2015-2016.

Well. I don’t know where to start, it’s been so long.

2015: moved to CO. Bought a house less than a month later (originally unplanned). Did Pikes Peak marathon. Started school a couple weeks later. Fall semester KICKED MY ASS. Didn’t work out. Got fat (ok, how do I strike through here? Oh! Found it.) unhealthy.

Last January I blogged my 2015 “goals”. I didn’t even come close to 365 days of working out. I don’t even know when I quit that, but it was pretty early. Then:
Other goals:
knit at least 5 projects (making my way through my neglected project box)
read 10 books
3-5 new marathon states (Booked: South Dakota, the rest…up in the air)

Reality:
Knitting: 2 projects. I call that pretty decent considering I hadn’t knitted anything since Dec. 14.
Books: more than 17! I have 17 saved on my Goodreads acct, and I know I forgot to put in several. Between driving across the country (Texas) several times to/from CO, I listened to some great audio books as well.
Marathons: 3 (all new states). Whew, just under the wire here. I had planned on 2 more, but new house/K’s work travel cancelled those. I couldn’t leave in the middle of the move (that I mostly did on my own). That’s ok, life things that are more important than races and I’m totally fine with it.

Food/weight/fitness. I fit all the food in my mouth. Gained a bunch of weight. (UGH. Mad at myself but really trying hard to not beat myself up) I know how to fix it. The fall semester was horrible for these things as well. Workouts were very sporadic, until Dec break, I hadn’t been to a CF class since Oct/early Nov. NOT GOOD for my physical and mental being. I was not a happy person. That’s ok….again, other things were more important, but I really suffered.

I did get a 4.0. Whoo! Whew. That will really help later.

So, what else? 2016? This is a HUGE question mark. I’ve feel like I’ve been treading water/flailing for 2 years now. Since the end of 2013 (end of my first 365), I had “finished” losing weight, and finished the 100miler. I don’t do well without goals, purpose, or vision. Being unstable in where we were going to move, not having fitness goals…just doesn’t work for me. So, I guess the good news is I have something to work towards: getting healthy. Again. (Ugh. Why is this a pattern?)

Health/weight: 365 days of doing something active! 2 Whole30’s. ‘Easy’ to tackle with my routine. Just takes time.  I hope I can do this no matter what. I’d love to do 4 again this year, but I don’t know if that is feasible, (more on that below) so, 2 is a reasonable expectation.

Running: not too sure. Depends on the year. If things don’t change, I’ll get a couple more states this year. Not sure which ones. If they do, I suspect I’ll actually get more running in.

Challenges: There are several big unknowns/events on the horizon that may or may not happen. If they do, it’ll be big changes. If they don’t, then things continue on mostly the same, which is good too. Routine is good for me and I know I can focus on getting my ass into shape, no matter what happens. This possible change would be huge, and amazing, but I’d really be denying myself if I didn’t enjoy the full experience. We’ll see.
Others:
House projects. We have a 3 page running list and have stalled on some things as they snowball. For example: “lets redo the floors!” Great. No problem. Well, now I hate the fireplace (with a PASSION) and it’s not staying. (Fireplace Dr. appt next week! One step.) So, can’t redo the floor before we do the fireplace. Need a new storage cabinet/island in the kitchen, but should get a new stove first…And on. And on. This will also be easier when I’m working again. So, maybe 1 big project and a couple smaller ones are a reasonable goal.
Reading: I exceeded my goal and don’t anticipate this falling to the wayside. Our library is EXCELLENT and it’s much easier now that it used to be. (LA libraries & education system are awful) So, no set reading goal.
Knitting: 2-3 projects. I feel this is more reasonable.

BLOGGING. I need to keep this blog up. 1 post per week, minimum. Should be reasonable as well. I do well holding myself accountable when I write it down, and it’s “out there” for the world. If my life changes happen, I suspect this will be far more frequent to keep it documented.

Side note: so many people are against resolutions. Sure, it sucks when you fail, but making a conscious effort to change, or work on something, usually leads to good things. “Losing weight” “eat healthy”, those things don’t usually get people anywhere. Specific goals, usually do.
What am I doing to keep up my goals?
1. this blog
2. getting strict with my food again. I know I”m not a moderation person, I shouldn’t try to be.
3. Fitness/goal journal. This is new, but I hope that seeing it on my table every day will keep me accountable. I can ignore the computer and this blog. Harder to ignore the physical book.

Update (post day): I wrote this 5 days ago and never hit ‘publish.’ Oops.

I doubt anyone read all of this, but if you did, I leave you with this.
Apparently, one can’t leave boxes, and boxes, of LaCroix and Pelligrino in the garage when living in Colorado. I pretty much blame my Yankee husband for this as he pointed out we have tons of shelving storage in there AND he should have known that they would have turned into frozen projectiles, as he is from the frozen tundra of Ohio and I am from the south (and have never lived somewhere this cold). Thankfully only the garage lights were broken, and not the windows in my car. Whooops. That was a terrible mess to clean up!

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Nothing like trying to clean frozen, exploded, water.

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Super sad face.

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2015. 365. Goals and shit.

Last year I didn’t have my heart into the 365 days of ‘purposeful’ workouts. I don’t think I even made it 2 months? And many aspects of my life suffered. My health, mental health, motivation…it’s all related. Since I’m a fan of the positive snowball, I’m doing it again this year. And will finish. It seems manageable since I had a VERY successful 2013 (19 marathons/ultras +100miler, fast, strong, healthy!), took ’14 ‘off’ and was sick and unhappy way too often. Just looking back on the end of 2014, I was sick in Sept, again in Oct. and most of Dec. and at least 10 days in Jan already! Definitely related. Now it’s time to hit it hard again this year: take care of myself, get healthy, get strong.

Now, it’s not going to be easy. I’m already very unsettled right now with a major life change(s), but it’s nothing I haven’t been through before. It’s the uncertainty that I’m not thrilled about. Hopefully things will be figured out in Feb, then finalized, by the end of March, so the end is (again, hopefully) near! But, any routine and taking care of oneself only helps these stressful times, so that’s what I’m going to do. Try to maintain some semblance of health and stress reduction during this time. (oh, and these are all good changes, btw!)

For many years, I’ve had the goal/resolution/life rule to learn or do something new every year. I don’t have anything specific this year -yet- but with the changes happening, I’m not worried about it. I know that life will settle down and I’ll find a new hobby or trip to throw my money and time at (Hello, Skeleton School in Lake Placid or Park City…I’m looking at you). Things in the past have been: learning a new sport, run farther (50 & 100 miles), a certain trip/experience, learning to knit, etc. SOMETHING new to grow as a person. I visited at least 2 new places and did new things at those places last year (Zion NP & Lake Placid), and learned some new knitting techniques (how to make a hat, knit with 2 colors, new stitches). So, the “learn something new” thing will work itself out.

Other goals:
knit at least 5 projects (making my way through my neglected project box)
read 10 books
3-5 new marathon states (Booked: South Dakota, the rest…up in the air)
These ‘goals’ feel pretty random and I don’t feel commited. So, many I shouldn’t even write them. I really am more worried about, and concentrating on, getting healthy physically and mentally. Overall, I’d like to get through this big change with some sanity, grace, and not lose my mind. Which is probably where those 3 items come in: they are balance. They balance the mental, the physical, and the feeling that I am accomplishing things. I am aware that I can’t control a lot of this right now, and I’m choosing to take a lot of this on myself as it helps my partner and our finances, so when/if it gets hard and stressful, I need to remember those things. I think I can do all this, as I’ve done it before. Just keep telling myself that…

HERE WE GO!

Since I was traveling, then sick (again!), I’m starting my 2015 on Jan 19. Who says the 365 days have to start on Jan. 1? Not me.
For a while, I’m going to log some food. I don’t know how much I’ll keep this up, but I need to get back in the habit.

So. Let’s go 2015!

Day 1, Jan 19: 40min walk with my cousin. Easing into this.
If it’s in the 60’s and I can wear sandals, it’s time to walk! (I wore real shoes for my walk)
imageDay 2, Jan 20: CrossFit! 1hr. Tried the new location of the old gym we used to belong to (2012-13). I enjoyed it.
Squat Snatch: 2x35lbs, 2x45lbs (way too easy), 3x65lbs, 2x75lbs.
WOD: 3rds for time RX
400m run
15 push press (65lbs)
15 toes-to-bar
15 box jumps (20in)
Food: 3 boiled eggs, 1/2 grapefruit
1/2 apple pre-wod, 1/2 after
2 burger patties, big salad, 1 sweet potato
another burger, salad
imageOooof. My hands are not in CrossFit shape! Not acceptable!

imageDay 3, Jan. 21:
AM: 40min walk
2 pieces bacon, 1/2 grapefruit, handful of nuts….uhhh…it’s 2:30p and apparently I need to eat!…big salad w/tuna.
CrossFit workout didn’t look fun, so I decided not to go.

UPDATE: Jan 22. (I will workout today, but not yet. That entry will be the next blog post. I just wanted to get this published.)
Life has thrown another curveball, and my knee-jerk reaction is to protect myself, our little family, and our finances. So. I don’t know what CF gym I’ll be joining again (I wanted to go back to our old, good, place). I don’t even want to go back to the place where I was going in Nov or Dec (that’s half the price), because I feel like I’m in survival mode. I can workout at home. I’ve got weights, tires, a pullup bar and plenty of places to run. We’ll see. I’m sure my husband will completely disagree and tell me to go back to the gym, but I just don’t know if I’m comfortable with that right now. I can get by on my own through March just fine.

This year…oof. I hope it gets a lot better.

I wanted to end my blogs with something light and funny, and I’m lacking pictures in this wordy post, so I’m leaving you with my attempt at a food pic. The dogs were waaaaay too interested in my lunch.

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I can haz tuna?

 

Hello, hello, is this thing on?

HI!!! Welcome! I’m pretty new to this blogging thing and it will not be winning any awards. You can leave now if you’d like; I won’t be offended.

waving hello

So, what’s the point of my narcissistic vomit? Just another blog you waste time reading? The backstory in how I got here is long, but the short answer is, my “2013 Challenge.” I’m challenging myself to do 365 days of Workouts. I was inspired by Betsy of 365 Days, 365 Workouts and decided it was far enough over the threshold of the fun/insanity line for me to try it! Just like signing up for 20 marathons without training (I only trained for the first one), or the Ironman’s, working out 365 days is in the same category. You see, I love rest days. Too much. The less you stress your muscles, the fresher they are for the next ‘workout’, right? RIGHT.
(Not. Do not try this method people.)

This log is to hold myself accountable. To make myself do the workouts. By having to write them here and make it public, for shaming.

Exercise__A_Self_Portrait-ywgvfi-d

I’m using December as time to get myself into a safe place mentally for the challenge & to get my affairs in order: learn how to use this fancy blog & finish acquiring some small home-gym items like a new yoga mat & my custom jump rope.

You’re asking yourself, WHAT kinds of workouts can she do every day? How will she not go insane? I don’t know, I’m wondering that myself. I’m brainstorming with mini-challenges or focused months/blocks of training: probably a decent amount of running, CrossFit 3-4x/week, yoga, assorted home workouts, maybe some swimming. There will be light days. I haven’t come up with the minimum amount of activity to qualify as a workout, but probably a walk or yoga. Not just walking to the store from the car, or to class, but a walk for the sole purpose of a walk. My dogs might appreciate that too.

See you later this month or Jan 1, 2013, when I’m “running” my first marathon of the year. The day after I “run” my last marathon of 2012 (#4).

Haley