1. Run a 1:50 half marathon - There! I've put it out there. Scary? Yes. Ambitious? Maybe. Considering my last half marathon personal best was 1:56, that means shaving off 6 minutes and pulling 5:13 min/km splits. Huh, just writing that out, I might be biting off more than I can chew! But I'm excited, and what better way then to kick off the Year of Speed! Goal races for this year are the BMO Vancouver in May and of course, the Goodlife Victoria in October. I'm looking to hopefully repeat my half marathon time at the BMO Vancouver, and then pull out all the stops here in Victoria and hit a 1:50 half. Speedwork, here I come!
2. Yoga more - as I've said in the past, I love yoga...love how it makes me feel, love the stretching, love how much it's helped my back. So why, oh why don't I do it more?! Geez. So this year, I want to make more time for it and incorporate it into my workout routine.
3. Volunteer - yep...a carryover from 2011 goals. I thought about this a lot over the past few years, and I really want to volunteer this year. As I've said previously, I'm grateful for what I have so I want to give back with my time. I've got a few things in mind that I want to volunteer for (food bank or helping seniors), but unfortunately it seems a lot of the things I want to volunteer with happen during work hours. Grrr! Well, that just means that the perfect thing is waiting for me, right?
4. Make weights a habit - Operation NROLFW is in place. I love this program and so far am loving the results, so I'm going to continue with the heavy lifting. Maybe...if I'm brave...I might take pictures so I can do a before and after. Holy shizen, did I really just write that?
5. Be more involved in bloggie community - I love blogging and I love the blogging community...the people are so awesome and supportive and a wealth of valuable information! But I'm soooo bad with the commenting. I tend to lurk so next year I'm coming out of the closet and going to engage more with the awesome folks in bloggieland.
6. Read 15 books - having a reading goal really helps push me to expand my horizons and read instead of always turning on the boob tube...and I've read some pretty kickass books the past few years. I won't lie though...it was hard for me to fit in 15 books this past year so I think I'll stick with the same number again this year.
7. Eat 7 servings (or more!) of fruits and veggies per day - Amanda over at Run to the Finish totally inspired this goal with her awesome Holiday Booty Buster Challenge. Instead of just focussing on this during the holiday season, I'm going to try to incorporate at least 7 servings of fruits and veggies every day. I felt energized and healthy when I was on a fruit/veggie roll, which is in stark contrast to how I'm feeling right now after some holiday excesses and a lack of anything remotely fresh. To be blunt, I totally feel like ass so I'm rarin' to go and ready to get my fruits and veggies in.
8. Cut back dairy - oh sigh...dairy...I've been falling for your siren song a lot lately. I love you but I know you don't quite feel the same about me, so I think we're going to have to take a break.
9. Take swimming lessons - so you know the famous saying on the lululmon manifesto...the one that says "do one thing a day that scares you?" Well, this is the scary thing for this year. Maybe my life. I can't swim and have almost drowned twice (one day I'll tell you the sordid stories)...so the impetus for me to learn to swim has always been in the back of my mind. I've always wanted to learn, but was inspired when I was at the Xterra triathlon world championships this year when we were in Maui. While I may never become a triathlete, I do want to know how to swim so I'm not afraid, as I tell Hubs, to get sucked out to sea every year when we go to Maui. And about the triathlon, who knows...never say never, right? Oh, and for those who are wondering...yes, I'm shitting myself. Ha!
10. Create a vision board - for Christmas, my BFF gave me this awesome necklace by Andrea Waines, a Canadian silver jewellery designer....
I love how simple this necklace is (I'm not a big jewellery person - yes, I'm a freak of nature)...but that's not the only reason I love it. Each necklace has an inspirational saying on it, and the one she chose for me says "the only courage you need is the courage to do your heart's desire." How cool is that?! This saying gave me the flash of inspiration for the last goal for 2012 - a vision board! What better way to tease out my heart's desires than putting it into a visual format. And I get to be a kid again and cut out pretty pictures and glue them onto colourful paper. Wheeeeee!
HBBC: Dec 23, 6 points (60 mins bootcamp), Dec 27, 6 points (10K/6 mile run), Dec 28, 6 points (60 mins bootcamp), Dec 29, 2 points (30 minutes stationery bike)
8 comments:
I can't believe how many of your goals for next year are the same as mine. Strength work, regular yoga, get back down to a sub 1:50 half marathon and eat well. I'll be looking for your blog for inspiration. No pressure.
I love your goals. Is the half marathon goal ambitious? Maybe, but that is exactly what makes it a perfect goal. You need a goal that will push you but is still possible. Sounds like this is it.
As for the swimming, I completely get where you're coming from.
http://debtris.blogspot.com/2010/05/sink-or-swim.html
That's the link to the post I made a year and a half ago prior to my first swimming lesson. I used to be TERRIFIED of water deeper then my head. I've now done two triathlons with open water swims and swimming through the deep end doesn't even phase me. Anyone can learn to swim.
I love your goals! I'll bet you have a way faster marathon in you as well.
I am so with you on the swimming thing. I had to be fished out with a pole at a water park in Disney World. I wasn't a kid either. Ugh.
Good for you for taking the bull by the horns. I have yet to do that.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'll be at the Vancouver 1/2 too, but I don't think I'll be quite as speedy as you!
I took swimming lessons from my Y a few summers ago. It was one of the best things I ever did!
Diary sings sweetly to me too. I hate (love) it!
Good luck with swimming! My parents forced me to learn when I was 14 at YMCA. And I actually learned with 5 year-olds. But good thing, since I have to pass the swim test to graduate from my college. I'm still not very good at it though.
And good luck with your sub 1:50 half marathon goal. I really want to just break 2:00.
A 1:50 half is TOTALLY doable from a 1:56. Not even a question. You can do it. Great goals. Thanks for commenting. Love the encouragement of the blog world too!
Hi,
I am contacting you today after coming across and reading the great content on your blog— to log and catalog desires, wishes, and things you plan to accomplish is by far the most important aspect to actually undertaking goals! Most people do not put their thoughts on paper—consequently leaving them without tangible reminders and constant ambition. I’m sure you can imagine how important this idea could be for those going through health struggles regardless of what they may be. An individual going through treatment, in remission, and even the family members of those with chronic or terminal illnesses face everyday challenges of maintaining a quality of life—self-motivation and inspiration is the key!
I’ve recently been invited to be a contributor on the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog and have the ability to reach a wider audience. Awareness is an important factor when it comes to health and healing, so please let me know if you would be interested in allowing me to contribute a small guest post on your blog or if you would consider putting a link to my MCA blog on your site as a resource for your readers. I am eager to build up this concept of encouragement without intruding in on your own personal goals and accomplishments. So, if there are other ideas you have about ways we could work together, I’d love to hear them and I hope you are interested.
Thank you for all you do in making a difference,
Melanie Bowen
Part-time Blog Contributor: Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance
Blog: Milady Knows
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