Have you made any New Years resolutions? Going into the final week of the month of January, are you still holding to it?

We all make resolutions to change things that we feel are not right in our lives. Some of them are very difficult to change.

Instead of the usual, lose weight, exercise more kind, I decided to lock into a goal I have set in the past and have not been able to accomplish. We all know that feeling!

This is the year I AM going to complete a book I started back in December of 2009. I had a good start to the book and then hooked up with an editor who told me to scrap it and start over. I got going on it again and then floundered. Finally, I lost interest.

I think that is the case with many of us, especially at the start of a new year. We feel things will be different if we start the year off on the right foot. But, keeping the feet going in the direction we intended is not always easy.

I, for one, am a person who does best with a set goal and a set schedule. Tell me something needs to be done by a certain date and I get it done. Now, leave the schedule up to me and things are not as easily accomplished.

Working with someone who has the same interest as you, can make a huge difference. Whether you are on the student end or the teacher/mentor end of the goal setting, you will find they both work well for both parties, as you both are accountable.

To me, that means as a mentor, I can help another realize his/her goal while using the interest I have in the person I am working with to my advantage as well.

I am currently training another individual to run an ultra marathon trail race in a few months. The weather is terrible, trails snow and ice covered, temperatures hovering near the single digit mark and wind chill factors dipping into the 25-30 degree below zero range.

Having another to train with means I will get out there and run with him, even on the days that are less than comfortable weather-wise.

I can use my knowledge and experience to teach the person to dress appropriately for frigid conditions, making it comfortable to be outdoors in those severe conditions.

Superior clothing allows us to exercise outdoors under frigid conditions. Without the proper foot wear, head wear and hand wear, along with wind suits, tights and high tech tops, those 20-mile runs would be impossible, at this time of year.

Sharing my love of the products Wigwam produces comes naturally. I shared how to place a pair of liner socks next to the skin, such as Wigwams Gobi or Dry Foot Liner socks made with polypropylene that keeps feet dry and comfortable, while shielding the foot against outside air, enabling body heat to be retained.

Next, I told him to put one of Wigwams great merino wool socks over it, to receive additional warmth and insulation. Using the Merino Airflow Pro, Merino Trailblaze Pro or the Merino Airlite Pro, I explained, would make his runs in the frigid temperatures much more comfortable, allowing him to run the miles required.

Having the tools to accomplish a goal is very important. Being accountable is also very important. Sharing the goal and working with someone who has the knowledge and ability to steer us in the right direction and keep us on track, possibly is the most important.

See you in a few miles.roy