In a very few months, I’ll be celebrating my 9th year of writing this blog. NINE YEARS! What?? Also in 2017, I will run my 10,000th *recorded* mile. (Yeah, I know I took some months off here and there where I didn’t record my runs.) It’s hard to believe that when I started, I’d never run a race longer than a 10 miler. Wrap your heads around that. Another big milestone in 2017? ZOOMA Annapolis (where I ran my very first half) will be celebrating 10 years. As a 2017 ambassador, I will be there, probably running my 70th half marathon. But enough about upcoming things, today’s Tuesdays on the Run topic is “Wrapping up your year”, so I’m going to look back at my goals from 2016 and see how I fared.
Running
- Finish 7 half marathons in 7 days. Boom. Done.
- Run my first ultra. Nope. I didn’t even try. Probably not next year either.
- Pick up the pace. Nope. I love a long slow run and running races as training runs. I barely pushed the pace all year round.
- Moon up in Half Fanatics. Boom. I hit Mercury with 23 half marathons in 23 states in fewer than 365 days.
Fitness/Physical Health
- Continue to try new things in the kitchen. Cooking with DuClaw really upped my game on this. I need to take it up a notch again in the new year.
- Figure out how to use the weight machines in the gym. I sort of succeeded. But now I’m dumping my gym membership, so I need to figure out workouts at home.
- Drink more water. I had my good and bad days.
Work
- Follow through on my new work schedule. I’d say I earned a B+ on this one. I had weeks where it worked great and others where I found myself all over the place with my work schedule.
- Blog/use social media more efficiently. I admit, I lost some motivation on this. I still struggle with wasting time on Facebook and not actually posting on any social media. I’ll be taking a hard look at this next year.
Personal
- Do something social at least twice a month on my free days. I was doing pretty good on this, but lately I’ve been working at least one shift a week at the library. This is a different type of being social than I planned, but I’m really enjoying dipping my toe back into that water. I’ve also regularly run with some social running groups and followed that up with beer. Win!
- Take a trip with Beer Geek. We had a great time at the New England Series in the spring. We also got away for a weekend in August. I’m really feeling the need for a trip away again soon, but that may not happen again until late spring.
- Read more but not binge read. Still going in fits and starts. I have a hard time putting a good book down.
- Make a master To Do list. I started a Bullet Journal in the fall. I love love love this thing. I’ve been a bit of a slacker this month, but plan to get back to using it better again in the new year. I like it so much, I might even buy a pretty journal for 2017. (That does not, however, mean my actual journal is super creative and pretty.
- Get more sleep. I’ve had this goal since Jones was born LOL. Sometimes I actually do well with it. Most of the time I don’t…
All in all, I’d say that 2016 was a B+ year. I wish I’d done a better job of cross training as I’m feeling a bit “mid-40s” lately. I need to build more muscles plus my body is a bit cranky from all the mileage. I’ve started mulling over what I want to try to achieve and what my long term goals are, but I’m not ready to commit to anything yet.
How was your 2016? Did you hit your goals? If not, did you re-evaluate and find new goals? What was the highlight of your year?
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Wow! Way to go on your miles and with the blog! That’s awesome. I had some of the same goals- more water, less Facebook, lol! Here’s to 2017!
Facebook is a killer for me. I may have to go cold turkey on it.
Sounds to me like you had a pretty good year. Lots of accomplishments in there. And I think life is all about balance anyway, managing what it throws at us, and going with the flow. Sounds like you did that just fine.
It was definitely a good year. 2017 will be different, but hopefully fun as well.
I am in awe of your accomplishments! 10,000 miles? That’s amazing! 70 half marathons? I’ve never totaled mine…and then there’s the fact that I’ve been running since before the dawn of the Garmin.
Looking forward to another year following you. Maybe 2017 will be the year we meet up in Madison!
Those are only the miles I’ve totaled since I started this blog. I have no idea how many I ran before that.
23 half marathons in 23 different states…all within 365 days? Say what???? Somehow, I totally missed that “little” accomplishment…WOW! Congrats! Like you, I need more sleep (though I have not been spending my wake time running 23 half marathons in 23 different states…LOL)
Yeah, it was a little intense. I’m glad it’s over.
10,000 miles! Wow!! Sounds like 2016 was a very good year. 🙂 Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2017 is as successful!
Thanks! Hope you have an awesome 2017!
You always amaze me with how you fit it all in. We are going to have to really celebrate your 70th half at Zooma! Can’t wait 🙂
If you saw the disaster area that is my house and how little sleep I get, you wouldn’t be amazed LOL.
Wow. What a year!! You are amazing!
I started blogging in 2008 too. Time flies.
Coming back to NY this year?
Probably not. I need to conserve $$ and hit new states. No more crazy number of races in a row.
Wow Erika! You have some serious mileage under your belt!! Quite impressive! Having quite frequent running injuries, I am the Queen of cross training (no choice in the matter) but I do love to the hit the gym for some weight training …and unfortunately, as I’m approaching 50, I’m finding that it is even more important to hit those weights than ever before (combatting saggy skin is serious business!) 🙂 Congratulations on a great 2016!
I’m approaching 50 as well, so I really need to get on the cross training. I just don’t love it the way I love running.
I waste FAR too much time on Facebook. It’s a life-suck. I hope to learn your secrets to staying focused on there once you figure them out. For me it’s a lost cause.
Looks like you had a pretty great year overall. And it sounds like 2017 is already shaping up to be pretty amazing!
I think the only answer may be to change my password and log out. I need to make it difficult to get in.
You did amazing! It’s always so fun to look back at the year and see our accomplishments!
I love that you got through 23 states! I am looking to Run 50, so this is especially cool to me!
Pretty sure that number of states was a one time thing. LOL. Looking to do 4-8 in 2017.
that is a lot of blogging and running it’s been great connecting with you!
Yeah, I’ve been hanging in this space for a lot of years now.
10,000th mile….holy moly girl!!! That is amazing!!
2016 was a great your for you…B+ is not too shabby!! Way to go!!
2017 sounds like it will be pretty amazing too!
I still have about 900 miles to 10,000. Just wish I’d tracked every mile LOL.
This has been a super amazing year for so many of us. I am still so dang impressed with your ability to do 7 halfs in 7 days.
I’m so there about waisting tine on Fb. I’ve got to come up with more efficient blogging tactics.
I need to just log out of Facebook on my computer. It’s just too tempting to me.
10,000 miles?!? That’s incredible! Do you have any big plans to celebrate this big milestone?
I’ll probably post on Facebook. LOL
There were probably 3 highlights for my year: our trip to Sedona (and that difficult AZ half); seeing Bandit come mostly around; and crushing my half PR with friends in FL. Almost all involve running, LOL (since I run with Bandit sometimes).
I think my year was a solid C. Could’ve been worse, but definitely could’ve been better, too. A B+ sounds really good!
That FL race sounded so fun. Hope 2017 is a solid A for you.
Congrats on an awesome year! I’m just amazed at how many races you completed in such a short span of time. I think a B+ for the year is an awesome grade…I think I’d give myself the same grade! 🙂
I have a bit of a race addiction…
I’d say you had a great year! You met many of your goals and I love how you’re ok with the ones you didn’t. I think that’s success right there! Here’s to making great memories in 2017!
Thanks, I’m hoping for some good stuff in 2017.
It looks like you did really well with your goals this year! I decided to stop worrying about my goals after I got hurt last summer because it really threw me off track. Im exciting for a fresh start this year without putting any pressure on myself. I hope you have a great 2017!
I was lucky on the injury front this year. Fingers crossed that continues in 2017.
Looks like a great year to me! I can’t believe you’re closing in on 10,000 miles and your 70th half marathon – Wow!
I know – so many miles. I need to do the math on the half marathons. I may need to add a couple before ZOOMA to make it 70.
Wow! 9 years of blogging, 10,000 miles, and 70 half marathons?! I’m so inspired! Congrats on that and for an awesome year! I did have to smile at you not picking up the pace this year…running races at an easy pace as training runs is a guilty pleasure of mine!
Yeah, I love an easy paced race LOL. It was a great year, thanks!
Since I didn’t make any goals for 2016, I’m going to say that I nailed it this year! LOL.
I’d say my highlight was coming back to blogging after a 16 month hiatus. It feels good to be back, but, like you, I struggle with the social media part of blogging.
Cheers to 2017!