Earlier this week was the summer solstice—the longest day of the year and the official start of summer.

For some reason, we don't make much of it. New Year's Day gets all the attention. We stay up late. Watch a ball drop. Make resolutions we'll either accomplish or forget by February. The summer solstice feels more significant to me. Unlike New Year's, it isn't something we invented. It's a real event. The longest day of the year. A turning point in the calendar. And for runners, it's often the beginning of something else.

Most fall marathons are 15 to 20 weeks away. Half marathons, turkey trots, and winter races aren't far behind. Around this time every year, training plans start appearing. Mileage begins to build. Goals start taking shape.

In a strange way, the summer solstice feels more like New Year's Day than New Year's Day. It's a chance to pause and ask a simple question: What do I want the rest of this year to look like?

Maybe it's a race. Maybe it's finally starting strength training. Maybe it's reading more books, writing more often, or spending more time outside.

The goal itself doesn't matter. What matters is choosing something and moving toward it.

The funny thing about New Year's resolutions is that we act like January is the only time we're allowed to start. It's not.  You get another chance this week. The calendar says summer has just begun. That's as good a reason as any.

Happy running!

George