Got goals? Run happy!

Goals for 2016....how am I doing thus far?

1- Stay injury free
So far, so good. Of course, there's occasional stiffness (like at 5:31AM when I'm rolling out of bed and trying to not trip over the dog), but the "typical" achy hamstrings have been behaving. The piriformis? Still there, but also much more manageable.

Ahhhh, breathe in, breathe out....and don't be afraid to take a day of recovery

I seriously believe it was that off-season that did it for me. As much as I wanted to maintain the weekly long runs each weekend, my gut was telling me otherwise. And, this time I finally listened and obeyed. I have been slowly adding a mile each week to my "long" weekend runs, and that's been a smooth transition as well.  I was even able to run my longest run of 2016 recently without much fueling, so that says something.

2-Don't succumb to the temptation to do every available race
This is an ongoing battle (much like a chemical addiction), and I have to really use restraint in hitting "submit registration." Some people like to have one big goal race to focus on. I like having big goal races, too, but I don't have a competitive nature. Sure, I like to better my finish times, but I just don't have the drive to train without distractions.



Currently, I have some half marathons coming up, and I have an Ultra in mid-July. A 12-hour Ultra, none the less. Am I gonna train to maintain a 9-minute pace for 12 continuous hours? Hardly. Instead, I'm going to train to stay in (somewhat) constant motion for 12 hours, even if that means a snail's pace of intermittent walking breaks. And, I plan to utilize these half marathons as training runs. I'd like to (possibly) attempt to PR (in some of them), but it won't be an all-out-knock-15-minutes-off-my best-finish-time attempt. I have nothing to gain by trying to outrun each of my races.

3-Be more consistent with my cross training
Eh, I'm probably at a B- (if I was to objectively grade myself). Granted, I do various forms of cross-training each week, but I should be doing longer sessions. For example,instead of 15 quick minutes of arm weights before bed, a 30-minute session would give me better results. I should dust off the kettle bell and play with it once a week (or bi-weekly). My abs have gotten more firm, but there still is no evidence of a six-pack. Really, I am alright with the absence of six-pack, but a little more definition would be preferred.

Stair-running is still my preferred cross-training routine

4-Stretching/ warming up/yoga for flexibility
Still a work-in-progress. I'm dong much better with dynamic warm-ups prior to running, and I'm stretching some of the time after each run....but I definitely need to do even more. And yoga? As much as I enjoy the benefits of it, I have slacked off recently and not made the time to do it as much as I should.

Yoga is crucial for balance, in fitness and life in general

5-resist the urge to be envious of others
This is in reference to speed (it would be nice to be just a tad bit faster), location (I would love to be in a more urban setting, with an endless selection of fascinating architecture, local races, and numerous trails at my disposal), and destination races (ahh, a generous budget to finance everything...but for now, family comes first, and our three kids' college educations take precedence). Envy is a double-edged sword, isn't it? It's easy to admire what others have and work to also acquire it.....but in dong so, we often overlook what is right in front of us.

6-Never miss a Monday
So far, so good on this as well. Definitely an A+ for this goal. The majority of my Monday runs are recovery runs, and are simply an easy mile in my running shoes. Occasionally, I'll test the waters and go a little further. Personally, I enjoy having a scheduled run with no agenda in mind...no desired pace to hit (or maintain), and no do-or-die distance.

So, did you set any goals for 2016? Have you stuck with them, or stayed on track? It's not too late!

I'm linking up Marcia from Marcia's Health Slice , Erika from MCM Mama Runs , and Patty from My No-Guilt Life for Tuesdays on the Run. As you may have guessed, this week's theme is Goals. Head over and see what everyone else is chatting about!