Oh hello there, 2012

I don't do resolutions. I have never found them helpful. Instead, a few years ago, I started setting goals or picking one thing each year that scared the pants off of me or just deciding to do something I'd always wanted to do.

The first year it was the Philly Sprint Triathlon, the second year I moved to Denver. Last year it was completing my first half marathon in spite of being a pretty terrible runner.

This year I'm going big. I've picked two main goals - complete my first century race (I've picked Elephant Rock, in June) and the biggie: my first half Iron Man tri. That pretty much scares the beejeebies out of me.

I like training for Tris because I have exercise ADD. I don't like to do the same thing for months on end, like I'll be doing this winter as I ready for the DC Rock N Roll half in March. Thanks to two friends back home, I've started out my training well, completing a 3 mile and 4 mile run without stopping; no small feat considering I haven't been running consistently since July. I love winter running and, while I don't like to set time goals for myself, I'd like to take ten minutes off of my SF race time. I recognize that seems a bit lofty, but my SF pace was something along the lines of 11:20 miles, which really needs work. My original goal was a 10:30 pace, so if I can hit that, I'll be delighted.

So, as I rang in the new year with some of my oldest college friends at a lovely cabin in the Poconos, I thought about my goals for each of these races and how I would get myself to the starting line of each.

DC Half Marathon - March 17

Yep, that's St Patty's Day, folks

I'm running this race with a lot of my friends, which only makes it that much more fun. While talking about our training plans, Lauren and I made a pact: No beer from January 1 - March 16. Red wine is allowed, but no more that two glasses on any given night (I mean, c'mon, red wine is good for your heart! Can't lose that!).

Follow my training plan to the letter.

Work on pace, not just mileage, for the shorter runs.

Continue to do yoga 2-3 times a week so my calves don't freak out.

Invest in the stinkin' Garmin watch so I can get an accurate feel for my pace/distance.

Elephant Rock Century - Castle Rock, CO - June 3, 2012

For this race, I'm officially investing in a new road bike. I bought my REI-brand road bike several years ago, but it is heavy and fairly poor construction and not suitable for anything other than my 3 mile round trip commute, which it will still continue to do. For about 6 months, I've been mentally preparing to drop upwards to 2K for a new bike, shoes, pedals, and gloves. I'm hoping it will amount to much less than that, but the mental preparation is there nonetheless.

Steal Katie's 30 days of cycling in April to get my butt and legs in biking shape.

Finish. Don't die.

Maybe ride up Lookout Mountain. Maybe.

Beach to Battleship Half Iron Man - Wilmington, NC - October 20

All fall, I kind of floundered around looking for a race I'd like to do. Two weeks ago, Katie mentioned she was contemplating doing this one and I was sold. After looking it up, it was all of the pieces I was looking for - a fall race (a solid two months of not "hot as balls" training, when I'll be getting into my longer distances), ocean water, and a pretty destination. Mentally, I haven't really tackled what individual goals I may have for this race, other than really I just want to finish. In August, I'm tentatively scheduled to spend a week at the Outer Banks, so I'm planning on sticking to the training schedule and being able to get some Atlantic Ocean swimming in and may possibly do a ridiculous amount of miles on a rented beach cruiser bike. I'm sure my butt will love that.

Also, this race may be around the time of UMD Homecoming, so I'm contemplating driving to the race and then popping up the eastern seaboard (or vice versa).

I've got other assorted non-athletic goals for 2012 as well, some of which are more "stop talking about it and just do it" and other little silly ones, just for fun.

Buy a new car (front runner: the Xterra)

Aim to save $1000/month towards new car deposit (the no beer challenge will help this goal!)

See all Best Picture/Best Actor/Actress-nominated Oscar films

Finally start a Roth IRA

Pay off student loan by March. Enjoy being debt free.

Stop being cheap and starting paying for internet at home.

Those are just the few I've been throwing around in my head. They may evolve, as most goals are wont to do, but generally I am happy with them. I also, like every other American, want, and need, to lose weight, but I don't like to set a number or a specific goal. In order to finish my races, my exercise will ramp up and in order to be able to complete solid workouts, I will need to eat better and drink less. The combination should result in a happier, healthier, more energetic Ru and the weight will be what it will be. I'm the heaviest I've ever been (presumably - I'm scared of the scale), and just really unhappy that I've let myself get to this point and I hate always being tired. I'm ready to be healthier, that readiness (and slow down in travel schedule) just happens to overlap with the coming of a new year. How cliche of me!

So here's to a happy, healthy, event-filled and goal-driven 2012!