year to come. 2017 was a great year for me as a runner. I set 3 new PR's, including breaking 1:45 in the half marathon which is something I've been chasing for years. Because of this, writing goals for 2018 seemed to be more of a challenge. Time goals are always the first things to come to mind, but I knew I didn't want 2018 to just be about hitting certain times. As a member of the Volée, and as a coach of other runners, I have found my growing community to be even more important to me - both in my success as a runner and in my ability to rebound from the challenges that come from putting in the miles day after day. So, connecting community to my goals in some way made sense. Does having only one time goal scare me a bit? Of course! The destination has always been my primary focus in the 7+ years of my adult running life, but I've decided that my 2018 running goals will be more about my journey - the community, the training, and the fun.