2011 Health & Fitness Goals

Everyone says that January 1st is the day to start on goals for the new year (aka: New Year's Resolutions). Personally, I'm still reeling from the holidays at that point and am not in the mind set to create my yearly goals. I like to take the month of January to get my goals well thought out and then start working towards them starting in February.

I also like to think of them as goals rather than resolutions. A resolution is defined in many ways. Some of those are:
"the act or process of reducing to simpler form"
"the act of determining"
"the act of answering:Solving"
(Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 2000)
Goals are something we can work towards accomplishing; they have an outcome. A goal is defined as "the end toward which effort is directed". (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 2000) This definition feels more accurate to me because it gives us not only a direction but a definite end so we know exactly what we've accomplished and when.


So here are my goals for the year:

1) Stay on top of monthly computer/paper work.
2) Meet or break my PR for a half marathon.
3) Run a full marathon

As you can see, one goal is work related. Being self employed, there are some things that are necessary that I keep up on regularly so that I do not have to cram during certain times of the year (like now... for taxes!). Since I do not enjoy all the paperwork and computer work I put it off. I need to be better about taking care of it on a regular basis so I save myself the stress of having to cram.

The other two goals are fitness related. Running is what I LOVE to do for myself. I PR'd (set my personal record) for a half marathon at the See Jane Run Half Marathon on May 30, 2009 with a time of 2:11:34 That was a flat course. On October 10, 2010 on a hilly course, I ran a 2:12:10!! I was SO close to my PR I was excited beyond belief but also a little upset. Excited that I was a stronger runner (being able to pretty much meet my PR from a flat course on a hilly one!) but a little upset that I was only 36 seconds too slow to meet it! At that very moment I knew I could beat my PR so that became a goal for 2011.

My other fitness goal of running a full Marathon is a joint goal with friend and running partner, Cathy. We have run 6 of my 7 half marathons and 2 ten mile races together over the last two years. So we decided together that it was time to "up the ante" together and run a full marathon in 2011.

Putting you goals in writing and talking about them with friends will help you stay on track to accomplishing them. It also helps if you can have at least one goal that is done with another person - like Cathy & I working towards a marathon together. The two of you can work together to keep each other motivated and on schedule.

So - What are your 2011 goals??

If you have already made them mentally, it's time to write them down and start talking about them. If you haven't made them yet, what are you waiting for?? Figure them out now and get started towards a great 2011!