The first day of a new year. A sense of renewal. A clean slate. So much energy to tackle those new goals and resolutions. But as luck would have it, my schedule said, “Rest Day.” Boo.

Well, easy swimming is like resting right? I planned to be at the pool by 8 am so I could get a solid hour of swimming in before the 49er game started at 10 am. Then I thought, “Well since I’m there, I may as well get started on the ‘Become Friends with the Treadmill Again’ goal and hop on for 15-20 min.” I went to bed on New Year’s Eve with this grand plan in mind.

The thing is, it was 6 hours past my normal bedtime so I didn’t get up till 9 am. For someone who wakes up at 5 am like clockwork, this felt like half the day was gone (because it was!).

I reassessed the day. There was no way I was going to skip the 49er game (priorities people!) so I would start my goal of “Respecting Rest Days.”

After the Niners won, I started to clean up the house and took the trash out. I was shocked to see that it felt like summer! Mid-60′s on January 1st! I wanted to rush back in the house, lace up my sneaks and go for a run! I just couldn’t let the day go to waste! But I was torn – what about the Rest Day?

So I compromised. I laced up my sneaks and went for…a walk!

Seriously, when was the last time I just went out for a walk? I couldn’t remember. I strolled along my usual running path, taking in the sights that I ignore while running. I petted the dogs that normally try to bite me and said hello to the neighbors who were also out enjoying the day.

3 miles in 1 hr 15 min. Lovely way to start the New Year!

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And with the New Year comes a whole new schedule of races for 2012!

I had told myself I was cutting back on the number of races I do, but somehow I’ve managed to already be registered for a handful of them. I blame peer pressure and screaming registration deals…

February 5: The Kaiser Half Marathon in Golden Gate Park – San Francisco, CA
I was opposed to doing this race because it’s on SuperBowl Sunday, they don’t give medals, and it’s in hilly GGP. But now that I’m pretty familiar with the park, I looked at the course and it avoids all it’s major hills. It’s actually a pretty good course so I signed up. It’s 4 weeks away and I doubt my fitness level will be back to where it was a month ago, so my goal for this race is to run it Garminless and see how it goes/feels.

March 11: The 408K Race for Pat Tillman – San Jose, CA
An inaugural 5-mile race in San Jose in memory of the NFL player from SJ who joined the military and got killed in war. It’s rather pricey for a 5-mile race, but it’s for a good cause and it would be fun to end a race at Santana Row. Audrey is in for it and I think I’ve got Dave convinced to run this race with me too.

March 25: The Oakland Running Festival Half Marathon – Oakland, CA
Everyone who ran last year’s SFM received a special rate of $35 so I have been registered for this race since last July. Most of my Bay Area running friends are participating, as well as my cousin Michi. She is an East Bay native, who now lives in New York. She’s coming home to run it and also signed up her Mom, aunt and Grandma to run the 5K. It’ll be a family affair! I also would like to attempt a PR at this race.

May 19: Ogden Half Marathon – Ogden, Utah
My friend Aaron participated in last year’s marathon relay and told me what a beautiful course this is. Runners are bused to up to the canyon for the Start, and then run down the canyon and finish in downtown Ogden. So….downhill marathon! Count me in! I had also read other race reports and saw photos to see how lovely it really is. Since it’s downhill, it’s a very fast course that a lot of people attempt to BQ at so it sold out within a few days. Luckily, Alyssa, Courtney and I were on it – registered and confirmed, and Aaron will be attempting his first half-marathon as well! I am concerned about the altitude so it will be one more thing to train for.

May 20: Portland Rock’nRoll Half Marathon – Portland, OR
Yeah, I kinda messed up on this date. I thought it was on May 12th. After the Vancouver Marathon last May, my cousin Lauren beat her Dad’s (my Uncle Rich) time without even training or trying. Naturally, he wants a head-to-head match so we all signed up for this race…on May 1, 2011. Another family affair that will also include my Aunty Delta and cousin Riley (I think) each embarking on their first half-marathon. I’ll be there, no matter what, but whether I actually make it to the Start Line will be a game day decision. My own personal reverse Goofy Challenge perhaps?

June 9: Mermaid Sprint Triathlon – Alameda, CA
I don’t know how this happened. Just yesterday I wrote about how I just wanted to learn how to ride my bike before I attempted any sort of tri. But yesterday, I was cleaning out my emails and read the Mermaid newsletter again and before I knew it, I had the registration screen filled out and clicked “Submit.” I guess now I really do need to learn how to ride this thing.

July 29: San Francisco Marathon, 2nd Half – San Francisco, CA
I will always plan to run one of the SFM races and have decided that the 2nd Half is my favorite course. While it’s not as scenic as the 1st Half, I feel that almost every other race in San Francisco runs along the Embarcadero, and I can run across the Golden Gate Bridge anytime I like. I also despise running up the Lincoln Hill coming off of the GGB. But how often do I run through The Haight or in The Mission? Ummm, never. I also like to finish at the main Finish Line, not the tiny one in GGP, so the 2H is my race of choice.

These are way more races than I anticipated doing, but I’m excited for each of them. And clearly, SFM in July is not going to be my last race of the year, but I’ll wait and see how the first few months of 2012 go before deciding on what will come after that.

At work, we are asked forced to put together a plan of 3-5 main SMART goals (SMART = Specific Measureable Attainable Realistic Timely Goals) at the start of every fiscal year. Then we have to write action plans on how we are going to achieve each goal. Upon that, we revisit these goals and set mini-goals each quarter that support the main goals.

I am not a fan of this process in the work environment (too much work politics to take this process seriously). But ironically, I found myself going through the same process when thinking about the personal goals I would like to set for myself this new year. I’ve spent a lot of time during this staycation thinking about specific and measurable things that I think I can accomplish in 2012 and came up with 3 resolutions and 5 BHAG’s (BHAG = Big Hairy Audacious Goals).

Resolutions
(Not a goal but a lifestyle change I want to adopt)

Practice meditation regularly

This could also be a BHAG because my mind moves “a-mile-minute” so learning how to focus and slow down will be huge for me. My yoga studio offers Meditation classes that will be a good place to start.

Have more balance

It was recently pointed out to me by non-running friends that in 2011 I was completely absorbed with everything running – running friends, training, races, blog posts and they felt disconnected from me. These are important relationships that I want to continue so I need to find a way to bring it all into balance {Blogger Note: There may be non-running/sports posts to come in 2012…}

Stop the “What If’s” and “I Wish’s”

When I’m in a yoga class and I see a fellow yogi execute a difficult pose perfectly, I enviously admire them and think “What if” I could do that. Or I’ll be catching up with a friend who is so passionately about their job and think “I wish” I had that same connection with my work. I want to change this and stop wishing and wondering, and be a person who makes things happen.

BHAGS

I would like to PR a half-marathon this year.

Ideally I would have liked it to attempt this at the Kaiser Half Marathon on February 5th, but I think I’ve lost too much fitness in the past month. So I am going to try to attempt this at the Oakland Half Marathon in March.

I would like to complete my next marathon. In 4:30.

I actually think a Finish at 4:30 are doable at my next marathon, which happens to be the Ogden Marathon in Utah on May 19th. It’s a downhill course that has received rave reviews and I’m so excited to run it with Alyssa and Courtney! Downhill repeats down California Street!

I would like to learn how to ride my bike, and feel comfortable enough on it to be able to participate in a race.

I’m not going to say my BHAG is to do a triathlon because I have to learn more about the bike and feel comfortable enough before even attempting to use it in a race environment. I know nothing about bikes; I may as well be a 5-year old trying to learn how to take off the training wheels. It’s a big deal for me.

I would like to read 25 books in 2012.

Time is my biggest challenge in accomplishing this, but my new iPad makes it realistic and attainable. (Side note: the iPad was by far the best purchase I made in 2011…don’t know why it took me so long to get one!)

Build my savings to “X” amount of dollars.

I have a budget, and if I actually stuck to it, I would have easily achieved this goal in 2011, but I didn’t. So it’s back on the table in 2012.

Secondary Goals

I also have a bunch of secondary goals that I think are fun, and are supportive to help me to accomplish the BHAGs:

1. Save $1 for every mile run in 2012

2. Become friends with the treadmill

I recently read an article in Running Times magazine where Magdelena Lewy-Bouvet talked about doing speed work on the TM because it helps keep her body fresh and intact since she’s not getting any younger. Well I’m not that much younger than her, so I think I better start doing what she does.

3. Run parts of the SFM course regularly

I feel embarrassed that I live near one of the hilliest cities in the world and am the biggest wimp when it comes to running hills. I want to be better at it and maybe one day, run the SFM Full race so I can cross it off my Bucket List.

4. Practice Gratitude Daily

I actually l created a blog to post one thing every day that I’m thankful for. I never kept it up so I’m trying again and thinking of it as a 365 project. I have a link to it at the top and bottom of this blog.

5. Properly warm-up and cool-down from each workout

6. Respect Rest Days

7. Practice yoga 3-5 times a week

After not doing any yoga for over a week, I realize how critical this is. Not only does this build core strength and flexibility, the cost per class also decreases the more classes I go to, justifying my studio membership.

8. Improve my posture

Stop slouching over the computer!

9. Have a purpose to every workout

10. Stick to using Mint.com

11. Foam roll regularly

12. Learn how to breathe on my left side while swimming

13. And learn another swim stroke in addition to freestyle

14. Keep a more detailed training journal

15. Read Hemingway

It’s a rather long list of mini goals, but all realistic, attainable and changeable. Change happens so I’ll revisit this mini list often to assess how I’m doing and see which, if any items are still viable.

I finished my last run of the year (a short, uneventful 3-miler).

As I logged the workout, the OCD in me decided to crunch some numbers – rather shocking since I am not a numbers person.

Here’s the 2011 numbers:

72 Spin/Bike Trainer workouts

43 Swim workouts

76 Yoga classes (!!!)

41 standalone Core workouts (includes Dailey Method classes)

40 Strength Training workouts

3 Other workouts (meaning the elliptical which I hate – hence the low number)

76 Rest Days

1021.02 Miles Run (131.1 more than the 889.92 miles I ran in 2010)

…including…

1 5K
1 10K
1 12K
7 Half-Marathons
1 Full Marathon
2 DNF’s (a Half and a Full)

And just for the heck of it…

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