IT'S TIME!

Today is the day, the first MONDAY OF THE YEAR! The day everyone was waiting for to start all their New Years Resolutions.

If you started on the actual first, I salute you, but I know most people (at least in the circles I run in) postponed everything till today ... and I was one of them.

So here we go:

First off, my last post was about a 10 day running hiatus. I didn't run that day but instead foamed rolled the heck out of my back in preparation for a New Years Eve 5 miler the next morning which went very well (considering).

Followed by another 3 day hiatus due to this weather.

Now, I admit, I do not fare well in cold weather. I fled Kentucky at birth because I do not fare well in cold weather. I'm just not used it being that we get a whole 3 days of cold weather a year in Miami.

So the weather is affecting me :( I don't want it too but I decided this morning that today I will over come it!

Then, as if to affirm my convictions, I received a little boost of motivation ... I got my Dailymile 2009 Year End Report


Not bad for my first year ... could have made 900 but I won't cry over spilled milk :)

Regardless it got me all motivated to get moving today ... and then I realized ... We are 27 days out from Marathon day! YIKES! I need to get this plan in motion!

I've penned my resolution list, which is over ambitious as usual but do-able I think:

Resolutions:

HEALTH:

• Run a Marathon - Signed up for 1/31/2009
• Run 1000 Miles in 2010
• Run a sub-30 5k
• Do 10 Races this year
• Complete Martial Arts Training (Currently 3rd Degree Brown Belt, One step off from Black)
• Complete Challenges:
  - 100 Push-Up Challenge
  - 200 Sit-Up Challenge
  - 200 Squat Challenge
  
  

FINANCIAL:

• Pay off all Credit Card Debt
• Create a 3 month Emergency Fund
  

CAREER:

• Start my Masters Program
  
• Do the 4 Hour Work Week Speed Reading Guide
  

KNOWLEDGE:

• Read 40 Books this year (Audio Books Count ;) preferable from The Modern Library's Top 100 List (But for now I will start today with The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown)
  
• Learn 12 New Songs for Guitar/Bass (I'm starting with Seven Nation Army from the White Stripes and Love Song from the Cure on Bass and Mad About You by Sting for Guitar)
  
• Study Italian
  

TRAVEL:

• Go to Georgia
• Go to Cuba or Puerto Rico
• Go to Machu Picchu or Israel (which ever one the family finally decides on :)
  

Now I'm off to warm up and get with my Audio Book Listening.

On Deck for tonight is an Easy 5 Miler to ease me into this year in running :)

Happy First Monday of 2010!

Read My Breakfast and Have Some Blogs

First of all, I wanted to take a moment to Thank all the Veterans for their service to this country!


We are in your debt!

--

So this morning while I was having my breakfast and and catching up on some Blogs, I realized I have a 2 races this weekend.

Firstly, I will be taking part in the Waterford 5k with my co-workers. This a Corporate Type Run which everyone from the businesses in our office complex takes part.

I didn't want to miss it so I figured I would just take it easy and consider it a training run.

BUT, I can't help but set some goals for it.

My C-Goal: Beat last years time of 40:32
I had no excuse. I wasn't pacing with my mom or anyone else for that matter. I was running alone and had done a 36:26 seven months earlier. It was pretty embarrassing actually.

My B-Goal: Beat my current Personal Best of 36:26
I think I can definitely do this.

My A-Goal: Sub-35:00
I think this is possible and it's what I've been doing in my training runs.

My ULTIMATE-GOAL: Sub-30:00
I'm not here quite yet but I will be someday ... it's what I'm shooting for!

I've also been day dreaming about my goals for the 13.1 Fort Lauderdale



It's only 4 days away.

My D-Goal: Beat my training run time of 2:31:52
I think with the addition of adrenaline I will be able to beat this.

My C-Goal: Beat 2:30:00
I think I can definitely do this.

My B-Goal: Hit 2:22:00
I just love that number!

My A-Goal: Hit 2:15:00
That would be Awesome!

My ULTIMATE-GOAL: Sub-2:00:00
Like I said before, I'm not here quite yet but a girl can dream, right? :)

The countdowns continue!

2 days till Waterford 5K Redemption!

4 days till 13.1 Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon Glory!

Wishing everyone a Happy Veteran's Wednesday :)

Strengthing and Goals

Last night's Strength Session was the best I've had in a while. It did take a little longer than I expected, 2:30 hours instead of my usual 2:00 hours but I did add some exercises so I guess it SHOULD have been expected.

Today, the scale and I are not friends.

But my head is on other things.

Today I received an email reminding me that I need to start preparing for NaNoWriMo.

This is the first year I will be able to do it!

I even have an unexpected week off right in the middle of it!

This year if I complete my challenge, I will give myself the Prize of buying some NaNoWriMo Merchandise like this but only if I complete the challenge :)

I will be exchanging this for my Education Goal this quarter and leave the GRE for the Spring. I am making great progress on my quarterly goals which is always motivating.

ARTISTIC: Make an Afghan

ATTITUDE: Make a conscious effort to be more positive.

CAREER:

EDUCATION: Take GRE NANOWRIMO (November)

FAMILY: Reconnect with my Cousins

FINANCIAL:

• Pay off Small Credit Card
• Create an Emergency Savings Plan

PHYSICAL:

• Oct - Run 100; Bike 10; Cross 12
• Nov - Run 120; Bike 15; Cross 12
• Dec - Run 140; Bike 20; Cross 12
• Run a Sub 10 Minute Mile DONE
  
• Run a Sub 33 5K
  

PUBLIC SERVICE:

I still need a Public Service Goal and Career Goal for this quarter but I'm sure they will come to me :)

Happy Wednesday!

500 MILES

As of last night's run I have logged 501 miles, crossing off one of my Goals for 2009. But being that I have another 463 miles scheduled in my running plan over the next 3 and a half months I am thinking about shooting for the lofty 1000 mile goal!

Here's to shooting for the stars and landing among the clouds!

August in Review

Can you believe we are already at the end of August?

The weeks and months are moving fast.

I am pleased to report I have accomplished some running improvement over the last month and especially over the last two weeks where I seem to have hit it into OVERDRIVE. I have even been able to check off one of my time goals: Pass the Army PFT Run (Run 2 miles in under 20:30 or avg 5.85 MPH). My next time goal is a sub-30 min 5k (avg 6.2 MPH).
I've been challenged (on the Daily Mile) to run 80 miles in the month of September and I have accepted the challenge :)

In Review - Week of August 24th:

Half Marathon Training Week 1 of 12:

WORKOUT DISTANCE AVG Speed TIMES

On the Run 15.4 Miles 5.48 4

On the Bike 0 Miles N/A 0

In The Water 0 Meters N/A 0


Total Workout Time: 2:49:54

In Review - Month of August:

WORKOUT DISTANCE AVG Speed TIMES

On the Run 74.56 Miles 5.04 18

On the Bike 0 Miles N/A 0

In The Water 0 Meters N/A 0


Total Workout Time: 14:53:48

On deck for this evening:
Make up of yesterday's 6 Mile run.

I've really got to work on my weekend work outs. I haven't figured out how to get them in there. I feel so lazy on weekends and it always gets the week started on the wrong foot with me suffering from the I-was-lazy-blues! Also, I haven't been doing my strength training and I'm feeling it. Need to get back on the strength wagon ;}

Hope everyone is having a happy Monday!

Thankfully Thursday

I'm telling you Thursday could not have come at a better time. I am quite thankful that the weekend is starting to rear it's head and I am quite happy that my running schedule has been spot on.

Yesterday, I did my planned 6 miler. Nothing extraordinary on time ( 1:13:10 ). I ran at my average pace when I run on my own but I did surprise myself that I didn't take many walking breaks (less than yesterday's 3 miler) and I managed to keep my pace pretty consistent through the whole thing. Not terrible for the additional distance considering I haven't done a 6 miler since I trained for the 7 Mile Bridge :)

When I got home I had a one cup of milk with some sugar-free chocolate syrup and got my stretching done and then drank some water to re-hydrate. But time passed and I just wasn't hungry. Being that my runs are in the evening this is quite an inconvenience. I'm not sure what to do. Should I get a protein meal replacement type so I can just have my glass of milk and be done with it? Or is that bad?

Anyway, after I got home, I was greeted by Mr. Boyfriend and he noted that he crossed off one of my To-Dos from my task list on Google ... it was: Learn to Ride a Bike. I hadn't realized it (and I have a long way to go yet) but I did learn. It made me extra happy (like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae).

I've got alot to be thankful for!

Wishing you a thankful day!

2009 Mid Year Review

Well, today is the exact day in the middle of the year.

There are 181 days behind us and 181 days before us in this fine year of 2009.

So I've decided to do a re-cap of my goals and see how I've been doing:

Health:

• Run the 7 Mile Bridge Done April 25th ... set a PR too.
  
• Run a sub-35 5k
• Run a Half-Marathon
• Pass the A.P.F.T.
  • 17 Push-Up: I can do it!
    
  • 45 Sit-Up: Working on it!
    
  • 2 Mile in 20:30 min: Almost there!
    
• Pass the FBI P.F.T.
• 22 Push-Up
• 300 Meters in 60 sec
  
• 50 Sit-Up
  
• 1.5 Mile in 12:59 min

Financial:

• Decrease Liability by $5,000 - Very close!
• Pay off Blue Credit Card Completely - Very close!
  
• Start an Emergency Fund and save enough to cover 3 months of bills
  

Career:

• Do the best work that I can
• Merit a raise
• Figure out if I want to go back to school
  

Relationships:

• Love my friends/loved ones unconditionally
• Be more social

Knowledge:

• Learn to ride a Bicycle
• Practice/Learn to Swimming
  
• Study C#
  

Spiritual:

• Read one motivational book a month (or Audio Book) - Been keeping up with this one
  
• Make an effort to be more positive - Been trying and it's been changing my perspective :)
  

Travel:

• Go to Saint Petersberg, FL Done - January
  
• Go to Austin, TXDone - March
• Go to New Orleans, LA Done - May
• Go on a Trip for Thanksgiving or Christmas (not sure where yet ... maybe New York at Christmas! :)
  

Exploratory:

• Do a Photo shoot See it Here
  
• Record 3 live songs Hear it Here
  
• Play at a Live Venue

Not bad ... but still got a lot to do and plan for!

Have a great day!