2014 Goals

I like goals instead of resolutions. Resolutions are hard for this Type-A person. Saying “I will strength train more” doesn’t do me much good. How much is more? What does strength training mean? Goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound (SMART).

So here we go.

My 2014 goals are broken down into running related and non-running related. I have some other personal and professional goals that I won’t share here.

Running

1) Qualify for the 2015 Boston Marathon by running 3:34:59 or faster before September 2014. Round 2. Let’s do this!

2) Run a Sub 1:40 half marathon. I haven’t trained for a half marathon in years. The half marathon was either been a lead up to a marathon or a “fun run” but never a standalone race in 2012 and 2013. Given that the Boston Marathon qualification happens early in the year, I’ll set my sights on quality half marathon training for a goal race. If Boston doesn’t happen in Phoenix, this goal can be achieved in route to the next marathon. Right now my PR for the half marathon is 1:42:48 and I know with focused training I can achieve this!

3) Run my first (solo) trail race. Ragnar Trail Vail Lake was my first trail race but it wasn’t traditional. In 2014 I’d love to get back on the trails and see what I’m made of racing on them.

I have other ideas of things I’d like to do in 2014 but they aren’t goals. Things like do an Olympic distance triathlon, improve my 5k PR and maybe run a 50k trail race. But these aren’t things that I’m ready to set as goals yet so they won’t be added to the list. In fact, I wouldn’t’ actually train to PR at the 5k so it’s not a goal – if anything I’d just squeeze a 5k into training for something else and probably PR. That’s not a goal. First things first, achieve the above, particularly #1.

Health

1) Ban social media and e-mail from the bedroom. In an attempt to cut back on social media and also prevent my husband from leaving me, I will not be bringing my iPhone into the bedroom for anything other than the charger and the alarm. We don’t have a TV in our room so this leaves the bedroom completely technology free.

2) Drink less alcohol while training for goal races. In December I let alcohol interfere with my marathon training due to parties and holiday celebrations. My goal of qualifying for Boston is more important than booze. In the next 9 weeks leading up to Phoenix, I won’t be casually drinking anything outside of 1-2 drinks at a social gathering (and maybe not even all of those) and NO drinks the night before a key workout or long run. I will apply this same philosophy to any other goal races in 2014. I’ve toyed with completely giving it up pre-race but not enough to make that a goal for now!

3) Get back to a largely plant based diet (and enjoy exceptions in moderation). Although I am still largely vegetarian and cook mostly vegan, the cheese, eggs and sweets consumption as of late has been excessive. Whole, plant-based foods make me feel best and it’s time to back away from the goat cheese. This is about moderation, but as of late there hasn’t been enough of it.

4) Learn more about meditation and visualization and use these tactics to achieve running goals (#1 & #2 above), banish negative self-talk and reduce stress. In the last year my view of crunchy granola practices of yoga, visualization and meditation have shifted from things I wasn’t sure I believed in to things that I believe can work. Now I need to shift into actually doing these things. I learned in 2013 that my thoughts and emotions can really impact my races and it’s time to control that. I have been working on it a bit lately but I’d like to do more research on medication and visualization and begin incorporating it into my life.

Cheers to a successful 2014!

What goals are on your list for 2014? Do we share any?