When I “got back on the horse” in the final months of 2025, I had a goal of breaking through the 250-pound barrier.
Through regular exercise and intermittent fasting, the first 25 pounds melted away almost effortlessly, and by Thanksgiving I found myself chasing those last five pounds. As the holiday season shifted in December, I spent quite a bit of time getting reacquainted with the treadmill.
I spent day after day on that machine, not running, but rather hiking at a 12.5 percent incline. My legs screamed, my core turned, and sweat poured from my brow. It was freezing cold in that exercise room, but never for long as my body generated enough “steam” to fog all of the storm windows. My workouts concluded with push-ups and dumbbells, followed by stretching.
All of it was a slow buildup toward my next step: The one I took on the scale.
I watched the numbers on the scale dance, seemingly frozen in time until they finally settled on a round number: 250.0.
I’d describe my feeling as bittersweet. Yes, I technically lost those final five pounds, but I didn’t get into the 240s like I’d hoped. Of course, I didn’t make it this far by being discouraged, so my goal will simply carry into 2026.
I’m hoping this will be the first of many small goals realized in the New Year.
There’s nothing wrong with high aspirations, but setting the bar so high while standing at a point so low can be intimidating. It’s no wonder people often abandon their champagne-fueled New Year’s resolutions.
I’m setting my focus on bite-sized goals, whether that means shedding a couple of pounds, pushing the pace by a few seconds, or taking a few extra reps during weight training. I’m incorporating my new bike into my workouts, and although it’s been a struggle so far (that’s a topic for a column of its own), all I’m looking for is improvement, even if it comes by the smallest of increments.
My thinking is that smaller goals, when stacked up, can add up to something large. For those who follow Penn State football, I like to think of this as the James Franklin approach, where the floor is constantly raised until you can almost touch the ceiling. By setting modest goals, you can put yourself on track for success, both in the short and long term.
And who knows, once those small wins start adding up, maybe shooting for that “impossible” goal might not seem so daunting.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
A big congratulations is in order for Mont Alto’s Angie Fuss, who recently celebrated another “run-niversary” as a run streaker.
Fuss has run at least one mile per day for the last 14 years, a streak of more than 5,000 consecutive days.
How did Fuss commemorate her achievement? By winning a race.
Fuss was the top runner at the New Year 10K in Biglerville, crossing the finish line in 56:37.
She wasn’t the only runner in action in recent weeks. Chambersburg’s Kaczmark family showcased their talents in Lock Haven at the Icicles on the Moon 5K and 7 Miler. The seven-mile race saw both Alex Kaczmark (1:14:08) and Ryan Kaczmark (1:14:16) nail down AG hardware, while Macie Kaczmark was the fifth overall finisher in 5K race with a time of 35:17.
Mike Stutts, of Hagerstown, is a regular on the US Road Running racing scene and recently completed two races put on by the organization. He completed the Akron 5K in 40:16, before visiting Biglerville for the New Year 5K, a race he completed in 38:28 for fourth place.
A hilly five-mile race in Duncannon, The Last Mile, caught the attention of Chambersburg’s Brandy Keller, who surged to the finish line in 38:52.
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Greencastle’s Abriana Cain (29:05 at New Year’s Day 5K), Chambersburg’s Dan Champigny (25:09 at New Year 5K), Steve Vanscyoc (2:12:08 at New Year Half Marathon), and Emily Bricker (3:00:27 at New Year’s Chaser Half Marathon), and Hagerstown’s Jacob Sines (15:29 at Winchester Beer Mile) and Emily Hornick (28:20 at OCNJ First Day 5K).
And now, a look ahead:
Springettsbury 10K: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Springettsbury. This race kicks off the back half of the schedule for the York Road Runners Club Winter Series. Learn more on yorkroadrunners.com.
Lewis Memorial 10 Miler: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Emmittsburg, Md. Leave your watch in the car for this prediction race. Search for the race on runsignup.com.
Polar Bear 5K: Saturday, 10 a.m., in Lancaster. Show your support for the environment by running or hiking with the Lancaster chapter of The Sierra Club in this trail race. Register for the event on runsignup.com.
Also: New Year 5K/10K/Half Marathon (Saturday, in York); North Park Half Marathon (Saturday, in Allison Park); Shiver by the River 5K/10K (Saturday, in Scranton); ChesCo 10K/20K (Sunday, Wayne); Frigid 5 Miler (Sunday, in Allison Park); Shiver by the River 5K/10K (Sunday, in Reading); Medal Madness 5K/10K (Saturday, Jan. 17, in Akron).
