January Goals

Just because I set myself some goals for the year, doesn’t mean I’m going to give up setting some monthly goals for myself as well.

Since much of December was spent without much of a routine, I definitely want to focus on eating healthy and running more in January. Having a half marathon and a 50k on the schedule are definitely motivating as well!

1. Run

Missing nearly 4 weeks of my training schedule means I can’t just jump back into what’s on the calendar. I’m going to spend some time each week tweaking my distance and intensity to make sure I still run, but don’t injure myself.

2. Do Yoga

This is a carryover from my 2014 Goals: to do yoga twice per week. In at attempt to make this happen I’ve already signed up for a hot yin class at 9:15 on Wednesday and a Yoga Sculpt class at 1pm on Saturday.

3. Cross Train

I was doing really really well with the Greatist WOD’s up until I got sick and then I pretty much stopped cold turkey. So I’ll be starting the 3-day (M, W, F) program this week. This will mean I’ll have a run, WOD and yoga all on Wednesday but I think I can hack it. If it gets to be too much, then I’ll start moving things around.

4. Meal Plan

Since I was winging it for most of December, meal planning fell off the radar. I’ve since purchased the Runner’s World Cookbook and Eat and Run, so I’d like to try at least two new recipes as part of my meal planning. Anytime I read a vegan or vegetarian cookbook I get this crazy idea that maybe I’d like try eating vegan, then I remember how much I like steak and the thought is gone. But, I would like to try one vegetarian/vegan meal per week as part of my meal planning.

5. Budget

With my goal of paying off debt (is anyone sick of hearing about this yet?) I want to do my best to stick with my budget and no-spend goals for the month. I’d also like to do some brain storming to see where I might be able to bring in some extra income in order to get everything paid down sooner. I’m really hoping to have some contract work come May, but anything I can get before then would also be a blessing.

Tell me: Do you have any goals for January?

2014 Fitness Goals

Oh. Goals.

My focus on 2013 was mainly on running. Running and dealing with a whole bunch of personal shiz-nit that didn’t ever really make it onto the blog. Now that that stuff is kinda sorta mostly dealt with (ish), I’m looking forward to 2014 and what I hope to accomplish fitness-wise during this upcoming year.

1. Keep running

My 2013 running goals were as follows, run SeaWheeze (this was decided way back in 2012) and run a marathon. The marathon goal was one I went back and forth on, but I’m so glad it worked out for me to do it, even with all my crazy busy summer weekends.

Right now my 2014 has two races on the calendar: Glass Slipper Challenge in Disney World in Feb, 50k Ultra in Calgary on June 1 (six months!!) and SeaWheeze in Vancouver in August. I’m not yet certain if I want to sign up for any more races yet (I love traveling to races, but my bank account does not. I’m also traveling to the US two (maybe 3) times between July and October, so 2014 may be a light running year).

Even if I don’t have a bunch of races on the calendar in the fall, I’m planning on keeping my momentum with Run This Year. The idea is to complete 2014 miles OR kilometers OR your own goal in 2014. If you’re looking for some motivation and maybe want to win a prize or two, check it out and sign up!

2. Do more yoga

I did a ton of yoga in February and March of 2013 and then it kind of just fell off. My focus was running and I’m not always super keen on hot yoga in the summer. That said, yoga has done amazing things for me physically and mentally and I want to keep it up.

I’d also like to complete a 30-day yoga challenge at some point this year. I’ve signed up for three of them in the past and never finished, so I’d love to be able to check that off the list. My yoga studio has a 30-day challenge starting on January 13, but considering that’s just 5 weeks before Disney, I’m thinking this probably isn’t the best of ideas……Instead I’d like to go to yoga twice as week, once on Tuesday for a Yin class and once on Saturday for a yoga and weight class. I have 14 classes left on my card, so twice a week that will take me to Disney and I’ll see how best to incorporate yoga into my ultra training.

3. Cross train

It’s become pretty obvious that my abs are super weak and I know doing strength training will help with my races and keep me from getting injured. I’ve really enjoyed the Greatist WOD’s so I’d like to start the 3-day a week program, so I’ll be doing strength training Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The great thing about these workouts is they only take 20-30 minutes, so I really should be able to fit them into my day, unless I’m feeling super lazy.

4. Get a gym pass

Depending on how running goes and what (if any) races I sign up for in the fall, I’d like to get back into going to gym classes on a semi-regular basis. When I moved from the ‘burbs to downtown in 2009 I left my favourite gym and there were no longer any locations convenient to downtown, so I stopped going to the gym on the regular. Now my favourite gym is opening a location downtown in the Spring and I’d love to get a pass so I can start attending some more group exercise classes.

5. Try spinning

There’s a spin studio a block away from my condo and it looks awesome. I’d thought about trying spinning this fall, but I kept running instead. If/when I take a bit of a break from running, I want to try spinning. I’m not sure I’d be able to do a 30-day challenge like I want to do with yoga, but I would like to buy a 30-day introductory pass to give it a shot and see how I like it.

Tell me: Do you have any fitness goals for 2014?

2014 Goals

Since I started doing monthly goals again back in October, I thought I should probably come up with some annual goals as well. I’m not a big fan of setting myself up for failure, but I do want to challenge myself in 2014.

Grow in My Job

I feel super blessed to have the job I have. I want to do more conscious growth in my career in 2014, so this will be evaluating the projects I take on and ensuring that I’m learning and growing while pursuing them. I also want to continue to do contract work by marking exams and I’d also like to get back into teaching as this will help with my personal development and also help with my goal of paying off debt!

Debt Free 2014

Right now I’m on track to have all my debt paid off by June 2014. I know when I first set up my goal it was April, but unfortunately, things come up (sometimes it’s a need, sometimes it’s a pesky want) and it got a little pushed back. So my goal is to keep it on scheduled to June 2014. Taking on contract work will speed up that date a bit as well.

In order to keep on track, I’m also setting a really big challenge for myself: no spending until my birthday in May. Yup. That’s a big one. Obviously items like groceries and the like will be purchased, but anything beyond the scope of a necessity won’t be purchased. I’m hoping this will help to save me a few hundred dollars each month that I can put toward paying off my debt. I’ll probably dedicate a more detailed post to this in the coming weeks, but for now, this is my plan.

To be completely honest, I kind of fell off the budget train in December. With Christmas shopping and stocking up on food (okay, okay, and beer) for visitors, I tracked my spending, but didn’t do a great job of staying within my budget amounts. I do plan to hop back on that train right away!

Run and Take a Break

Right now my running schedule is as follows:

• February 2014: Glass Slipper Challenge
• May 2014: 50k Ultra
• August 2014: SeaWheeze Half

Aside from taking nearly 3 weeks off due to being ill this fall, I will have been training for something for nearly 14 consecutive months (I started training for SeaWheeze 2013 in June 2013) so I think a break will be needed.

I toyed with the idea of a fall marathon, but I’m not ready to commit to anything at this point, so I’m going to run these three races and then see how I feel. I have some other fitness goals (separate post coming!) that I’d also like to accomplish, so maybe I’ll take a bit of a break to focus on those.

Overall: keep being awesome

Tell me: Do you set goals for the upcoming year? If so, what are some of your goals?

November Goals Wrap Up

I don’t even want to acknowledge that December is just around the corner. Really?! This month definitely got away from me!

Since we’re nearing the end of November, it’s time for me to wrap up the goals I set at the beginning of the month.

1. Download the trial of You Need a Budget (YNAB) and use it for November

Done and done!

And?

I loved it. I really did.

I tried a few other programs before this one, and I definitely like this one the best. I’ll be paying the $60 to purchase the software once my trial period expires (in a few days) and continue using it.

For the first time I really felt empowered by tracking my budget and spending, so I know that’ll help me moving forward.

Let me tell you, early Black Friday sales are not helping with my budget. Express has 50% off everything from now until Friday at noon. I have items in my shopping cart; I may or may not pull the trigger. I’ve also seen some Starbucks ads for Verissimo system on sale for $99 on Saturday only. Gah! Starbucks coffee at home!!

2. Set a budget for Christmas shopping AND complete by November 30

Budget has been set!

As for gifts, I’m about 80% completed. With my trip to Ohio at the beginning of December, I plan on picking up a few goodies from the States to throw in and complete my gifts.

Hooray!! No need to brave the crowds at the mall in December.

3. Suck it up and run outside

Another goal met!

Aside from being sick for a few days in November, I’ve been running outside as much as possible, and I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. My awesome new shoes and warm gear totally help.

4. Cross train!

I think this is going to be a goal for a while. I did okay, not great, but okay, so I hope to continue focusing on the Greatist WOD’s 3-4 days a week. Since they only take about 20 minutes there really isn’t much room for excuses!

5. Drink more water

I’d say I did okay on this goal. Again, not great, but not terrible either. I filled up my work water bottle (750ml) 2-3 times per day on average, and I probably drink another 1L-2L at home, so I’m definitely getting in my water.

All-in-all, not too shabby for November!

Tell me: How did you do with your November goals?

November Goals

Now that my October goals are all wrapped up, it’s time to think about November, and what I hope to accomplish.

1. Download the trial of You Need a Budget (YNAB) and use it for November

My aunt left a comment on my Facebook page raving about YNAB and how it’s helped her for the past six years, so I figured it can’t hurt to give a free trial a shot, right?!

I think my biggest issue is impulsiveness (people who know me will likely not be surprised by this!) and losing sight of the big picture. When I check my Google doc for my spending, I can see that I can or can’t afford [insert item here] but when I fail to do that, I can easily rationalize a purchase.

So, in addition to using YNAB, I’ll also start keeping a closer eye on my budget (by checking in more than just weekly).

2. Set a budget for Christmas shopping AND complete by November 30

This means I actually need to start Christmas shopping, but last year I was running around on December 22 buying presents before heading out of town. Ick. That was not a fun trip to the mall.

This year I want to be organized, set a budget per person and get it all done early!

Stress? GONE!

3. Suck it up and run outside

I’m already feeling wimpy about the colder weather, and it’s truly not even that cold yet! I know there are going to be times where I have to run on the treadmill, so I want to focus on running outside so long as it is safe to do so.

4. Cross train!

I know cross training will increase my running ability, but I don’t always like, or want, to do it. I’m going to get a goal of cross training (with my Nike Training Club app) three times per week in addition to my November yoga challenge.

5. Drink more water

I’ve noticed over the past few weeks I’ve been struggling with drinking enough water. As soon as it starts to get cold in Calgary it gets very, very dry. However, because it’s cold, chugging back chilly water just isn’t all that appealing for me. Running combined with the drier atmosphere means I need to drink sufficient water on a daily basis. I’m going to set a goal of drinking 3 of my 750mL bottle at work for just over 2L in 8 hours, plus a glass in the AM and PM while at home.

So, there ya go, my plan for November.

Tell me: have you set any goals for November?

October Goals Wrap Up

Forgive me for saying this, but where did October go?!

I’m certain I posted my original October goals post just a couple of days ago!

So, how the heck did my October go? Did I meet my goals? (And what the heck were my goals, anyway?!)

1. Embrace the taper

I’m happy to say this was a success. I did embrace my taper! It wasn’t easy, but I did it 🙂

2. Enjoy my marathon

With the exception of a few really difficult miles,  Ireally really enjoyed my marathon. So much so that I’m even tentatively planning my second marathon for Spring 2014! (Man, runners are crazy!).

3. Cross train

I sort of did this? I think?

I really took the six days off immediately after the marathon and have run 3 times, gotten all caught up on my ab work and have managed to fit in a few sessions of Nike + Training Club for cross training. Holy moly lunges make my quads scream!

4. Rest!

And rest I did! It wasn’t easy taking six whole days off, but I know my body really needed it and I’m feeling awesome now and ready to tackle my training for my February Half Marathon!

5. Stay in the green zone for my budget

I did relatively okay this month. It was better than September, and I figure so long as each month is better than the previous month then I’m moving in the right direction.

(As an aside, as I was reviewing my budget last night, I realized I made a pretty big error in my pay off debt calculation and I’m kinda peeved about it. With correcting the error (and, assuming things go well between now and then – no more impulse buys!) I will be debt free by May 30, 2014 instead of April 30, 2014, but this leaves me a lot less breathing room than before. I’m trying to roll with it, but it’s hard to not kick myself for making such a dumb Excel error.)

Tell me: did you make any goals this month?

October Goals

Holy moly, friends. Can you believe it’s October?! Wowie. It seems time has flown by since June – it’s unbelievable!

I haven’t set any monthly goals for myself in a long time, but I feel like I’m in a great place lately, so it’s time to start growing and stretching myself.

Embrace the taper

I feel like I need a copy of this t-shirt for me. I’m not a big fan of tapering; I find it can start to mess with my mind and I question my physical ability. Tapering starts today, so my goal is to embrace my taper and sick to my training plan.

Enjoy my marathon

While I’ve set some time goals for myself in regards to my race, I really just want to enjoy it and have a great Thanksgiving with my family.

I will finish my race (I will! I will! I will!) and I will enjoy it!

(I’m sure I’ll also enjoy planting my butt on the couch afterwards!)

Cross train!

Even after posting about cross training, I’ve been pretty lax about it. While I’m not going to do anything crazy between now and my marathon (in twelve days!) I know I need to start doing way more cross training. For October, I will be doing a 30-day ab challenge. I actually have terrible posture (I stand with a sway back and it’s terrible) and I know working my abs will improve my posture and make me a better runner.

(Ab challenge to be posted later this week).

Rest!

I’m giving myself 3-weeks off from major running and training after the marathon. I’m going to take my rest and once I’m feeling better, I want to hop on the cross training train by way of my Nike+ training workouts and trying out some spin classes at the spin studio a block away from me.

Stay in the green zone for my budget

My awesome budgeting app highlights my spending areas as green (within budget), yellow (approaching the max) and red (over spent) and my goal for October is to keep my spending in the green zone for my budget areas. It’ll take some work, but thinking about my expenses definitely helps me to feel calmer and in control.

What are you hoping to accomplish this October?

I miss Kate

Ummmm, guys?

I have a confession to make.

I miss Kate.

Like, really miss her (and Will too).

I got such joy out of following @LaineyGossip on Twitter and looking through all her Will and Kate posts. And following Kate’s outfits on What Kate Wore (they haven’t updated their site in days!).

I think I’m going through withdrawal.

😦

I’ve been able to make it a little better by redirecting my obsession to Harry Potter and watching this goodbye clip and crying. (Also? Totally check out these cartoons, you can download high res copies for your personal use for a limited time. So awesome!)

(Unrelated: kind of. When in the world did Neville get HOT?!)

(And, the Kate Middleton – Harry Potter link is totally there. One: they all share the same accent. Two: I’m certain Kate has read some HP [who hasn’t?!]. Totally linked)

Since I’m going through such withdrawals, I’ve decided that I should be best friends with the Dutchess of Cambridge.

Originally, I thought that maybe Hot Harry (thanks, Lainey, yes, I’m stealing it) and I should hook up. I mean, I could totally put him on my list and all, but, I don’t think the list covers marriages, and…..I’m already married. But – do you think a brief encounter would enable me to be besties with Kate? No? Okay. I was even willing to let Hot Harry have his dalliances since, well, he doesn’t appear to want to settle down. Heck, he even hung out with the current gf’s ex over the weekend [did y’all just watch my IQ drop fifty billion points there?!], so he’d totally be cool with being married and having a mistress on the side, right? Although, I don’t think it would work.

So, I think we’ll just need to find a way to be besties.

A friend of mine wants the Queen to adopt her, and, sure, that might be cool and all, but then Kate would only hang out with me because she had to. I’d be like the drunk uncle at weddings, except I wouldn’t be drunk (okay, not all the time) and I’m nobody’s uncle (yeah, bad analogy).

So, I’ve decided to come up with reason’s why Kate and I should be best friends. Hmmmm. I should probably stop calling her Kate and call her Dutchess, right? No. Wait. That sounds like I’m calling a cat or something, let’s go with Catherine.

Reason’s why Kate Middleton Dutchess Catherine should be besties with me:

• I have a keen fashion sense (also, I use keen in sentences)
• My grandma and great-grandma are from England, so I kind of think that makes us related somehow
• I’m fun
• I’m rather cute
• If we stand next to one another, I’ll always make her look good because I’m shorter and fatter than she is
• I put people’s needs ahead of mine (see the previous point)
• I mimic accents when I’m around people – it’s like a fun party trick!
• Speaking of party trick’s, I can also put my fist in my mouth! That’s totally going to be needed at some royal party or something, right?!
• I can be scrappy, so I can totes punch the pap’s in the face if they come too near her and the Duke
• I’m moderately athletic, like Pippa, so since I have something in common with her sister (Pippa’s ass is definitely better than mine) we already have a stepping stone
• I wanted to marry Prince William when I was a teen, so I already know I like her husband and we all know that disliking your bestie’s husband is a total no-no
• I know they don’t want “staff” and all, but if I’m her bestie, I can totally babysit their babies (BABIES!)

So, what do you think? Think she and the Duke will come out of hiding during their “break” so I can meet them and be her best friend?

I’ll totally braid her hair……