goals — Page 7

New month, new goals

June 2, 2017 by Michelle 34 Comments

The jam-packed month of May is now in the rearview mirror and I’m ready to turn my attention to the month ahead. So far this year has been marked by a lot of stops and starts on the running front. I was always anxious to jump back into training for an upcoming race, but it’s clear looking back now that I should have taken more time to heal.

June now gives me a chance to do that! With no race planned until mid-September, this month affords me the chance to right the ship, hopefully once and for all. So for today’s Friday Five, I’m sharing some fitness goals for June:

Focus on Chi Running form — I’ve actually been working on this since the workshop I attended early last month. I especially want to work on my lean.

Photo courtesy of ChiRunning

Improve cadence — Along with my running form, I really want to focus on locking in my cadence. I’ve been doing some of my runs with the metronome app and would like to work on slowly increasing my cadence from 170 to 175.

Prioritize self-care — Time with the chiropractor, massage therapist, in addition to time for foam rolling, are a must.

Eat the rainbow — With May’s hectic schedule there were way too many meals on the run, too much take out, and not nearly enough attention to eating well. Time to climb back on the wagon – especially need to up my fruits and veggies!

Build from the core out — I took a break from daily planking last month, but am getting back at it, along with hip and glute strength work at least twice a week.

Do you set monthly goals? What have you got planned for June?

I’m linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: ChiRunning, Friday Five, goals

April 2017 Goals

March 31, 2017 by Michelle 32 Comments

I feel like I was a bit all over the map in March fitness wise, so I’m throwing down some goals for April.

Hit every workout — There’s not a lot of white space on my April calendar so I’m going to need to do whatever it takes to get my workouts in. Early morning, post-work, lunchtime runs, etc. – I’m committing to not missing a workout on my training plan.

Run 100 miles — If I follow through on goal #1, this should be doable.

Continue my plank challenge — While I did plank daily in March, I fell off my goal of 5 minutes/day, so I’m going to shoot for that in April.

Weekly yoga — I mentioned in last week’s wrap-up that I want to commit to a weekly session, so I’m doing it.

Meal plan — I’m great at regularly planning each week’s dinners, but I’ve been totally winging it on breakfast, lunch, and snacks. My choices over the past few weeks haven’t always been the best, as evidenced by the numbers creeping in the wrong direction on my scale, so time to fix that!

Do you set monthly goals? How was your March?

I’m linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals

One word and 2017 goals

January 3, 2017 by Michelle 20 Comments

I love this time of year when everyone and everything seems full of possibilities. It’s a great time of reflection and for looking ahead and considering all that can be done in the next 365 (ok 362) days!

Looking back I did pretty good with my 2016 goals. Of the 5 goals I set: Returning to half marathons; Setting a half marathon PR; Losing 12 pounds; Continuing my strength program; and, actively managing my recovery – setting a PR was the only area I fell short. (In full disclosure I lost 9 lbs and consider that a win!) Best of all, my love for running returned!

So what lies ahead for 2017? For the last couple of years I’ve picked one word as the theme for my year, and this year’s word is “Belief.” Across all areas of my life, I want to be driven by belief in what is possible, and not limited by fear or self-doubt.

So, now for my fitness/running goals:

Mix up the distances — Last year I was very focused on getting back to the half marathon distance. This year, I’d like to mix it up more – training & racing different distances will keep me challenged both mentally and physically.
Find some speed — I cannot expect to PR or just improve my times without pushing the pace. I have given the RC coaches the green light to push me out of my comfort zone.
Improve my nutrition — I struggled with finding the right fuel for my runs. I also often didn’t do a great job of giving my body what it needed both pre or post run. Time to change this!
More strength — I love working with Trainer Stacy and made no secret last year that sometimes my time in the gym rivaled my time on the road. I’ve got great momentum here and want to keep it going.
Have fun! — 2016 was about recapturing the joy of running and above all else I want that to continue. More blogger meet ups, more family running, more runs with friends – more fun 🙂

Belief and Goals for 2017! #oneword365 #goals #runchat #bibchat Share on X

Have you set your goals for 2017?

If you need inspiration, check out today’s Tuesdays on the Run link-up with Erika, Marcia and Patty and see what others are planning.

Also linking with Rachel, Meranda and Lacey who are talking all about goals for this week’s Friday Five.

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals, one word

A couple of December goals

December 7, 2016 by Michelle 12 Comments

It’s amazing to me to think that we are in the final days of 2016. I feel like the year kicked off a sprint pace and never let up. So now that my race season is over, it’s the perfect time to regroup and refocus before diving into training again. With that in mind, I’m setting just a couple of goals for this month.

Strike a balance….Without a race to focus on, it seems like the perfect time to up my strength game. So the goal is 3 days of strength work and 3 days of running.

Keep a good base….In the past, I have slacked off on my mileage at this time of year, but this time around I’d like to keep my weekly mileage around 18 – 20 miles.

Roll & Stretch….Daily rolling and stretching are necessary, and with things being more low-keyed I can make the time for this. (And my body will thank me for it!)

All things in moderation….I’ve done really well with my weight loss goal this year so why go and blow it in the last month, right? But, I also don’t believe in denial…so I will enjoy all the tempting holiday treats in moderation 🙂

So tell me, how are you planning to wrap-up the year?

Filed Under: goals, no training plan, refocusing

My Fall Fitness Goals

October 7, 2016 by Michelle 7 Comments

Happy Friday! And happy long weekend to those who get to celebrate Columbus day!

I’m currently enroute to NYC for the weekend! So while I’m hanging on the Acela I thought I’d share some fall fitness goals.

Sharing some fall fitness goals for this week's #FridayFive linkup Share on X

Focus on recovery — Since the start of the school year, I’ve been jamming in my runs where I can…which means I haven’t been leaving enough time for proper recovery. Time to get back to rolling, Epsom salt baths, and more time in my compression gear!
Make strength training a priority — The other downside of my tight schedule lately has been that my strength training is taking a backseat. I know if I don’t balance my runs with strength work I’m risking ending up back on injured reserve.
Mix it up — To keep things interesting I want to focus on mixing things up a little. I haven’t done yoga or pilates in a while with any consistency – it would be good to add some back into the routine.
Continue the slow & steady weight loss — I continued to lose a few pounds this summer and now I have just 4 lbs to go on my 2016 goal.
Enjoy some family running – With races planned with my oldest son, husband and brother, there will be lots of opportunities for family runs.

Did you set any fitness goals for the fall?

I’m linking up with Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for this week’s #FridayFive. Be sure to stop by and see what everyone’s sharing this week!

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals

Reflecting on Summer Fitness Goals

September 2, 2016 by Michelle 26 Comments

With Labor day weekend marking the unofficial end of summer, it seemed like a good time to check in on my summer fitness goals and see how I did.

Back in June, I set 5 goals for the summer:

Checking in on my summer fitness goals for this week's #FridayFive Share on X

Embrace the plan — Check! I started the summer very excited to be working with the coaches from RunnersConnect, and I’m happy to say that they have not disappointed. There’s been the occasional deviation here and there (hello soul-sucking humidity!), but for the most part I’ve stuck with my training plan.
Family running — I got to celebrate my youngest son’s first 5K and my husband joined me for all of my weekend long runs!
Enjoy the outdoors — While I didn’t make it to the tennis courts or kayaking as I had hoped, I did get some hiking in, and the family definitely made the most of our time in the White Mountains.
Continue the slow & steady weight loss — I’m finishing the summer a few pounds lighter than when I started, so this is absolutely a win!
Keep getting stronger — Another check! I faithfully stuck to my strength training thanks in large part to working out with Trainer Stacy. It’s no coincidence that staying focused on strength work has helped keep me relatively injury-free this summer.

I’d say I did a pretty good job on my goals for this summer! Now I’m more than ready for the temps to cool down and enjoying some fall racing 🙂

For this week’s #FridayFive, Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia are talking about all things Fitness.

Did you set any summer goals?

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals

My Summer Fitness Goals

June 3, 2016 by Michelle 8 Comments

For this week’s #FridayFive, Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia are talking about all things Fitness, so it seemed like the perfect time to share some summer fitness goals!

Sharing some summertime fitness goals for today's #FridayFive link-up! What have you got planned? Share on X

Embrace the plan — Training for my fall races has begun and I’m looking forward to diving into it and embracing the hill work, speedwork and long runs to come!
Family running — My youngest son has announced he’d like to run a 5K and has already been asking when we can head to the track. And, my husband J has said he wants to continue to join me on my Saturday long runs (at least until I go beyond 10 miles – his declared cap!)
Enjoy the outdoors — Beyond running, my family does a lot of hiking during the summer months. I’m also looking forward to some time on the tennis courts and maybe a little kayaking.
Continue the slow & steady weight loss — I continue to make progress on this 2016 goal, and know being a few pounds lighter will go a long way on those hot long runs.
Keep getting stronger — As I mentioned in my race recap, I can feel the benefits of the strength work starting to take hold. Trainer Stacy is planning to up the workouts so I can keep upping the mileage.

What are you planning this summer?

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals, summer mode

Friday Five – April Goals

April 1, 2016 by Michelle 14 Comments

Happy Friday!

As last week’s runfessions revealed I’ve been feeling a little whiny about my running. So in an effort to focus on the positive, I’m skipping my monthly rewind, in favor of looking ahead to goals for this month!

Run all the miles — Don’t leave any run shorter than planned.
Lose the negative thoughts — Going to replace that negative voice that’s been all too present on the road with me lately. I will focus on the mile I’m in.
Return to morning runs — I’m best when I start my day working out – then when the schedule runs amok, at least I’ll know I’ve already taken care of myself.
Step-up the strength work — Going back to work with Trainer Stacy and I can’t wait!
Lose 3 pounds — One of my 2016 goals is to lose 12 pounds, and while I’ve been making a little progress here, I know I lost my focus a bit last month – I’m recommitting.

What are your goals for April?

I’m linking up with Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for the #FridayFive link-up – This week’s theme is “fitness.”

Filed Under: Friday Five, goals

One Word and Goals for 2016

January 5, 2016 by Michelle 21 Comments

As I mentioned before, I’m not much for resolutions, but I do like to set goals. So in and around the fun family time of the holidays, I did find some quiet time to reflect on 2015 and set some goals for 2016. I even got my boys in on the act, as each of them wrote out some goals for the year!

And, as I did last year, I’m once again picking one word…kind of a “theme” to tie the many goals for the different areas of my life together. This year my word is “Progress.”

So, now for my fitness/running goals:

Return to half marathons — Thanks to injury and generally my body having other plans, I haven’t run a half marathon since 2013! I’ve already got two halfs I’m registered for and am eyeing a couple more for the fall.
Set half marathon PR — I figure since I am returning to this distance, I might as well go for a PR, right?
Lose 12 pounds — there I said it! With the running hiatus that dominated last fall, more than a few pounds have happened – if being fitter and faster is the goal, then these pounds need to go.
Continue my strength program — I had started a great program with the trainer last year that got sidelined with my surgery, but I’m back at it now and know how important it is to stick with it. I need to give as much attention to strength work as I do to logging miles.
Actively manage recovery – This was a goal on my 2015 list that I think bears repeating – I cannot just run and then rush off to the next thing. I need to give time to rolling, Epsom salt baths, etc.

Have you set your goals for 2016?

If you need inspiration, check out today’s Tuesdays on the Run link-up with Erika, Marcia and Patty and see what others are planning.

Filed Under: goals, one word

Move beyond resolutions

December 30, 2015 by Michelle 13 Comments

It’s that time of year again – time for reflection and planning…and the New Year’s resolutions. I’m not much for resolutions, but I do set new goals each year. Some would say this is a matter of semantics, but what I like about goal-setting is that goals are definable, with a clear point of accomplishment. Resolutions have no clear end-point – perhaps that’s why so many resolutions end up broken before January is done?

Well, however you choose to look at it, here are a few tips to help turn all that New Year’s motivation into good habits for 2016 and beyond.

Pace yourself — It is very easy to get too hyped up – even “over-motivated”? – go out too hard, and then fizzle, or get injured. Start small…baby steps can add up to big payoffs down the road.

Be consistent — I’ve ever read that it takes between 21 and 28 days to build a good habit, and from personal experience I believe that to be true. A little something each day during the first 3 – 4 weeks will help ensure the new habit sticks.

Break down big goals — Sometimes it’s easy to become overwhelmed by a big goal. It’s important to track your progress and celebrate small successes along the way. Don’t shy away from dreaming big – just break it down into smaller goals.

Find a partner or group — There’s a lot to be said for being accountable to someone else and having someone to draw motivation from on those days when you’re not feeling it.

Surround yourself with success — Beware of spending time around others who don’t support your efforts – they will drain you! As much as possible, spend time with others who model the behavior/habits you’re striving for.

Remember your “why” — I find whether it’s a word, phrase or photo, posting visual reminders where you’re sure to see them will help keep your goals and your “why” front and center. Energy flows where attention goes so make your goals hard to ignore and you’re more likely to follow through.

Be prepared for setbacks — When you fall down (either literally or figuratively), the key is to not beat yourself up over it, but be willing to pick yourself up and begin again.

Do you set goals or make resolutions?

Linking up with Deb for Wednesday Word – be sure to stop by and check out Deb and other’s take on “resolutions.”