Making resolutions at the beginning of every new year has never really worked out all that well for me.
If I’m going to make a change and try to better myself, the fact that the calendar changes and a new year begins is probably not going to motivate me to do it. Usually I write down a whole lot of things I want to change or do (couldn’t we all think of hundreds of things if we really tried?!) but the list gets overwhelming and then I don’t follow through with any of them.
Last year I kept it pretty simple and realistic with my 2011 running goals:
1. Beat my Boston 2010 time of 3:38. – done, by 5 minutes.
2. Sign up for more races (I only did 3 in 2010). – done, I think I did 7-ish in 2011.
3. Stretch after every run. – not yet every run, but getting much better.
4. Foam roll at least twice per week. - yes, for most of the year.
5. Pay more attention to what I eat and what works for me. – not really sure how to judge that one but maybe slight improvement.
I know those sound like pretty whimpy goals, but at the time of writing that post, I probably knew I wasn’t ready to committ to a PR goal. And at least those were little things, all of which I really wanted to do, and was pretty much able to accomplish them. I also knew I would be ending a job and starting school so from August to December I had no clue where I would be or what I would be doing.
I am almost surprised that I wasn’t tempted to set some kind of crazy running goal, but maybe in my head I was thinking I would judge how Boston training and the marathon went, see if I could finish un-injured and go from there. Obviously that didn’t happen and it just made me want a PR even more, but this year I think things will go much differently.
My expectations for myself at this time have changed, and my priorities are not what they were a year ago. I am demanding a lot of myself in terms of school and career, and running has become something that provides relief and precious alone time, not another category in which I need to perform.(Just to clarify, this doesn’t mean I’m not pushing myself or enjoy seeing the small improvements in my workouts – it just means that I’m pushing myself to the extent that I want to and not as a means of achieving a certain time goal).
I still have long-term visions for myself with running, and I think being 20-something with a handful of marathons done, it will be a perfect time to take at least a year off from intense running after Boston. (I’m not saying I will completely stop running, but definitely long distances.) There are also things going on with my health right now, that I’m not willing to share on the blog, that suggest a break is what I need.
So in 2012, my ‘goals’ are:
1. Finish my 2nd and 3rd semesters of grad school.
2. Have fun running Boston and accept what my body is able to do on that day.
3. Take a real break from running after Boston.
4. Accept that I am still learning and take each day one at a time.
That’s it.
In reading everyone else’s goals for 2012, it is hard to not compare or feel like I’m falling behind, but I know that these goals are what’s right for me right now, and that I have plenty of time to accomplish my long-term visions for myself as a runner. Sometimes short-term breaks are necessary to move forward long term.
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I also wanted to share that Vega recently sent me some products from their new Sport Performance System.
Out of what they sent me, my favorites were…
The chocolate and vanilla Protein Performance
The taste was better than most other protein powders I’ve tried, and the ingredient list is definitely a plus.
I also really liked the endurance gel & endurance bar: both reminded me of power bars/gels except I liked the taste and ingredients better.
I was not a huge fan of the recovery protein bars (definitely edible, but like most protein bars they tasted really chalky to me).
The only downside to these products is definitely the price. I don’t think I could see myself spending the money on them unless I found a good deal, but they are definitely worth checking out.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I think being realistic with your goals is SO important! People have a tendency to go overboard and thats why they don’t meet their goals/give up quickly! Glad to hear the vega is yummy. I still haven’t tried it
Vega sounds interesting. I haven’t seen those bars anywhere.
Love the goals… your priorities may have changed but you’re still maintaining your balance and personally, I think the break from running will be good for you in seeing how the other pieces of life fit in.
Julie (A Case of the Runs) recently posted..A Post about Sauerkraut
I think you have great goals. Running and grad school is HARD HARD stuff. Do what you need to do to get through each moment safely and happily. Try not to compare and use running for what you need it for right now ..
Stephanie recently posted..Should You Exercise When You Are Sick? & Sweepstakes Winners
Don’t feel bad about not having crazy running goals this year! Grad school is super important and is what should be on your front burner right now. Remembering to enjoy running for what it is and not always feeling the need to race our brains out is important part of a runner’s lifestyle.
Susan – Nurse on the Run recently posted..2012, ready or not
I think your goals are perfect for you and for where you are at in your life right now. You have much bigger things going on and having running more as an outlet rather than an added stress with goals, is the way to do it. I didn’t really set 2012 goals, more long term goals for what I want to do in running that when the time is right, I will tackle.
Aron recently posted..Not Just 2012 Goals
Your 2012 goals are great because they’re realistic but still ambitious. I’ve loved following your running and school journeys and I’m really excited to see all you accomplish this year. It’s always a treat when you write a new post and I look forward to reading! Keep being smart, working hard and taking good care of yourself. It’s going to be a wonderful year for you!
Ali recently posted..Thankful Things Thursday: Happy Thoughts On A Rainy Day
Those sound like good goals! I am a crazy goal setter, but I can’t get anything done if I don’t have it written down on a to-do list. Plus, running the Boston Marathon and being in grad school ARE incredible achievements already. Good luck with all of your goals!
Hi! This is my first time here. Your blog is great and I look forward to reading more of your posts – especially about the food you make, as I’m a horrible cook/baker looking to learn. I wanted to tell you that for the past year, I have scaled back my running so much, and it hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. I just moved to DC last year after living in AZ my whole life. I know that a lot of people run in the cold winter months, but it was just too much for me as I was adjusting to my new life here away from my running friends and family. I decided to try other things – and now, after finishing P90X, I’m in the middle of Insanity. I feel so much stronger and more balanced than I did when I was running. I do hope to get back to running all the time this year, but I wanted you to know that even though it is scary, it is OK to take a break! I know that when I go back to it I will be stronger. Thanks for writing!
-Jen
Hi Jen! Thanks so much for commenting and for the encouragement! I think you bring up an awesome point that our running lives aren’t happening in isolation – as everything around us changes, our running will be affected and we can’t expect to maintain the same exercise patterns or desires no matter what. It’s hard to adjust to new things, whether it’s a move or even the changing seasons. It’s helpful to hear that your break from running ended up being so good for you! I hope it works out the same way for me