I originally wrote most of this post as I was having coffee before the New Years Race half marathon last week. Some of my most introspective moments are the hours before a race. I’m usually sitting in a coffee shop waiting for my espresso to do it’s work and trying to reflect on previous races and training. It’s now almost 2 weeks into 2015 and I just now have a chance to complete my look back at 2014 and forward to 2015.
Running Goals - Last year, I ran my first and second full marathon, as well as many many other races and runs. This year, my goal is to set some personal records in those races. I’d like to break the 4 hour marathon mark and the 1:40 half marathon mark. In addition to those goals, I would like to complete at least a 50K race. I ran 32 for my birthday, but most of that was on flat roads. Along that line, one of my running goals it to run more trails. The benefits of trail running are endless with the more forgiving and varied terrain, better scenery, great training with the hills, etc. and if I am to complete a real 50K race, I will need the sport specific training.
More Crosstraining - Before finding my runner’s high, my training was centered around a power lifting type of program with general cardio added. Last year I focused so much on my running that I completely stopped lifting. This year, I want to make it a point to incorporate strength work back into my weekly training. I want regain back some my strength and become a better overall athlete. Incorporating a proper strength training program will only help my running and endurance. I also want to incorporate more swimming and biking.
Complete A Triathlon - In line with more crosstraining, I have some athletic goals outside of running. I’ve wanted complete my first triathlon for a while now. There are many accomplished triathletes in my run group and they continiously inspire me. I started swimming with them during the summer and in October I completed my first cycling event, a 67 mile bike ride throughout OC. This year my goal is to put it all together and complete my first triathlon of at least Olympic distance. My friends signed up for Ironman (half) Oceanside this year and asked me to join them with full confidence that I would be able to complete it. I would have done it if I had a bike to do some dedicated training on. I’ll need to pick up a bike this year, complete at least my Olympic this year, and hopefully be on the shores of Oceanside with them in 2016.
Refine My Way of Eating - There is no doubt in my mind that taking on this low carb lifestyle has truly been effective. From my consistent energy, increase in performance, recovery ability, and overall general health, I feel like I’m finally finding the balance and benefits of my lifestyle while still being able to enjoy foods I like in moderation and finding the right combination for performance. I well continue to test what works for me in life and performance and tweak as necessary.
Regain Focus - Towards the end of last year, I seem to have lost focus on my professional life. I can’t say exactly what it is. Maybe working at one place for five years put me in a place where I could just coast or maybe it’s time for some change. Definitely something I’ve been considering a lot lately. Either way, I have some professional goals that I would like to achieve and regaining my focus will be key if I want to achieve them. The key professional goal I want to achieve is to finally get my PMP. This is something I should have been working on a while ago, but I’ve found a new found motivation to do so and just need to get focused on the task at hand.
Reinforce Bonds - I made a lot of new friends last year through my run clubs, and fortunately due to our common interests we are able to hang out weekly. This year I want to strengthen the bonds of my old friends. Friends that I may sometimes take for granted because of how long I’ve known them and how they’ve always been there regardless. The end of 2014 really brought to light my age as I attended the wedding of a friend I’ve know for almost 20 years as well as visiting another friend that I’ve known just as long in the hospital after he had a stroke. There are so many people the come and go in your life and it’s important to let the ones that means something to you know it.
Relationships - This not so much of a goal, but more a reflection on 2014 and optimisn for 2015. 2014 saw me get into two of the shortest relatioships I’ve ever been in while attending the most weddings I’ve ever attended, causing me to question myself and whether I was ever going to find someone. I now thank those experiences as 2014 ended with the blossoming of an amazing relationship. A relationship that I may not have been as opened to had I not experienced everything I did earlier in the year. I look forward to exploring and growing. “Everything happens for a reason”
Overall, 2015 looks to have quite a bit of potential and a life changing and goal accomplishing year for me. Something that I look as a continuation of the foundation I started building n 2014. Here’s to an amazing 2015!
No comments:
Post a Comment