If you’d asked me a couple of months ago what I expected my New Year’s resolutions for 2012 to be, I’d have told you that they’d mostly involve rowing. Frustrated after year of endless near misses, my main goals centred round getting that elusive first win under my belt. There was a shelf sitting empty and I was after some pots to fill it.
Then along came a series of injuries, culminating in a dodgy shoulder that, six weeks after it “went”, is showing little sign of improving. Out walking this morning with my husband, aka Man on the Run, he asked me what my resolutions were for next year. I stopped short (quite literally; Dog in the Woods had to do some nifty footwork to avoid me).
“Actually, I have no idea”, I said.
Here’s the thing. I don’t have a clue when I’m going to be able to get back into a boat. I’m pretty sure it won’t be in time to be ready for the London Heads, so I can cross rowing the Boat Race course off my list of resolutions. I can’t even be absolutely sure that I’ll be fit for the National Masters Championships in May – the Main Event for rowers of a certain age, so whilst I’d love to lose my novice status in Nottingham this year, it feels too much like tempting fate to put that on the list, either.
So what am I left with? Well, this is where it gets interesting. For the first time ever, I’m coming back to basics. Getting mended, staying healthy, staying reasonably fit, getting back on the river at some point. Oh, and enjoying the ride while I’m at it. Come to think of it, that’s not a such a bad set of New Year’s resolutions after all. Even if it doesn’t involve much rowing.
