Small Goals Not Big Resolutions

I don't make resolutions. Making year long goals just begs to be failed (for me). That's the quickest way for me to hit one bump in the road and say well, it was a nice idea, and then never try again. I like setting much smaller scale goals. Last Oct I just wanted to start running again, and maybe lose some weight with it. So that's what I did. Then in Jan I thought, maybe I should add in some weights, so I did. Then sometime in Feb I got really really sick with the worst case of bronchitis I've probably ever had and was grounded from walking, running, lifting.....breathing. I had pulled rib muscles and I couldn't do anything.

By May I was finally able to walk again and run just a little. So I started over. Then I signed up for my first OldGuyRunning challenge on instagram and started following a 10k training plan just to help give me some direction. I wanted to get faster and run longer. So each month I set new goals with a bigger goal in mind at the end of the quarter. Nothing super major long term. Small things that added up to big things. In the end I've lost some weight. Not as much as I would've liked, but I still don't eat super great all the time and I'm sure that has a lot to do with it, but I'm very happy with where I'm at. I've gotten faster and I can, so far at this point, run 14 consecutive miles.

I've done more for myself in 2014 than I have any other year! I'm healthier, more fit, and happy. I still won't make New Year resolutions. It's just not for me. I do have one long term goal in mind, but like everything else, I'll just take it a month at a time. Already I've changed my mind several times about what kind of fitness goals I want to work on in the next couple months. Here's where I'm at so far.

The Phoenix half marathon is February 28th, and a sweet sweet friend has paid my fee! I'm still just floored about it. This has made a huge impact on me. I was working on a half marathon training plan. I'm 7 weeks into it, but the mileage is so high, it's taking a toll on my legs and body. The one thing I've learned over the past year is how to listen to my body and make adjustments as needed. So I was going to scrap some of the plan and change it up. Add in weights and more crosstraining, slow down a run or two and cut out one speed work workout.

Then as I was looking over the Startline Racing schedule and which race to sign up for with my free entry I won in the summer, I noticed a full marathon in there. After some deliberation, talking it over with a friend, studying the full marathon plan, I think I'm gonna go for it. I'm going to sign up for a full marathon for April 4th!! The mileage is much more manageable, and I can put my crosstraining in nicely. I was running so much better when I was lifting, so I'm thinking I can still hit my half marathon goal time and enjoy running a marathon as well.

This year is going to be a good one because how could it not be. I have ideas for where I'd like to go fitness wise, but will leave room to make adjustments as I see fit. If something isn't working for me, I'll change it. I'd love to become an ambassador for a couple other programs and look forward to becoming a more active ambassador in the programs I'm already a part of.

I have several other goals; spirituality, to read my scriptures daily, something I've never done before. Also reread conference talks. Personal, spend more quality time with my children and husband. I've only got a short time with them realistically, on this earth, I need to make it count. Get some other things organized here at home. Make a decision as to whether or not I'll go back to work after this school year is over. See if it's a possibility at all to make it out to Indiana to meet my sweet IR4 buddy, Jaylee. Professional, where to go if I decide to continue to work. How to help my husband achieve his work goals......

So, lots of things on my radar. I'll take it a day at a time, readjust as I see fit. I've grown so much in 2014, I'm excited to see where I can take myself in 2015. First up, make it to Feb 28th!

Miles With Meaning

12 miles this morning. The longest I've ever run. Ever. It was not easy. I woke up with a headache and it took me 45 minutes to finally drag myself out of bed. I knew I'd be ticked at myself later for not doing this, and I had two little people on my mind who I promised miles to.

I got dressed and dragged myself out the door. I was punished by not being in a good spot to capture this morning's sunrise better, but I did at least get to see it and it was beautiful.

My first mile I was so stiff and sore. Everything just ached. My legs, my knees, my calves, my head. I managed to make it down the road and into the second mile. About halfway through that second mile I finally stopped and walked for a bit. I needed to refocus my run. I needed to stop looking at my Garmin  and forcing my body to do something it just seemed to not be able to do this morning. I decided to just allow my body to run the way it needed to. I decided the distance was more important than the pace today. I needed to put my thoughts on the two little people it needed to be on, and I started to plug away again. Mile 2 was much slower than it "should've" been, but I did it. Then all of a sudden mile 3 was done. Then mile 4, all slower than the called for plan. But my mind was where it needed to be.

Today, December 6th, is my sweet nephew's birthday. He returned home to heaven unexpectedly at the age of 16 months. He would be 4 today. I miss his little mug so much. I miss having giggly pictures sent to me from my sister. I miss that I don't get to see him grow up. He lived in a different state, so I didn't see him much besides pictures, but I loved them and him. My second favorite job from being a mom, is being an Auntie. I LOVE my nieces and nephews and I LOVE him. I thought of him during my run and I hit my stride during those thoughts and all of a sudden I didn't feel the run anymore. I knew I was moving forward, but I wasn't focused on it anymore. My body was doing what my mind was allowing it to do, running the way it knew how.

My thoughts moved to my cute buddy Jaylee who I've talked about in previous posts on here. Running is hard work. Keeping pace is even harder work sometimes, but in perspective, it's nothing compared to the fight this little girl has fought in her short life so far. When I think of her I cannot help but smile. She is the happiest little girl I know. Right about then I hit the part of my run that was supposed to be faster. I remembered her mommy said she loves the wind in her hair. Well, I run with a Lego version of Jaylee in my pockets, pouches or whatever I have as storage that day on me. I thought of that and picked up my pace so Lego Jaylee could "feel" the wind in her "hair". This seems like a silly thing, I know, but it helps.

The last two miles were still a struggle, but I wanted to finish strong. I knew I could. I knew I had it in me. So I pushed. When I finished I couldn't believe I had just run 12 miles. More successfully than some of my shorter runs. Did I hit each pace split I was "supposed" to, no. But more importantly I listened to my body, I allowed myself to run the way I needed to. And even more importantly than that, I made those miles happen for two sweet babes. And in turn, allowing myself to focus on someone other than myself I was rewarded with a great run.

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go....some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts and we are forever changed." I am the luckiest girl in the world because so many have changed the direction I have taken my life. I was grateful to spend 12 miles thinking of two of those people who've changed my life forever.