2014 goals

Wow, what a year….  I accomplished almost all of my fitness goals for 2013 and achieved many on a personal level too.

• I ran 6 marathons this year, 1 of them was less than a minute from my PR – breaking the 4 hour mark
• I became a Marathon Maniac (#7707) and a Half Fanatic (#4758)
• I reached my goal weight of the 150’s – losing almost 50 pounds between June and now
• I think I could have run a sub 1:50 half, except I was more focused on marathons and using the halves as training runs
• I did not come close to running 2000 miles.. but am almost to 1000 – which for taking a huge hiatus at the beginning of the year, I am okay with this 🙂

• I am leaving this afternoon to head up to Northern Wisconsin for my first ultra marathon!! The Tuscobia Winter Ultra – a 35 miler up in Park Falls, WI on the Tuscobia trail, a point to point race on snow mobile trails (this will be my 7th state)

Personally:

• I bought a house in March!
• I bought my first car and am paying my own car insurance
• I started a new role at work, took on a lot more responsibility and feel like a real engineer
• I became the volunteer assistant coach at Blaine High School, working with the varsity softball team – focusing on pitchers
• I started to give pitching lessons
• I started helping coach the Minnesota Moose 14u softball team which will hopefully continue into 2014
• I continue to take graduate classes, which I am doing quite well in 
• I am now on the Board of Directors for Club Run – Secretary!

I’m sure there are more.. but those are some of the ones that I am most proud of.  I think with all that I have done this year, I have become much more confident! 

I do have some goals for 2014 that I would like written down.. to hold me accountable:

• The #1 goal I think I have is to BQ at the Fargo Marathon in May, I have started working with a running coach (www.miletomarathon.com) to help me reach this goal.. he thinks it’s doable so here’s to hard work the next few months!!
• I would like to become a member of the 50 States Marathon Club – I need 10 states to qualify.. that means after Fargo next year, I would need 2 more states in 2014 to qualify.. Sioux Falls is in September so that would get me one more… just to figure out another one to get!
• I would like to get down to the 140’s.  I am currently in the upper 150’s, this is very doable.. I just need to show a little discipline
• I would like to start doing some weight lifting.  I talked to the fitness center at work, and was looking at starting with a personal trainer,  I need to get my budget in check and then see if I can afford it, otherwise I will just need to force myself to get to the gym and do workouts
• This one I am definitely on track for – graduate with my Masters in Mechanical Engineering in May.  I have on class in the Jterm, 3 nights a week and then 1 class in the Spring semester and then I will be done!  I have been looking at taking classes towards a Master of Engineering in Material Science from the U, but it’s not very easy to work into my schedule since they do not offer night classes.  It’s out there.  I need to do some more thinking though and figure out other ways of getting where I want
• I would like to become a Senior Mechanical Engineer at work in 2014.  This is something I talked to my manager about and we discusses and this look like it will fit well into my work plan and I am on the right track.
• I would like to get some improvements done to my house.  I pulled up the carpet in my downstairs extra bedroom and just finished removing the tack strips today.  I would like to get that floored and possibly painted and looking nice next year.  Hopefully the kitchen and entry way will be next on the list.  A lot to do!
• I would like to keep going to Weight Watchers.  I think it is a little unrealistic for me to say I will go every week, but once a month is definitely a good start!

I think this is a good start for my goals.  Here’s to a great new year!