I have some resolutions for my training/running in 2013. I know many people poo-poo the idea of resolutions thinking they will just fade out by February if not sooner but I see some value in working towards something and see the "failure" to achieve it as a lesson not a bad thing. We can always learn from our mistakes and can look back and see "How come I was not able to follow through? What kept me from achieving the goals I wanted?" Losing faith in oneself simply because you could not be perfect in your pursuit of improvement is why some people then adopt the "screw it" attitude where you say...well i fell of the wagon of eating better, exercising more, giving up bad habits..etc...so SCREW IT I am just going to do what I want. Instead of looking at the fact that you have a WHOLE year to work on this. It doesn't have to be, nor probably won't be, accomplished on January 1st or the week after. Real change takes time, patience, dedication and a real stubbornness to do it no matter what. When you eat that donut then go okay that was not good but i have tomorrow to start again. The most successful people got that way by not giving in to their lack of immediate success and instead kept plugging away it until it was achieved.
So here are a little list of my running/training resolutions for this year:
1. I have bought a notebook and am starting it fresh to take more careful notes on what kind of things worked and what didn't as far as keeping my training going in the direction I want it to go.
2. Try to post more regularly on Running2Win so I can keep track of how far I have come and get a boost from it every month.
3. Keep up with the miles game in RW every week
4. Do more speedwork. Go to the track as much as I can, work on speedwork on my own, work on other modes of cardio to increase my cardiovascular endurance.
5. More hill work. BLECH! I do not like hills but if you can run up a hill then you are pretty much set as far as trail racing. Trails have LOTS of hills generally so you get good at hill running then you can decrease your time by a lot!
6. I will learn to love solitary running again as there will not always be someone available and so I need to be content to enjoy the runs by myself as I used to before joining my running group.
7. Eat clean. Eat clean. Eat clean. SO HARD! But if i can do it for 21 days then i will form a habit.
8. Cross-training. Make it a weekly thing: yoga, TNT, kettlebell workouts, water jogging, weight lifting, rowing machines, elliptical workouts...etc.
9. Listen better to my bodily signals. If my knee starts to twinge don't wait until it hurts to do something about it. If my hamstrings feel tight then foam roll and stretch before they start to impact my workouts. If I am tired one day then don't feel bad about taking a rest day. Resting is when the body repairs and builds itself stronger. Remember that.
10. Enjoy the races I sign up for and the people I race with. Appreciate my friends who make time for me to run with them, socialize with them, learn from them.
Last but not least: Look at the big picture for the year. Make sure and work towards the big races and not get eternally distracted by smaller races so I don't have enough left for the big goals! If I am going to "run" a race as a training run for a longer race then calm my urge to give it 200% and try to relax more into it.
I give these goals the SMART test: Specific..i think so. Measurable...can see how my speed increases and my times on my races decreases.Achievable...i believe I can do these things if I keep my eyes on them. Realistic..well they are well-thought out at least. Timely...yes they have time frames..the races, the training runs, etc..
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