12-31-13 Next Race Salt Lake City Half Marathon

So I have revised my races for the year in an easy to follow list, including training schedules. Once I have the funds I will register for the SLC Half Marathon. I will start running again tomorrow (since I don't drink I don't have to worry about doing it in excess and can avoid a hangover). My running distances have been moving all over the place since I finished my marathon. But for now it will be the following. Tuesday, Thursday, 5k (3.1 miles). Saturday 10k (6.2 miles). I figure keeping with a schedule like this until I start my training runs on the 21st with the training group I am joining will create a solid foundation (all three weeks of it). I was teetering on the edge of not joining the running group because my wife and I didn't end up moving back to SLC. It was disappointing to say the least and I was being stubborn after we decided to stay here for the rest of the semester, saying things like, "It's too far to drive," (in reference to the running group) and "I'll just do it on my own again!" I look at it now and I sounded like a real baby. But I want to get better at running so I will do what I need to. I will be up in SLC on Tuesday and Saturday mornings running with the group, and on Thursdays running on my own with the drills I get on Tuesday. On Thursdays I will be adding in upper body workouts as well, and may do some cross training on my bike on Monday mornings.

About new year resolutions, I have seed quite a few posts about them on other blogs I follow and how they don't make them. I am a little different than them and did make some new years resolutions. But I have criteria the I need to keep to when making these goals, because that's what they are in reality is goals. Just like running you make little goals as you run. So my goal setting criteria.
1. Set realistic goals. I have a couple of goals, one is academic, and it's to get a B+ average this semester. I would put a 4.0 but I know that isn't realistic in my program with my current skill level. I did get just under a B+ average this semester, so I know it's possible to push myself a little more (since I am not training for a marathon) and get the 3.33 gpa for the semester.
2. Be specific with your goal. I have a goal to lose weight. But the specific goal is to lose 20 lbs.
3. Have a time frame. Losing 20 lbs. is good, but without a specific date I have no parameters. So the 20 lbs. goal is to be accomplished by March 31st.
4. Smaller goals that need to be made to support the bigger goal. I have two smaller goals to support this bigger goal, one is to train for the SLC Half Marathon in April 19th (sub goal for this is to join the training group), second is to get a diet figured out that will support my goal of losing 20lbs. by the end of January.
5. Take Action. Start achieving these goals. Each will have it's own steps, with the diet I need to do some research, fins recipes, and rid my cupboards of all the junk. Training, I have to accept my recovery phase is over for my marathon and get running. The losing weight step will be assisted by these other two steps.

If you have problems with setting goals and achieving them, try these 5 steps. The unwritten sixth step is post goal time period. Don't beat yourself up for not achieving your goal, reassess and make new goals. You may have set your goal too high and need to lower to show you can achieve it, then increase it gradually over time.

So here are my targetted races for the year, I have not include any 5k or 10k runs because I will treat those as training runs when I see one I want to do.

Race & General Training Schedule:
January/February/March:
Change focus of running to weight loss, weight management and speed
April 19th (109 days away):
SLC Half Marathon
May:
Train for Ragnar
June 27th-28th:
Ragnar
July 13th (maybe): Canyon to Canyon 13.1 Trail Run (for the experience)
August/September:
Train for October and November Half Marathons
October 25th?:
Halloween Half Marathon or Haunted Half Marathon
November 27th:

Thankful 13 Half Marathon

Thanks for reading and have a great new year,
Riley

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