Some of you might remember that last year on New Year’s Day I ran a 5k on beautiful West Cliff Drive with Devon.
I had been working towards it and even though I felt sluggish and undertrained I came away with a time of 31:53 (though I later learned I rain .1 miles to far so my time was probably closer to 30:53). I remember very clearly thinking to myself that I hoped that one year from now I would be able to do about the same thing.
I liked the idea of an annual new year’s day 3.1 mile run as a sort of personal fitness marker.
As I dug back through my January of 2012 archives looking for my goals and resolutions post so I could update you on my progress I realized I didn’t have one. Is that possible?
I had one other goal I remembered which was to wear sunblock every day and I did pretty well with that one. I hate smearing stuff on my face and wanted one that wouldn’t make me break out and didn’t contain any oxybenzone. I settled on this one and haven’t looked back.
On New Year’s day this year I was feeling a bit sluggish and undertrained again (I imagine this will likely be a new year’s day theme…) and decided to blow off my run.
Then I decided to suit up, eat a banana, drink a glass of water and see how I felt. Before I knew it I was in the car driving to the fire trail in the redwoods.
It was slow going and I didn’t feel great, but I plodded along without checking my pace or time just enjoying the cool crisp air and shade. A nice bonus of winter is that the ground is wet so there’s not dust when cars drive by. The little things right?
I so wanted to end this post by triumphantly telling you I beat my time from last year, but no such luck.
I finished in 34:00 exactly. That’s a pace of a little over 11 mins/ mile. Oof. I’ve got some work to do if I’m going to beat my 30 minute goal for the races I have planned in February and March. I was simultaneously proud of myself for finishing and wishing I had pushed harder in the beginning as I was taking my sweet time.
I also wished I had a rabbit with me to help push my pace a bit. (Not an actual rabbit, that would have slowed me down considerably. Have you ever walked a rabbit on a leash? I have. It’s slow going). Had Devon or Anna been there I would have gone way faster.
So without further ado, I do have a couple of health and fitness goals for the upcoming year.
1. Finally break my 30 minute goal in an actual 5k race. Why on earth did I let 2012 go by without signing up for a 5k? I did run Wharf to Wharf and it was awesome and then I just never signed up again.
2. Increase my strength training again and continue with regular Pilates. I have fallen so off the strength training wagon this year in favor of running short distances and Pilates and my legs and arms are feeling a bit floppy. Strength training boosts your metabolism and makes you look better naked and who doesn’t want both of those?
3. Lose ten pounds. Yup, a weight loss goal. Weight loss resolutions are a bit cliché and I tend to avoid weight loss goals because they put the pressure on and sometimes make me flounder and start gaining. But I’m feeling like this is doable and that posting it will help with accountability. I hope to start 2014 ten pounds less than I started 2013.
That’s it this year. Simple, straightforward, achievable.
What about you? Any resolutions or goals this year?
Yep… kind of have goals. Mike and I are eating back in the Zone, as of yesterday! That’s one total day of good eating. I packed up all the candy and baked goods from Christmas and sent them to work with Mike (let his co-workers get fat) and planned a decent Zone dinner. It was a strange one, though, as I thought I thawed chicken breasts and planned the sides around that… but it was Talapia I thawed… oh well, it was tasty and healthy and Mike didn’t complain.
Oh, one huge goal is to use up the last of my flavored creamer and return to using only half and half with my morning brew. That’s a big sacrifice, but I think I can manage it.
Every time I decide on a figure… that’s a weight loss figure… I fail miserably. In fact I was going to lost 15 lbs. before we took our Dec. cruise. Today I actually gained weight over the past month and have to lose 20 lbs. to reach that faraway goal. So, I’m not going to name a pound goal… although it’s still in my head, just not coming out my mouth. *S*
Good luck with your 2013 goals!
And….. thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas Gift… it gives us something to look forward to!!! (when we can afford the calories… just kidding)
Hahaha! I’m such a planner that finding out I had Tipalia when I planned for chicken would totally throw off my game!
That’s a great goal about creamer, I’m feeling like I should probably cut myself off diet coke completely…
I know! The same thing tends to happen to me when I name goals, that’s why I was worried about it! Oh well, We’ll see:)
You’re so welcome, I’m so glad you guys liked it:)
I have been thinking about last years accomplishments and this years goals as well. If I am asked about how often I bike ride, I usually say about 3 times a week. And in my head, that is what I think. Well in January of last year I got the Strava app that records each ride and keeps track of them. So I looked at all of last year and in fact I rode 1.3 times per week. Now to be fair there were a couple of months that we were gone and only got 2 rides in for the month but still it was a lower number than I thought. So this year, I want to get that 104th ride in before New Year’s Eve. That would be an yearly average of 2 per week. And yes I do know that it still isnt 3 rides a week but it is above 1.3. On the brighter side, it is 2013 and I was on my bike at Five Corners on Wednesday. Always makes me feel good to be up there after either a birthday or a new year.
Happy New Year sweetheart and good luck with all your goals for this year.
Dad, that is such a perfect example of how tracking can give us more insight into what we’re actually doing! I find I often say I work out 4-5 days a week, but often times it seems to be more like three. That is an awesome New Years goal, can’t wait to hear how it goes! I’d love to get out on a bike with you and check out your favorite spot. Happy new year and good luck to you too:)
Hi Megsy! Happy New Year (a bit late). I missed you and our tradition of eating delicious food, going to bed at 10:30 and waking up to run along West Cliff on New Year’s Day. Jordan was wonderful though–we spent New Year’s day floating on the Dead Sea instead.
Miss you loads–check your phone! Tom and I are visiting soon-ish. I want you to meet him. xoxo
What a cool way to spend New Years! Yeah we were forced to eat delicious foods and go to bed at a reasonable hour without you! I checked my phone, let me give it a 99% for now!!