Now that the calendar has turned, I’m sure many of you are in the process of setting running goals for the coming year! Picking a goal may seem easy, but in my experience there are several factors that influence how effective a goal is for you.

People often ask me how I manage to force myself out the door in the pre-dawn hours, when the temperature is well below 40 degrees, even below 30 degrees. The truth is, I love running when the temperature drops. The key is to dress appropriately for the weather.

With all the hype of New Year’s Resolutions in the air, I find it easy to feel excited, nervous, and honestly a little overwhelmed when it comes to setting goals for 2012. Read about some key questions to ask yourself before setting your goals for 2012.

With the inconveniences, inconsistencies and intricate spider webs involved in trail running, why would any runner dare to venture away from the pavement, track or treadmill to explore the wilderness? The variety, endurance and mental toughness that trail runs bring to my training provide the right incentive.

Each year on New Year’s Day eager, excited men and women lace up their shoes and head to the local track, trail or river walk to begin running…again. Some do it to lose weight; others do it to become faster or to complete a goal of running a 5K, 10K or marathon. For the month of January, a community is born.