As you all know by know I am using #GoalGetter2013 to keep myself on track and accountable for my goals. Won’t you join me?
Each month I’ll be giving a little update in order to force myself to stay accountable all 12 months. This is the year I succeed strike that dominate!
I broke my goals down into three separate areas to make them more manageable and then set three specific goals for each (9 goals total this year):
2013 Goals – Running
1. Run 13 races in 2103:
- I ran my first race, the Charleston Half Marathon, this past weekend and have race two, The Charlie Post 15K, coming up in 3 days. Surprise body, you better be back!
- In addition to that T and I sat down to plan out our marathon schedule as Rock’nRoll Nashville is only 13 weeks away. Way overwhelming between T’s traveling rugby games and hockey and my desire to squeeze in as many races as possible. How do you run a 10K for a PR and a 20 mile marathon training run in the same weekend? Ideas? Help! My ideas are roughly drawn out on charts and calendars. Now to organize my little OCD heart away so they form one neat training plan
2. Complete my first tri:
- That will wait until this summer. However, it is still a plan for sure.
3. Work on my speed – My 5 by the 5th Race 1 went pretty well. In February I will be working on speeding up and breaking my 9:35 five mile pace.
2013 Goals – Healthy Eating
1. Stick to 1,600 calories (of nonjunk)
2. Add more veggies
3. Stay away from processed sweets and end meals with fruit instead
- Truthfully, I spent the first 20 days of the month really struggling with these three goals. The holidays put my way out of whack and I didn’t like what I was doing to myself; however, it took a really surprising Diet Bet Weigh In to get me back on track. I have done awesome sticking to my calorie goal the last few days, have been eating lost of veggies, and subbing fruits for sweets. Maybe when the 4 week Diet Bet is up I won’t be terrified by the fact that I saw swimsuits in Target today. Really?!? It is January. I am freezing.
I am not ready for that yet. Heck, I am never ready for that!
2013 Goals – Personal
1. Follow a work night curfew – computer off by 9:30 & lights by 10:30:
- I am doing so well having my computer off by 9:30 even if I am not done with everything… off it goes. I am really proud of myself for keeping up with this. Night-night baby.
– However, I am struggling to get in bed with the lights turned off during that next hour and my lights off time has become more like 11:00. I have got to work on moving that back up to 10:30 because seven hours of rest is just not enough.
2. Relax – find time to read before lights out:
- I blame my extended bedtime solely on this goal. I am LOVING reading before bed, it relaxes me and makes me happy – What a fabulous part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle! I am really good about being in bed by 10:00, but then I just get sucked into my book and next thing I know it is 11:00. For example: this book started off really slow, but right now – HOLY CRAP I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN!
What book should I read next? Would love some suggestions.
3. Be present in the moment – phone off:
- I have really made an effort to keep my phone in my purse and turned off when I am with friends or family. I think I am doing much better, but I guess I will have to ask them to see if they have noticed a difference or if I need to step up the effort even more.
youre doing a WONDERFUL job abby!! it amazes me how you’ve gotten yourself right back into the running and are sticking so well to your domination plan! you rock!!
Thanks Jenna. It feels good to be moving again.
I love how you keep your phone off. Honestly, that’s like the most impressive thing. I work for a tech company and yeah I guess I’m a bet of a techie but I think it isolates people a lot to check phone, facebook, etc all the time. I try not to, but it’s tough… although this is why I no longer have a smartphone. It takes the urgency of feeling like I have to respond right away. Nah, people can wait if I’m with someone else!
I have absolutely no clue how to PR a 10K or run 20 miles in one weekend. I haven’t done either of those things, actually. I’d probably race the 10K and laze off knowing my personality when it comes to double digits runs these days!
I’m looking forward to Saturday
. Planning to get there super early since I hear parking’s a beast!
I did not know parking was a beast. Actually I know nothing about this at all.
Thanks for the heads up.
Great goals! I love to read before bed, it helps me to relax and unwind.
Me too this book is so good though that I must force myself to put it down.
Great goals! I love how organized you are. I guess I am a little OCD too because I am thinking that I need to do that too!
I am really not sure how you PR a 10k and run 20 miles in one weekend. My longest run to date is 14 miles. I will be interested in reading the responses that you get because I could see that happening in my future as I am training for my first full. Keep up the great work!
I am not sure. Right now we are thinking either split the 20 and run 14 Friday night and try to bust out the other 6 as a 10K PR the next morning or try to PR Saturday and then do all 20 Sunday. Who knows?
I preplanned some posts this weekend, that has really helped me with going to bed on time. I know exactly what you mean about a good book, putting that down is evenharder than turning off the computer. I think we have different reading preferences but I try to post book reviews on Thursday’s.
I love reading your book reviews. I am so slow though that it takes me forever to get through a book, like months.
You can do this Abby! Being a part of the #GoalGetter 2013 I’m sure will be a big help, since you are accountable to us as well as yourself
Thanks Nicole. I am hoping that it helps me stay on track.
Great job on your goals and calendaring. Logging off the pc is great! If you like historical fiction, I just finished Fall of Giants by Ken Follet. I also read Pillars of the Earth and World Without End years ago by the same author. Good stuff!
I heard Fall of Giants was amazing. I need to make sure that is added to my list.
GOAL-GET IT LADY!!! Oh and you could totally end your meal with the treat I just reviewed over on my blog, LOL!
Always trying to help a girl out!!!
Your curfew and mine are pretty much the same, although for me everything turns off at 10 and I get to sleep by 11!
Works like a charm.
My curfew is my new favorite thing.
Heading to your blog now to check out the treat.
YOU GOT THIS!!
With your calorie goal make sure you net 1600 calories vs totaling 1600. I made that mistake early on in my marathon training – aka I failed to take into account how many calories I was burning. It gets to be a LOT especially during your long runs. So you want to make sure you eat enough. And carbs are your friend! (<— maybe the best part of training haha)
Oh Krysten, how sweet of you to worry. I wish you could see me at dinner tonight to realize that eating enough has never been my problem. I promise I won’t deprive myself. I love food too much.
Great update! You should be so proud of your progress. I am training for my first ultra (aka lots of miles) and I want to PR in some of my shorter 13 in 2013 races. Everything I read says training for both is a recipe for injury. Let me know what advice you get when trying to combine distance training and speed
I think for right now I am going to focus on distance and hope that by getting healthier I will PR my 10K too.
An ultra (350K) may be on my race list in 2014.
I thought I commented? Anyway, congrats on your progress and accomplishments! I’m joining you guys for #goalgetter2013! Now if only the weather would get above single digits so I can actually run. Ugh!
They usually go through, sometimes it just takes them a second to pop up, it is there.
I am so glad I escaped those single digits, bless the south, and good luck to you.
Ug, swimsuits in January? Not ready for that yet.
Are you on goodreads? It’s a good place to find new books. It’s what I use mainly. Right now I’m reading Sisterhood Everlasting, which is the last book of the Traveling Pants series (if you’re into that). It’s pretty good.
I have GoodReads, but forget to check. I need to do that too.
You are doing fantastic on your goals! To PR a 10K the same weekend as a 20-miler, run the PR first. Your long run should be slower anyway so you should be good.
I think that is what will have to happen. I just can’t see hitting a 10K (uphill) PR on tired legs.
Awesome job girlie!
Thanks Kat. #GoalGetter2013
Suggestion for PR/long run in the same weekend: run your long run super slowly. I’ve trained for a marathon using Pfitzinger and Douglas’ book, and they say that if you’re doing a tune-up race right before a long run you should do your long run super slowly. I did a 10K PR the day before a 16 miler during my taper last spring and following that advice worked well for me. Good luck!
Ha, all my runs are super slow Beth. However, I do think you are right and I will need to slow it down even more.
Maybe try taking some extra walk breaks every mile or half mile? That could have the same effect.
Good to know and good idea. Thanks.
Can’t eve lie…. I was totally browsing around the swim suits the other day at Target!!! But alas, it was also 75 outside.
You are doing great with your goals! I am sucking on reading lately. I bought two books and started about 15% in to both and haven’t picked up either in about two weeks. oopsie.
So you’re the reasons why swimsuits freak me out in Jan. Thanks a lot Beka!
Having a work curfew is SUPER important! There are times when I get lost on the internet looking up useless things… I usually force myself to close my laptop and plug it back in… So I can UNPLUG!
Nice goals, girly! 2013 is going to be a great year for you!
My curfew is a new goal this year and at first I was worried I was being a bad blogger or missing out on stuff, but I am growing to LOVE having a set shutdown time.
Looks like you have some great plans in place to help you achieve your goals, and you are on the right track already! Keep up the great work
Thanks Jamie. I am trying to take smart steps in the right direction.
Great job with your goals & your computer curfew. I should make a curfew for myself… I’m constantly glued to my laptop. I’ve been trying to cut down on the social media a bit lately, so we’ll see if that helps any, but I feel I put in SO much time on my blog & all that goes with it. I always feel bad if I don’t get around to enough other blogs each day. It’s so tough to fit it all in though.
As for book suggestions, I’m reading Wheat Belly, which isn’t exactly a thriller or great bed-time reading… interesting though. I recently read the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy & thought that was good, so I’d recommend that if you haven’t already read it.
I hear Wheat Belly is really interesting. I am a sweets and carbs addict so one of my friends said I really need to read it.
I too feel guilty if I think I am not being an active enough blogger, but I am trying to be better about me, family time, friends time and hope that my blog won’t suffer because of it.
I am so proud of you!!! You are doing a fabulous job staying on track, I’m even a little jealous
Keep up the great work, before long they’ll be habit and you won’t have to think twice about being the person you want to be!
Thank you so much. Baby steps toward my bigger goal. I appreciate the encouragement.