Monday, January 4, 2010

2010- a look back - a look forward

This posting took me about two and a half hours to put together last night. When I was done, and ready to publish it, Blogger lost it. It was probably user error. So tonight, I am starting over. I hope this is not a sign of the year to come:)

Nearly every positive change in the world started as a goal. That is how we get better. We take a look at something we are doing, and make a choice to improve the outcome. Last year you saved $300 per month, this year you want to save more. You set a goal of saving $500 per month. That is a goal.

Earlier this year I did a story called Goal Setting for runners. There are a million different stories and articles about goal setting on the web. Actually I just googled "Goal Setting" and there are 3,510,000 listings. That is a lot. This is not one of them. This article is two things: a reminder to you that goal setting is important, and it is that time of year when you can find the most support to help you with your goals. And number two: This is my way of making my goals public. My way to help me stay accountable to my goals. My public declaration.

This is the time of year that your local gyms are full. They have all the people that joined and didn't come last year, back again. And they have all the New Years resolution people from this year in there trying to get back in shape. Running shops now have lines on weekends of people getting fitted for their new shoes. 5k's and 10k's scheduled for the nest few months get an added burst of participants from all those people who put running on their list for 2010. Again.

If you are one of the people that already goes to the gym, or already goes to the track for Wednesday Night Workouts, you may find yourself having to wait in line for the next piece of equipment on your circuit, or having to run around a few more slow runners on the track. Hey, it's that time of year. Some people resent these people that are trying to get back into shape. Some people call it amateur month.

You know what I say to these already in shape dedicated complaining athletes? Get over it!

Last year I was one of those people that decided to make a change in my life. Last year, like the previous 20 years, I told myself "This is it. This is the year I am going to get into shape." Last year I did it. I started at the beginning of last year, and am still going. Maybe this is your year.

I started by doing P90X. I got up at 4:30 am in the morning, six days a week, and stretched, kicked, punched, jumped, stretched, lifted, and pulled. I was in pain on a regular basis, and I burned off a lot of calories. I hated it. An hour and a half of yoga two times a week made me want to shoot myself. I started substituting running on the days that I was supposed to do yoga. The more I ran, the more I enjoyed it. I decided to substitute running for the day we did Plyometrics.

It did not take me very long before I had replaced P90X with running altogether. I loved it. I found my Chi. I logged about 900 miles in 2009, and I ran my first half marathon.

It does not matter what you choose, just choose something. Find something that is good for you, that you enjoy. This is a running blog, so there is a good chance that running is what you found. But if you start replacing your runs with yoga and Plyometrics, to the point where you are working out 4 or 5 times a week , and you are loving it, that is the right choice for you.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a weight problem. I am running the Walt Disney World Marathon next Sunday, and I am in the best shape I have been in 15 years, but I am also close to me heaviest. I wrote about Weight Loss and Running a while back, but apparently I did not read it. Just because you run three or four times per week, doesn't mean you can overdose on Carmel Cone Ice Cream whenever you want. Me legs are in great shape, and my cardio is also strong. But my core is still jello. That is the part I am taking on in 2010.

2009 also saw the launch of this blog, Run Into Shape. I have always thought about writing, but could never come up with a subject, or a medium, that was quite right. Now I have running, and just about everyone writes a blog:) Of the 300 runners I follow on Twitter, I think over 100 of them write a blog. With that many running blogs, the fact that Run Into Shape is the number four most followed running blog on Facebook makes me proud. Thanks!

My 2010 Goals:

Running: I am running my first Marathon this upcoming weekend. I am going to Disney World to mark off one of the most important and difficult items on my life list so far. I plan to run a total of three in 2010. I also plan to run two half marathons. I am aiming to break four hours my first race, and would like to qualify for Boston in my third. My guess is the Qualifying for Boston Goal will be back on my list for 2011.

We are also running the Ragnar Relay Del Sol coming up in the end of February. This is a 12 person team running three legs each for a total of about 203 miles from Prescott to Mesa in Arizona. We will start at noon on Friday and finish about 8pm on Saturday, about 32 hours or so. This is going to be a blast. Our team is made up of people from Seattle, Phoenix, and some Seattle Transplants. We had only one requirement for the people we chose for our team. We don't care about how fast they are, they just have to be fun. If I am going to spend 30 plus hours crammed into a van with you, I want to make sure they know how to have a good time.

That, and you need to be able to finish your three legs. So I guess that makes that two requirements :)

I am shooting to log 1250 miles total in 2010. This will require about 25 miles per week for the year. This will need me to average 4 runs per week to run this many miles.

Training: In 2009 I ran the miles. In 2010 I am going to actually train. I will do hills, track, tempo runs, intervals... and more hills. This is a real goal for me. A hard one. I don't do hills ( see The Hills are Alive).

Health (Eat to Run, not Run to Eat): It is time for me to put the same effort into controlling my diet that I do into my exercise. I have proven to myself that I can stick to the running, now it is time to work on the intake. I was doing very well when I was wearing my Body Bugg earlier in the year. But since I quit using it, I have stopped counting calories, the one sure way to control your weight. I will not go on a diet, just watch my diet.

I want to lose 25 pounds in 2010. There, I said it.

2010: Get back on the Body Bugg and log my food. Every day, every meal. Take in less calories than I burn. It is simple. Just do it.

Keep on Bloggin: Look for a face lift to my blog sometime in march. My goal is to write an average of once per week this year, for a total of 52 stories. This is a much bigger commitment than in 2009.

I am a believer in competition. Why do something if you don't want to do it well. In blogging, there is a scorecard. They are called followers and income. Since you need to make $100 before Google will take the time to cut you a check, and I am only up to about a total of $.34, I think I am a ways away from making any money from my blog. That means I track followers. On blogger, a good blog will have 100's or 1000's of followers. I have 26. I want to reach 300 followers on Blogger, and 300 on Facebook. That would make Run Into Shape the most followed blog on FB, and somewhere about 5079th on Blogger :) I will settle for #1 on FB in 2010.

I have other goals for 2010. I hope to get promoted. I want to take Jane to Europe for our anniversary (13th). I want to launch Inspirational Runner. I also have some financial and budgetary goals. But today we are sticking to the point of this blog.

What are your running and fitness goals for 2010? Are you planning on running? Sign up for a 5k. Are you making a mileage commitment? Are you going to run a certain amount of times per week? Do you want to run a marathon? Here is your chance to put them in writing, and make your public declaration. Loud and Proud! Leave your 2010 goal as a comment.

5 comments:

  1. Great goals for 2010. I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree that we should celebrate people as they work to get into shape this time of year. Yes, it's true, most will quit. But, others will stick with it - and it's much easier to stick with a fitness lifestyle if you have support. I appreciate your positive attitude, and have always tried to support people who want to make positive life changes.

    Good luck on your first marathon - THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN! I did my first one in 2008, and have been doing them, as well as other endurance events, since. I'll be looking forward to reading your race report.

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  2. Good Luck.... I came across your blog and just read a few... Disney was my first Marathon back in 2007 and I crashed and burned in the 90 degree weather. 5:11:?? I then decided that I had to get back and do it "Right" Last year I did the Goofy Challenge and posted a 3:40:12 in the full a day after running the 1/2... The reason for my post.... Even if you don't finish in under 4:00:00 as you've stated as your goal... You will get there! I've since run Boston in 3:40:00 too and as awesome as Disney is Boston will BLOW you away when you do it... Don't ever give up and don't worry about the wall. It will be there and when you hit just run right through it! Good Luck! I'll be running my 4th consecutive year... My 2nd Goofy!

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  3. Maria, I just look at it like, hey, if 1 in 10 actually make any sort of significant change... I am all for it. It took me many tries, maybe the new guy will get it done the first time:)Thanks for the positive vibes!

    Blown away in Boston: That is my goal. I missed my half marathon goal time by 2 minutes. I was still crazy happy. My major goal, is to match you. I want to run Boston. But my guess is there will be about 4 or 5 long races between here and there. Oh yea, and I have to run the first one first :) -Thanks!

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  4. We are having record cold in Florida as I read your Jan.4 entry and it makes me want to go out and run. Good luck to you @ Disney and on your yearly goals. I look forward to your report from Disney and a "weekly" update would be wonderful. I find this blog most motivating. When Disney is done I hope to hear you say "Adam Dopps kicked it". Good Luck!

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  5. Cold in Florida- Damn, 32'. Really? Well, I will layer up and do my best to kick it! Thanks for the feedback on the blog.-Adam

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