Goals

I want to talk about goals. Since the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon is in three days, let's start there! Here are my goals related to that:

1. Finish
2. Finish in less than 2:30
3. Finish in less than 2:24:06 (11 min/mile pace)
4. Finish in less than 2:17:34 (10:30 min/mile pace)
5. Have fun!

I already plan to wear my medal for a week and pretend like I'm a queen. I already told all my friends they had to at least pretend to be impressed. I will be very happy to finish between 3 and 4. Faster than 4 and I'm wearing my medal for the rest of the year while pretending I'm a queen.

After the half, I have some other goals in mind for the winter. Although in my mind, they're called plans. Here are my winter plans:

• I've been doing core and weight exercises on Wednesday mornings at the gym. I'm planning to take that up a notch. I want to do core exercises at least twice a week and will be starting The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm really excited about building strength. This can only help me in my athletic development. 
• I will continue taking CycleFit classes. I love CycleFit and I don't want to lose any gains I've made in my biking this year. I may also get some spin DVDs so I can train better at home too. I have a trainer. I should take advantage of it.
• Start swimming. Swim at least once per week. I may even finally sign up for those swim lessons at the SRSC so I don't have to worry that the lifeguards are secretly laughing at me while I flail myself from one end of the pool to the other. Also, I want to swim correctly and efficiently. 
• I would like to continue running at least two, but preferably three days per week. I may start working on getting faster.

That's a lot of exercising to schedule around a full-time job, husband, dog, holidays, all that life type stuff. But I think I can do it, and I think I will be happy about it. Plus, most of this is indoor stuff, so I won't be deterred by possibility of freezing. (I can't wait to move somewhere that does not have this winter nonsense when my husband gets out of grad school.)

And finally, here are some random long-term and/or fun goals, in no particular order:

1. Become an Iron(wo)man
2. Run a sub 30 minute 5K
3. Run a marathon
4. Do a Rock N Roll race
5. Do a Disney race
6. Complete a century bike ride
7. Do RAIN
8. Conquer Mt Tabor in the Hilly Hundred
9. Cross-country bike tour
10. Lose 30 pounds
11. Figure out how to work yoga into my routine as well
12. Make my blog more interesting/popular
13. Eat better more consistently
14. Convince my husband to work out too

This is all doable, right?