Here we are again at the beginning of a new year. I’ve been mulling over my goals for 2016 for a while. Last year, Shoo threw a wild card into my life by making a travel soccer team. This has made racing a lot more difficult and travel out of the area complicated. I’d like to say I’ve figured out how to balance it with my running, but I’ve already booked a race on a tournament weekend for 2016. Ugh.
So, without further whining, I’m joining Marcia and Patty and sharing my goals.
Running
- Finish 7 half marathons in 7 days. I have now run three Mainly Marathons series: Center of the Nation Series in 2015, Riverboat Series in 2014 and the Dust Bowl Series in 2013. CON was 6 states in 6 days. Why not up the ante one more time? This year Beer Geek and I will be heading to the New England Series. (Actually, I’m only doing the 7th state because they give you a special medal for finishing an entire series. Priorities.)
- Run my first ultra. Yep, I’m going over to the dark side. My plan at this point is Across the Years in December where I’ll see how many miles I can run in 24 hours. I make no promises that I won’t find one to do before then…
- Pick up the pace. I have really slowed down in the last few years. I don’t know if I can get back down to a sub-2 half, but I’ll be spending the first few months of the year trying to push the pace again.
- Moon up in Half Fanatics. This is really iffy. To get to Mercury, I need 23 half marathons in 23 states in 365 days. I’ve got 7 already (CON + RW) and I’ll get 7 more at NE. That leaves me with 10 states. 3 are easy (MD, DC, VA), 3 are relatively easy (WI, WV, MI) and that leaves me with 3 more to figure out. I’m torn on whether it is really worth the time and money investment for basically nothing but bragging rights (and only a small number of people actually care.) And I’d kind of like to do another Ragnar or other relay race and I can’t really justify both.
Fitness/Physical Health
- Continue to try new things in the kitchen. My “Cooking with Beer” series will help me with this, but I also want to get less meat centric. We’ll see how that goes.
- Figure out how to use the weight machines in the gym. I’ve joined (and am good at using the cardio machines), but I need to actually figure out the weight machines as I used to enjoy those more than free weights. Oh, and then use them at least once a week.
- Drink more water. ‘Nuff said.
Work
- Follow through on my new work schedule. I’ve set it up to have one full day off to run errands and such. Now I need to actually get my work done on my work days.
- Blog/use social media more efficiently. I often get sidetracked. I’ll go to find one link and end up wasting 20 minutes on one of the platforms. While I realize that social media is important, as is being engaged with my readers and other bloggers, I need to figure out how to set parameters and find some balance.
Personal
- Do something social at least twice a month on my free days. It can be a run, coffee, lunch, whatever – I just need to get out of my house and out of my head on occasion.
- Take a trip with Beer Geek. New England Series here we come!
- Read more but not binge read. I love books and I tend to not put down a good book once I start. I need to get better about putting down a book and going to bed. I also need to occasionally read books that do more than entertain.
- Make a master To Do list. I’m carrying a lot in my head. I need to just get it down on paper and start knocking off things bit by bit. I use a daily to do list and generally get 80-90% done each day, so I think have a master to work off of would be useful.
- Get more sleep. Said every mom everywhere.
So, May will be Epic and December will be Epic. Now I just need to figure out what else I’ll be doing with myself… How about you? What are your goals for the year?
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Love your goals! 7 half marathons in 7 days sounds amazing! And I’d really like to do a Ragnar, but I’m not sure if there’ll be enough time this year. I look forward to seeing how it all shapes up – and ooh, cooking with beer sounds great!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…New Year’s Resolutions for 2016
You are so beastmode. I want to run 7 halfs in 7 days! Why are we runners so crazy?
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Christmas Gifts for a Running Coach aka Running Books
Get healed already so you can join me for a series!
Wow, great goals! The Across the Years race sounds really interesting. One of my Oiselle teammates did the 6 day race there this year! Running for 24 hours sounds like a good challenge.
Best of luck this year!
Leana recently posted…Goals for 2016
Yeah, the 6 days is crazy. Just sayin’
I’m with you on balance. I need more in my life. That’s a great goal to set!
Looking forward to more of your crazy running!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…It’s a wrap!
Balance pretty much is an every single day struggle for me. It’s like my #wycwyc of personal life.
I am so impressed that you are doing an ultra, wow! Maybe someday 🙂
Wendy @ Wholistic Woman recently posted…These Tools Make Meal Planning A Breeze
Yeah, well, wait to see how it goes before you are impressed…
Wow. You are one crazy runner! With an understanding husband!
I’d love to meet you in New Paltz but I will be Florida on vacation then 🙁
Good luck with your goals.
Happy New Year.
Darlene recently posted…TOTR: 2016 – The Year of No Goals
Bummer! You’ll just have to come race in DC sometime.
For weight lifting, I’ve been using a program called Crush60 (crushfit.com – 25% off until the 8th). In the traditional program, it has little illustrations for each of the exercises, and straight from the workout PDF you can click a link and it will open a YouTube demonstration of the workout, done by the creator of Crush! It’s helped me SO much in starting to lift in general, and doing so confidently!
That sound really cool. I’ll need to check that out today.
These all sound like great goals. I love reading, but an hour lunch break limits me during the day, then I limit myself to an hour at night to help me unwind. That does help me not speed through a book, but sometimes I finish it quickly, even with the limits I set.
Lesley recently posted…2016 Goals
I break the limits regularly. So then I don’t read for a while, then I binge again. It’s a vicious circle…
Wow, doing an ultra is big news! My sister will have her review of her first ultra up on the blog tomorrow. You should stop by and check it out.
I like how you included some personal (non running) goals too! Best of luck in 2016!
I’ll have to check that out. This one is a timed ultra on a short loop, so it’s lower commitment than if I were running 100 miles around a mountain…
Awesome goals!!
Running-wowswes- 7 half in 7 days, an ultra and Moon up..! What the what!! Get it girl!
Health and Fitness: I need more reative juices in the kitchen-i hope you share some of your experiences 🙂 Uuugh weight machines. I Have water bottles everywhere so I can get the H2o in.
Personal:
Sounds good-especially the reading. I tend to do that too!
Good luck with your goals-I am excited to follow along to see your success!
Yipee 2016!
Well, the 7 in 7 is the reason I’m going for a new moon. Why waste a series LOL?
Cooking with Beer sounds fun! I definitely need to work on getting out of my cooking rut. I love to cook but get too busy to try new things because they seem to require more mental effort. We should all adopt your get more sleep goal (ha!) and all of these things would seem easier. 🙂 Here’s to a great 2016!
Jessica S recently posted…2016 Running & Fitness Goals
I love to play around with recipes, but don’t do it often. This series will get me to make the time.
Yes! New England Series here we come (well, for 2 days of your 7 anyways). This is going to be fun!
I also wonder if you can get your speed back in the same year you do an ultra. It will be fun to see what you can pull off. For me #allthemiles does not equal #allthespeed.
Kim @ (Just) Trying recently posted…Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon (or) How Much Fun is that Other Portland?
You should come for longer! And I won’t be concentrating on distance until the fall. Right now it’s about speeding things up.
Yay for coming to New England! When is the race series and will you be any where in the Boston area – it would be fun to finally meet up!
Michelle @ Running with Attitude recently posted…One Word and Goals for 2016
I’ll be in ME in mid may for my next half (if I can’t talk my husband into one before then).
I’m hoping to get a bit more organized with blogging, social media, etc. It’s hard! I don’t know how people with “real” jobs do it.
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Bill Hogan 3.5 mile Race Recap 1/1/16
You should do the Mainly Marathons race – it’s about that same time.
Except the ME half wraps up New England for me!
But I missed the reference to New Paltz? We go to Poughkeepsie often (my parents & sister live there).
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…5 Reasons I am not doing a detox
Which ME half are you doing? One of the Mainly Marathons races is a Maine race. New Paltz is the New York race and the last race in the series – it’s on May 21 I think.
My computer was acting up so I didn’t have a chance to finish my “non fitness goals” part of the post I wanted to write…but I definitely like the book one- I need to read more and I tend to binge read series I’ve already read (like reading Harry Potter for the seven millionth time). I also like the one about getting out and being social- with work and my training, I sometimes forget my non-running friends exist!
Sometimes I get so busy at home that I don’t even see my running friends. I’m working on that aspect.
I like your “read, but not too much” goal. I find it important to my wellbeing to read, but can have it also take up TOO MUCH TIME and energy if it’s a book I can’t put down. Good luck with that goal!
Lauren @ Lauren Runs recently posted…Do You Do Goals, or Themes for 2016?
I always lose out on sleep if I get sucked into a book. I like to read before bed, but it’s generally a bad idea for me.
So many great goals here! How fun to do those Half Marathon series. I can’t wait to ready about your NE one! Will you be running in NH! Can’t wait to read how it all plays out!
Sandra Laflamme recently posted…Best Books to Inspire You to Swim, Bike and Run!
Yes, I’ll be hitting all of the New England states – come join me!
Id so so so love to run with you someday!
So much so Id actually RUN and not wog if thats what it takes 🙂
CARLA recently posted…3 feelings I desire for 2016.
I’d wog with you any day!
I already thought you were pretty bad ass for your participation in the Mainly Marathons series, but 7 in 7 days?!? You’ll be even more bad ass than you already are!
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…Why Marathon Weekend Means So Much to Me
I never feel badass when I’m there – too many truly badass people there. I’m small potatoes there.
I feel like we’re twins here (except for all that ultrarunning stuff). Found myself nodding in agreement at so many of these. The social media balance is tough and I can get very distracted when I’m supposed to be at work. And me, the former extreme type A list maker is also running around with stuff in my head without any comprehensive organization system. Maybe I need to buy a good old franklin planner, lol.
Kelli recently posted…Indoor Training and Photo Editing
I have to write things down – which means that it’s messy and disorganized – but somehow creating a google doc or spreadsheet just doesn’t do it for me LOL.
Your running goals are amazing (not to mention intimidating!). I have been contemplating on running 6-day Across the Years this year. I’m still working out my schedule though because I gonna have to put a lot of time in building up my strength, endurance, and speed if I’m going to finish 🙂