2015 Goals - looking ahead

Now, I know what you're thinking. "She didn't achieve SIX goals last year, only a paltry 3. How on earth is she going to achieve TEN?!?!?"

I decided that I wanted my goals to be both long-term and short-term, and give me different things I could focus on at different times. I feel like these give me a good opportunity to achieve different types of success throughout the year. So, in no particular order... (other than that I drew them in this order...)

1. Run 700 miles
You've heard this one before, of course. But if work on the other goals, I'll achieve this one. Of course, hitting this would mean running more than 2.5x as long as I ran in 2014. So this is a big, hairy, audacious goal. But a little cuddly on the inside. Or something.

2. Run 15 half marathons

This is a bit of a stretch -- except I have a plan that might just work. Besides, isn't it nice to think about the symmetry here? (Suz, I'm talking to you, here...)

3. Break 2:10 in a half marathon

This is a big stretch -- I haven't run close to that pace in nearly 2 years, but I think on the right day, on the right course, I could hit it. We'll see.

4. Run 15 in '15

Ahh, this. After my spectacularly poor performance in 2014, you'd think I wouldn't be fool enough to take this on again. And to add that additional mile. BUT this time I'm thinking about it differently. I'm giving myself a couple of "joker weeks" -- essentially, get out of jail free cards. And I'm going to try to achieve a lesser percentage of success, rather than 100%. So if I hit the mark 90% of the time, I'll still give myself an A. 80% will score a B, 70% a C, and so on. Yes, 2014 was a big, fat FAILURE. So the only way is up, right?

5. Run half marathons in 5 new states
Last year was about hitting some bucket list races... this year is about picking up new states and getting back on schedule. If all goes as hoped for and dreamed, I'll actually get one or two more states than this... but the stars will have to align.

6. Run a sub-8:00 mile

This is also a big tough goal. My fastest mile EVER was somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30. I never ever ever work on my speed. Nor do I ever run on a track. But I would like to try and run on a track every couple of weeks to do a touch of speedwork and improve my times. Some time in January I will run a "time trial" and see how far I have to go.

7. Break 1:00:00 in a 10K

A year ago I would have thought this was a real long shot. Except when we "took it easy" at the Tinker Bell 10K in January 2014 and ran 1:02 and change. Then a month later I ran 1:01 and change. So this year I'll run a couple of 10Ks and see if I can't get my time down a bit more. This one feels within reach.

8. Blog an average of 2x / week

This shouldn't be difficult -- but I would like to develop the discipline of blogging more often... and about more than just race reports. (Thanks for the tough love, Suz!)

9. Run a 5K PR

If I work on my speed even a little, this one shouldn't be too tough. My current 5K PR is 29:32; anything under that will feel like a big win.

10. Run to work 50 times

Other than that I'm lazy, that I hate carrying stuff on my back while I run, and that it's pitch black in the mornings right now, there's no reason that I don't run to work more often. So this goal is just to push myself to do it once a week or so.

You'll notice that I don't have any non-running goals (well, other than this running blog!). I thought about adding in something about cross training, improving my flexibility, etc. But then I figured that I'm tracking some of those in my 101 in 1001 project, so look there for those.

What are your goals for 2015? I'd love to cheer you on!

2014 Goals in Review

Let's just say it. If running was my job, and this was my annual review, I think I might get let go. Or if not let go, I would be put on a "PIP" -- a Personal Improvement Plan.

I don't have any excuses for somehow managing to run LESS than ever before. I usually go through my goals one by one, but this time let's start with...

THE GOOD

3. Run half marathons in three new states in 2014 - COMPLETE!

I ran three new states this year. Most importantly, I also ran three half marathons that have been on my race bucket list for YEARS: the Indy Mini-Marathon in Indiana, the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Ohio, and the (Half) Marathon to Marathon in Iowa. These were huge races for me -- even if my performances weren't all that great. Having the chance to "kiss the bricks" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- and get choked up just seeing the grandstands -- will be one of my all-time great running memories. In a very different sort of memory, I'll always remember the Marathon to Marathon's race director's pre-race warning: 

"We've had reports of serious storms in the area, and baseball-sized hail elsewhere in the state. Stopping the race for bad weather is entirely my decision. This is Iowa. So if a bus pulls up behind you and tells you to get on...  GET ON."

Three new states = woot!

3 out of 3

0 half marathons

3 half marathons

4. Set a PR in the 5K 10K (?!?) - COMPLETE!!!

PRing in the 5K has been a stretch goal for two years straight… though I didn't actually run any real 5Ks in 2013. At least any 5Ks where I didn't have to climb an obstacle, crawl through mud, avoid zombies, or get doused in color. So imagine my surprise to pick up a PR in the Tinker Bell 10K on 1/18/14 -- a race where we were "taking it easy" because we were running a half marathon the next day. Oops.

Then back in April I missed the 5K turnaround and a new PR at the Oso United Mudslide Benefit 5K. I had given up on hitting this goal this year -- since I didn't have any 5Ks planned -- but then on a November Sunday I rolled out of bed and decided on a whim to drive out to Redmond to run my pal Keely's "Get Your Rear in Gear 5K"… and somehow managed to both PR and break 30 minutes.

A PR in the 10K? A PR in the 5K? And finally breaking 30:00 in the 5K? Result.

6. Blog!

I love writing this blog, even if hardly anyone reads it. But I want to keep writing and try to get more regular with my posting… if only because I love looking back over the blog to see how far I've come as a runner. I'm calling this goal "achieved" because, well, I did blog all year long. More some months than others, of course... However, as my LSF Suz pointed out, I stopped posting about training, and really just started posting race reports, "which isn't as inspiring as following your training". Fair. I guess I just worry that my training (or, ahem, my lack thereof), isn't very interesting. I'll try to address that next year. 

(Also: the fact that I have to call this an achieved goal is a reflection of the fact that I did a very poor job of writing the goal -- it definitely doesn't fit the SMART structure!)

Now... 

THE BAD

2. Run at least 700 miles.

Good lord. This is my lowest annual mileage since we started running, despite running 12 half marathons. Of course, there were several months where the half marathons were the ONLY miles, so I don't know why I am at all surprised. Of course, I'm not surprised that I didn't hit the goal per se... but I AM surprised by how far from the goal I ended up. 

I may not have logged all my runs in Nike+, but I suspect I did. And my total miles? A shocking, shameful, sad 250.1. Last year, 323 miles. 2012, 570 miles. Ouch. 

I could say that this summer we focused more on hiking and climbing stairs rather than running, since we were prepping for the Inca Trail. But that might cause a slight dip, not such a huge drop off. 

Despite supposedly "recommitting" to my goal in early September, where my total mileage was a terrible 160 miles (in 8 full months!), the latter part of the year was almost as bad, where I ran 90 miles in nearly 4 months. 

1/1 - 9/7: 160 running miles (ouch)

31.75%

0 miles 

504 miles!

After "recommitting"
9/8 - 12/31 : 90.1 running miles (sigh)

40.22%

0 miles

224 miles!

In a desperate attempt to think positively, my percentage did go higher... but.

5. Break 2:10 in the half.

Well, I would have loved to break 2:10 in the half. But given how little I ran at all, I should be pleased to have run a single race under 2:20. Maybe in 2015 I'll nurture my mojo a bit more.

Finally...

THE UGLY

1. Run 14 in '14

This was the key goal for the year -- everything else paled in comparison. The idea was that I would run at least 14 miles every week. And I performed MISERABLY. In all of 2014, I managed this task a total of EIGHT TIMES. I don't know what to say. I'm really disappointed in myself. That said, while it's simply a lack of running (duh), the goal was also set up to fail too easily. When I missed the first week, the goal was shot.

So when I finalize next year's goals, I'm going to rejigger this a bit. So stay tuned.

BECAUSE I HATE TO END ON A BAD NOTE

Still, successes and joy outweighed my uneven performance this year. I ran some fun races, wore some great costumes, and -- may I mention it again? MADE IT  IN TO THE RUNDISNEY AVENGERS SUPER HEROES HALF MARATHON VIDEO!!! Yep, the highlight of my racing year is captured in this pixelated screen shot:

Here's to a great 2014... and to an even happier 2015.

2014 running goals

New year, new goals. As I always say to the Brooks email subscribers, goals are better than resolutions. So without further ado, here are my running goals for 2014!

This year I am changing my focus a little bit. Rather than in recent years, when I've run lots of events (or lots of long runs, at least!), my goal will be to run more consistently.

1. Run 14 in '14

This is the key goal for the year -- everything else pales in comparison. I want to run at least 14 miles every week. Not walking, mind you. But every week, simply run 14 miles. I expect that some weeks I'll run more, but I do not want to run less. Weeks start on Mondays and finish on Sundays -- gives me a chance to do a long run to catch up if need be. Also, I'm going to be much choosier about the races I run -- I don't need to run a local half marathon if it isn't something very special. Do I get to run somewhere that I couldn't normally run? Will at least half the proceeds go to a charity I care about? Will I earn a new state? Unless the answer to at least one of these is yes, then I can save the money. ($85 including fees to run a small local race? No thanks.)

Current: 1/1

- 1 -

0 weeks

52 weeks

2. Run at least 700 miles.

The mathematical geniuses who read this blog will spot that this should be a gimme -- after all, if I'm running 14 miles per week, that works out to 728 miles, right? Well, I think of this as an "insurance" goal. Maybe I don't make 14 every single week. But if I do most of the time, and run longer some weeks, well, then I should be able to get 700 miles in 2014. It bears mentioning that this will be the most miles I have ever run in a year, so it's still a lofty goal. But this feels like the year to work on consistency and dedication. So here I go. By the way, week one only had 5 days… and both Wil and I hit 14 miles.

Current: 14.28 miles as of 1/5

2%

0 miles

700 miles!

3. Run half marathons in three new states in 2014. 

Not sure I'll get as much traveling for work in this year, but I am hoping to pick up a new state or two after attending at least one conference, and I'm hoping to be able to travel to one of the Rock 'n' Roll events in the fall -- hello, Philly? I'm lookin' at you. And not just so I can get my "Rocky" on...

Current: 0 new states

0 out of 3

0 half marathons

3 half marathons

4. Set a PR in the 5K.

This was been a stretch goal for two years straight… though I didn't actually run any real 5Ks in 2013. At least any 5Ks where I didn't have to climb an obstacle crawl through mud, avoid zombies, or get doused in color. So this year I'm going to go for it. At least once.

5. Break 2:10 in the half.

Oh, and, well, I would still love to break 2:10 in the half. But I'm not sure that's a "goal" as much as a nice idea...

6. Blog!

I love writing this blog, even if hardly anyone reads it. But I want to keep writing and try to get more regular with my posting… if only because I love looking back over the blog to see how far I've come as a runner.

2013 wrap-up and running goals review

Having finally -- FINALLY -- submitted my annual review at work, I guess I can make the time to write my annual running review!

I didn't run nearly as much as I had hoped in 2013, though I ran 15 half marathons, a full marathon, and a bunch of weird little 5K and adventure races. As a reminder, here's my list of running goals in 2013.

1. Add five new states to my list. 

I am THRILLED to have picked up five new states, bringing my total to 22. It still feels like a very, very long way to go to hit 50! I ran in Virginia and West Virginia after attending the Bronto Summit in April, and then picked up Wisconsin and Illinois on the weekend before Shop.org in September. I also had the chance to work the expo -- and run the half -- at Rock 'n' Roll St. Louis in October.

Current: 5 new states

- 5 -

0 states

5 states

2. Run 13 half marathons in 2013. 

Thirteen in 'Thirteen? Got it, and then some. And I do mean races rather than runs. I'd had hoped to get in a race every month, especially since we found a race in February, but it was difficult to find a non-trail race locally in August. Still, it wasn't pushing it to run 15 halfs by the end of the year.

Current: 15 races

15 out of 13

0 half marathons

13 half marathons

3. Run at least 600 miles.

This was a weird stretch goal for me -- even with all of the half marathons, I didn't hit 600 in 2012.  And I did't end up coming close in 2013, either. The delayed office move to Seattle didn't help -- but I haven't exactly been doing much other running. The eye surgeries... and broken finger... have kept me from running as much as I should have. Well, that and the general laziness!

Current: 386.699 miles as of 12/31

64.45%

0 miles

600 miles!

4. Set a PR in the 5K.

This was the stretch goal. I managed not one but two half marathon PRs in 2012, but I'd like to see if I can't get faster at shorter distances. I suppose I would need to be RUNNING 5Ks in order to PR in a 5K. Harrumph. And I didn't actually run a 5K the entire year, though I did score a 5K PR in more than one of my half marathons (judging by my time at the 5K split). Still, that doesn't count, so let's call this a fail.

5. Break 2:10 in the half.

Oh, and, well, I would have loved to break 2:10 in the half. But I'm not sure that's a "goal" as much as a nice idea...

6. Pay it forward.

I wanted to volunteer at a race -- any distance, I don't care. AND I wanted to spend a morning cheering for strangers at a race that's at least a half marathon. I could use a bit more race karma, I think. Plus I think it will make me feel really happy afterward.

I volunteered at the Good Karma 5K as a course marshall (or whatever it is called when you point people in the right direction!). But I didn't manage to get out to any other half marathon to cheer. So I'll add that back to the list in 2014.

Decem-BURPEE!!!

How can it be December already? Where did 2013 go???
I've got lots off things going on this month -- and I'm feeling excited about getting back into the swing of things -- and jumping into 2014 with the wind at my back. (Perhaps writing while Wil plays Assassin's Creed 4 has injected a bit of nautical-speak into this post...)

Thing 1: it's actually week three of Coach Jenny's Holiday Challenge! In order to keep us all on track during the season of eating (that is, the holidays...), CJ has put together a simple challenge that runs through Sunday, January 5th, 2014. Set a realistic mileage goal -- which is totally up to you, and should reflect what you can realistically achieve during this super-busy time. Besides walking and running mileage, you can add miles for cross-training, too: every 10 minutes of cross-training = 1 mile running. I've been setting my goals pretty conservatively -- and hitting them the past two weeks. But for some reason the hardest part is actually managing to post them on Facebook!!! If you're interested, you can register for the challenge here.







Thing 2: Tomorrow is the beginning of Sync Fitness's "Holiday Hotties" program -- three weeks of unlimited boot camp workouts, food and drink tracking, and prizes, fabulous prizes... We had our kick-off meeting last week -- I'm excited that we'll actually be getting started tomorrow!

My goal is to go to boot camp 10 times over the three weeks -- which isn't a ton, and I'm already giving myself a couple of bonus "sleep in" mornings. Ideally I would go to BC Monday - Thursday, but we'll see how my old body holds up. (Did I mention that I'm only recently not feeling sore after last Wednesday's killer Barre workout???) I know I won't go in the evenings or during the weekends, but I'm not in it to win it. Just in it to get myself back on track.
I think my challenge will be to drink all of my water (80 ounces/day?!?) and to track my food. I'm also going to challenge myself to try at least one new recipe each week. Things high on my list: a quinoa adaptation of one of the rice bakes in my cookbook; spagetti squash; and one of Sara's recipes.
Of course, the other part is just to get back to tracking my food -- I always eat healthier if I remain accountable; getting back to tracking daily will be a great habit to acquire before the new year!
Thing 3: Clearly, I like a structured challenge... so I decided to look for a 30-day challenge to do in December. I'd like to strengthen my marshmallowy core, so this 30-Day Plank Challenge seems like an obvious one to try. Except, of course, that I have a VERY difficult time imagining that I'll be able to go from a 20-second plank on December 1 to a FIVE MINUTE plank on December 31. But who knows, without trying?

30 Day Plank Challenge

Thing 4: Okay, so this is totally not my original idea. But when I was looking for different plank challenges, came across the cleverly named "Planksgiving" -- which was a 30-day plank challenge for November that was featured on the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans site. And then I saw that their December theme challenge was 31 Days of Burpees. Which, instantly in my mind, became Decem-BURPEE. Yeah, dumb, but it STILL makes me giggle, 3 hours later.
So here is their lovely 31 Days of Burpees -- aka Decem-BURPEE challenge calendar... Who's with me???

Races… why can't I quit you?

Having decided to cut down on actual races in 2014 and shift my focus more to consistency than events   (more on that later), I found myself at a bit of a loss when talking to my brother on Thanksgiving. I mean, other than the Tinker Bell 10K and Half Marathon in January, the only other race I actually had on my calendar was Rock 'n' Roll Seattle. Which, well, just didn't seem right.

See, I LOVE running events. I'm crazy about 'em. I love lining up with my fellow runners -- even the annoying ones! -- and having someone else do the planning and logistics. And, of course, I love the medals at the end.

But… but… I shouldn't need the bling to validate my run, right?

Whatever.

December 28, 2013

So I'm jonesing for races…. so much so that yesterday morning, before we left for Portland, I decided
to sign Team Wil-Sun up for the Seattle Locks Fat Ass Half Marathon -- it gets me a December race, will earn me half marathon #15 for 2013 (woot!), and it's free (with a donation…). Perfect!

I also added some proposed races to my 2014 race calendar -- perhaps I'll finally run the million inches?

And, finally, I think I might need to run the 12Ks of Christmas (finally). I mean, that pretty much guarantees it will get snowed out, but… it's the last of the classic Seattle-area fun runs that I haven't done. So it's probably time.