There are lots of blog posts this week about resolutions, goals, year-end recaps, etc. While I outlined some resolution-type things last year (here’s how I did) and wrote a Year in Review in 2010 and 2011, I don’t feel like doing anything so official or so time consuming this year. I already wrote my Year In Running and that took a lot out of me.
Instead, I’m going to make a list of things I’d like to see happen in 2014, whether or not they are actually realistic or attainable. They aren’t resolutions or goals because some of them are not possible. This is more like a wish list, with some things that can or might happen and some things that won’t.
1. Run a sub-4Â Eugene Marathon.
There, I said it. It’s out here, in words, on the internet. Is this attainable? Without a knee injury, yes I believe it is, even though it is terrifying. I was on track to get really close to 4:00 in Richmond before my knee took over my race. I know I can do it and I intend to train even harder and smarter than last time.
I got myself a new running coach: Abby. She absolutely loves and ‘gets’Â Refine, so she will know better how to work it into my plan (and maybe help me figure out a way to go more than once a week during training?), she is a personal trainer and — here’s the real gem — she is in school to become a physical therapist.
This is HUGE. She understands injury and how the body works and I really believe she is the best person to help me get through my training cycle safely. I’ve struggled with a few injuries this past year (only one related to running) and I really needed more guidance and advice when it came to exercise. If something hurts, I know I will trust her advice on what to do, and I am committed to doing whatever she says.
2. On that note, find a flight to Eugene that costs less than $600.
I had no idea it would be this tough. It actually was $522 and I thought that was too much so I waited and now it’s up to $561. I’m going to wait and hope it gets a little better.
3. Become a stay at home mom to my dog Larry.
All I want in my life is to devote every second of every day to making sure this little boy is as happy as possible. Unless I buy a lottery ticket (which I never think to do) and then also win, this won’t happen. But a puppy mommy can dream.
4. Finish writing my wedding thank you cards.
Please don’t be disgusted with me. Yes, I got married a in June. Yes, that was a long time ago. Yes, it is closer to next June than last June. I promise I will make myself write the rest by our anniversary. It’s just . . . Reading books! Binge watching The Good Wife! All things I’d rather be doing and I’ve always had a really tough time getting myself to do shit in my down time. I’ll gladly go to Refine or run or go to whatever appointment I have, but once I’m home . . . I just can’t bring myself to do anything.
5. Hang up all my wall things.
Speaking of being unable to bring myself to do anything. Not only did I get married in June, I moved in June too. No, not a single thing has been hung up. This actually prevented us from having our birthday party for Larry on January 1 (the anniversary of the day we got him) this year, something I was really looking forward to. I just can’t get my shit together, same as the thank you cards. And I don’t want anyone seeing my house without everything hung up. It will happen within the next month though. This one I promise.
6. Have my next birthday celebration at my favorite restaurant ever, the place that perfected the pizza: Razza Pizza Artigianale.
Not only did Razza perfect the pizza (the margherita pizza to be exact; as much as I’d like to try the others, I can’t bring myself to risk missing out on what I know is pizza perfection when I am there), they also perfected the chickpea and the bread. To force people who would not normally visit Jersey City (which is closer to Manhattan than many parts of Queens and Brooklyn, so fuck you), I will have my next birthday be a dinner party here. Then my friends can finally understand just how spectacular this food is.
Photo: http://hungryiopanda.blogspot.com/2013/05/dinner-at-razza-pizza-artigianale-in.html%5B/caption%5D
7. Have a party at my house.
Invite people over so they can see our awesome townhome and drink the leftover booze from the wedding. There’s a lot. Plus, I can wear a dress even if it is in the winter because I won’t have to go outside. This is all dependent on #5, but it’s looking possible.
8. Take more Refine while marathon training.
I mentioned this above in #1, but it is really important to me to incorporate more Refine while training for Eugene. Last year was a little tough because I got my rib injury as soon as we got back from the honeymoon. This meant no Refine for about a month, so I went into marathon training without all my strength and muscles. While I will definitely go into training with a much stronger base this time, I’d like to do Refine more than once a week while training. If this means that I occasionally have to do a two-a-day workout (ugh, not a fan) or run one fewer day a week to make it work, I’ll do it. It doesn’t have to be every week, just a little more than the last time I trained. I just feel really certain that it will only help me prevent injury and run a stronger, faster race.
Bonus: I really love Refine a lot. Also, it makes me look hot, and this marathon overlaps with summer.
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Photo: http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2012/10/31/event-recap-refine-method-uws-launch-party/%5B/caption%5D
9. PR the 5K, 10K and half marathon distances
I basically unofficially PRd the 10K during the Newport Half Marathon in September (6 miles in 51:55; my current 6.2 mi PR 53:55). That means I can run an actual 10K race even faster than that. I need to make this official!
And my 5K PR came on a day I had already run four miles and was struggling with both neck and rib injuries. As happy as I am with my time, I know can do better.
Then there is the half marathon. This is a race I’ve PRd every year since I started running it. My half marathon PR was a tough race effort-wise, but as long as my Eugene training goes smoothly I see no reason why I can’t run this distance even faster.
10. Figure out what I want to do with my life.
No pressure there, right?
BONUS: Make Ellen my best friend.
Creepy! That’s what Andy said when I told him this one. But Ellen loves Refine and Bloody Marys and hates all the same things and people I do. I really wish I knew her better when I had my bachelorette party at Refine because she would have loved this private instructor-Lonnie party even more than I did. On that note, I want to be a good baby friend to Ashley Runningbun’s little girl when she is born. That means getting in my car and driving to her house so that her baby grows up knowing mom’s funny (looking) friend Dori.
Unless I’m not living in New Jersey anymore, in which case maybe I’ll be living in Seattle, and speaking of babies and Seattle, I’d really love it if my one-year-old nephew Harrison could learn to say Aunt Dori this year. I’m on it!
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Photo: Mirandmamedina.com
Tell me one unattainable goal (like my being a stay at home puppy mom) that you have for 2014.