2019 Goals: The Big Reveal
Happy New Year Everyone! It’s the first weekend of the month so I’m linking this with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date. I actually forgot it was the monthly date (thought it was tomorrow…) but grab a cup of coffee anyway, or tea, or whatever you like and let’s have a chat.
2019, People! WE MADE IT!!
If we were having coffee I would exclaim that the older I get the more time seems to fly by – is that a “thing”? Anyone else experience that?
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I’ve been thinking about new goals for weeks – some I’d already decided, probably end of November, beginning December. My foot and ALL the appointments I had and all the specialists I’ve seen for it last year were probably the biggest downer and I working really hard on acceptance and moving on (if you have been with me a while, you’ve maybe noticed I’ve not really complained about it much since around October) and while I still have to see a few more professionals on exactly HOW to move on, that will be done likely in the next month (I have a 2nd opinion ortho appt next week, the physio and the podiatrist also coming up).
If we were having coffee I’d tell you how excited I am to talk about my fitness goals for 2019 so not just running, but running is of course the Main Act.
Big Goal #1 – Break through ALL my race PR’s (all achieved in 2015, same year as my first marathon)
If we were having coffee I’d ask you “Is this a lofty goal?” YES, it is, at least I think it is. I mean really, should one ever go and try to beat every single one of their PR’s in one year? Honestly, this is my Big Hairy Goal and this is what I want to go for. (On another note, I once had a therapist who told me “the should’s in life are often worse than the shits”). Anyway in 2015 I wasn’t even really trying and I broke all of these PR’s (the marathon one I wasn’t really trying at all – I planned on only doing one marathon, I ended up doing 4… the 2nd one, at Liverpool was my best and still not under 5 hours – those pesky 4 seconds!!!) – can you imagine if I DID try and I actually TRAINED for that??
Technically I beat my 5KM PR already with pace but the course was only 4.8KM so it’s still the plan to be the full 5KM time this year.
How am I going to achieve it? Simple – Training, training and more training. I’m going to take my training just a bit more serious this year. Also? If we were having coffee I’d say see the next big goal…
Big Goal #2 – If I want to be faster I need to lose weight. Period. I know many who read my blog don’t even focus on weight loss so I’ll apologise in advance for boring you with this one, but it’s important. i need to get down to the racing weight advised by a sports physician to me after my last exertion test. But this isn’t a lose weight only quest – this is about becoming fitter and stronger. This is about strength training and fat loss. This isn’t to look good in a bikini (don’t care at all about that) or having a great booty (my caboose is just fine the way it is regardless of size). This is purely to become faster. I have experienced it before and I will most definitely experience it again, this year.
How am I going to achieve this? By consistently logging my food in my WW app and making choices that reflect my goals.
Other Goals I’d tell you over coffee
Try something new at the gym – there are a few things that interest me and I will be tackling my insecurity of trying something new very soon. I generally have liked everything I’ve tried so it’s time to pull my big girl panties up again.
Learn yoga, even some basics and practise – I have found a few you tube videos but if anyone has any suggestions on how to start here at home, I’m all ears.
Use stairs at home – it’s kind of ridiculous that we always use the lift in our building when it’s only 4 floors we have to go up.
Fasted Cardio 2 x a week – Years ago I was able to get myself up early to work out, I’m inspired by Kim and want to pick this up again.
No Junk at work – No Brainer. I have to give up the junk at work if I’m going to stay on track for my losing weight goal.
Not coincidentally, my word of the year is CHOOSE:
If we were having coffee I’d admit to you that most of the choices I will need to make are with food – so already by saying “no” to junk at work I’m making a choice that keeps me on the path I want to be on. There are other reasons for struggling with weight loss and not eating the things which add value to my fitness and health – mostly this is social pressure, emotional comfort or convenience. So, here’s where I’m also going to become stronger each time I choose something else in these particular situations.
Over coffee I’d share with you that I’m using an app, by the way, called Simple Habits and being able to check off each day completed gives a great feeling – it’s really the little things that help me in a big way!
The last thing I’d mention if we were having coffee is that I have other non-weight and fitness goals for 2019 as well, just like I had for last year. Savings and home de-cluttering continue and my 2019 race calendar is already ridiculous! I’m definitely going to expand on that later.
So what would you tell me over coffee? Have you started off your year by deciding your goals? What’s one Big Hairy Goal you have for this year? Do you have a word of the year? Do you use any apps to help you achieve your daily goals?
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I love all of your goals for 2019! I will be cheering for you virtually to break all of your current PRs!
I’m finally back on track with WW this week after not really tracking that well in December. I’m up about 5 lbs since Halloween so I’m looking forward to going back to being diligent about my tracking. I do worry about doing the WW program while marathon training – i’m just not sure if that will be sustainable for me.
thanks Kim! marathon training will be challenging WW and fuelling wise. hopefully it won’t be a huge issue if I get the weight off before I start. When do you officially start chicago training?
Well, they are lofty goals.
Good luck.
I’d settle for ONE PR. But I’m with you on that one. I never train for or try for PRs. I wonder what would happen if I did. Maybe be more disappointed that I didn’t PR???
All the other goals are important and very doable.
I need to strength train and drink water. I suck at both.
I will also be very ok with just one PR to be honest, but I’m just going to try to do ALL.
I think you should do stuff that makes you happy. maybe find a class you like? or is that too hard with all your other activities/work/ travel/ mahjong etc?
I can tell you’ve done some thinking on these…and WOOT!!!!! You got it, Baby ;-) Also, thanks for the shout-out ;-) The fasted-cardio has made a huge difference in my life, and I kind of stumbled upon it by accident. Getting those workouts done in the early hours is SOOOO energizing; burning the excess fat is just a “free” bonus ;-) I am excited to watch you spank all those goals!
thanks so much Kim! now if I could only get started on that fasted-cardio…
So, you’re right, the coffee date officially is tomorrow, but so many people were posting Friday anyway we decided to “open” the link up on Friday, which means you can link up on the Friday before the first Saturday of the month, which may or may not be the first Friday of the month. ;-) It also means you can take all weekend to browse through coffee date posts without feeling rushed.
You have some great goals. That app sounds interesting, except my first that is that if I’ use it I’d have to follow through. Shows what a lost cause I am already!
ah ok so I was right! and then confused! ha!
I think you can also set up reminders on the app but … you have to actually heed the reminders. Ron has a water app that he just ignores every time it beeps at him haha!
I love that you’re going for it with the PRs – aim high right? I also want to lose weight for the sole purpose of being fitter and faster. I have never looked into WW – do you like the program?
I’ve been using the Habit List app to keep me on track with daily goals – it’s simple and straightforward but seems to be helping so far.
definitely aiming high :) I do like WW but I struggle when I’m training and I can’t seem to get enough food. But really it’s the way I process the information. I see the number and think I “can’t” have something. So I have to change my mindset a bit!
i’m loving the habits app really – i love seeing the streak!! the longest one so far is NO JUNK AT WORK , who’d have thought it!??
Awesome! Not only do I love all your goals, but I love your enthusiasm!
Honestly, my big hairy goal is to drink water regularly. As ridiculous as it sounds, I hate it and it doesn’t make me feel great (maybe I’m allergic!!!!! just kidding. mostly). I think if I can just get through it, it will make some kind of difference.
Make 2019 yours!
doesn’t sound ridiculous at all! we all have stuff we want to work on!
I think you can totally PR those distances–I PR’d my half marathon in my early 50s. Sadly, now that I’ve gone through “the change”, I’ve slowed down dramatically. I’ve also been slowly putting on weight. Those PRs are in the rear view mirror for me. If I had to make a goal, it would be to accept where I’m at and stop fighting it. It’s been really hard for me to accept my new reality.
I love the blog makeover!
well I am in my very early 50’s but definitely going through the change for the last couple years… and I’ve been fighting the weight for a while too. I want to get to a point where I’m ok with it but right now it feels like giving up. I bet you know that feeling. I’m just going to keep pushing until I really can’t anymore.
thanks!
Love these goals, and that ambition to crush your PRs! So fun. I didn’t set any specific goals so far for 2019 – but that’s not to say I won’t, haha – but I did set a word of the year, which was ‘intentional.’ I really want to focus on being more intentional in all aspects of my life – business decisions, time with family, training for races, etc.
thank you! i love your word too – it’s great!
I love your ambition! :] Best of luck to you on PRing everything!!
I need to get back into doing fasted cardio again! And I’ve been meaning to do yoga more regularly instead of once every few weeks, heh heh heh… I like your word of the year too!
I feel like I’d really like that Simple Habits app! I’m definitely a fan of making to-do lists and I love getting to check off things! Totally with you on wanting to declutter my place too! I have too many things! ._.
thanks Farrah!
definitely try the app! I’m so motivated by it!
haven’t done the fasted cardio yet but maybe I should put that on my habits app… then i’d do it haha!
I say go big or go home! Making veg goals is great, I just break them down into smaller ones along the way to feel more progress!
Why wouldn’t you want to break all your pr’s?! You may not but it’s good to have something to shoot for! It pushes as.
Weight loss is always hard but it sounds like you know we’re you need to focus so that’s a good start!
thanks patrick! definitely going for it even if I don’t make it – I still think it’s worth trying!
Probably my one BHG is that pesky 5k PR. It eludes me. At the moment it looks like I’ll have lots of time to work on it this Spring — as long as I stay healthy (spring often seems to get me with some sort of bug).
I would also say that you don’t necessarily need to be at racing weight to achieve those PRs — I see people who are way more overweight than me who can run rings around me all the time — but of course it’s not a bad goal for overall health.
I also get the social pressure thing (especially when it comes from your couch potato husband who is generally on the see food diet).Weight will always be a struggle for me, sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but it’s something I’ll just always have to focus on more than the next person — even my best friend at WW! She’s not always where she wants to be, but she also never has to worry about being at GW.
Here’s to a great 2019 & I hope that you achieve all t hose goals!
I find with PR’s that I just don’t push out of my comfort zone. I don’t know how to deal with how I’m physically feeling! so that’s something I want to work out. I never thought I’d break the 5K, but I already did by 2 minutes. which is a lot if you ask me! hopefully you have the opportunity to work on this too!
my own experience is that i do tend to train better and run faster when i weigh less. I started running at probably around 95KG? That’s around 215lbs I think? It’s been a lonnnnnng journey (10 years now) but I have definitely been faster closer to 70KG than at 75 and 80. I’m now just under 75.
Weight will likely also always be a thing for me too. But at least it’s becoming less of a thing for appearance and more of a thing for fitness and health. Like I don’t even care anymore what I look like in a bathing suit or trying to hide the fact that I have an ample backside! So that ‘s a victory already!
Those are lofty goals for the year! But hey, go big or go home! I know you can do it and I am excited to follow along on your journey with you. Sounds like you have a some great plans in place to help you get there. Great to have you at the coffee date!
It’s great to have a vision of where you want to go this year and that you connected your weight loss goal as part of your year of PRs ‘vision’. It sounds like you already know your next step is to determine actionable goals to get you towards success. Happy 2019!
thank you! I’m going to do my best!
I think it’s awesome that you want to break all those PRs in a single year, and I’m sure you will get it done! You have a fabulous and supportive running partner, and that’s a huge help! Sorry to hear you are still dealing with the foot issue…I did think things were better since you haven’t been talking about it much.
I also need to lose weight as I am not at an all-time high. I pulled up the app on my phone the other day and cannot believe how much weight I’ve gained compared to this time two years ago. I am definitely working towards my ideal ‘race weight’. I am slow to begin with, and now I am just a slug. Seriously. I’ve kicked it into gear starting the first of this year with the main goal of getting stronger and faster, but my incentive in the early term is I am flying to California on the 15th and will be staying with one of my best friends. I am a good 15 pounds heavier than I was the last time I saw her and while she would never judge I am truly embarrassed about my weight. I’ve let this happen to me in the past, and when I start to avoid social situations I know it’s time to make a change. Luckily I know what works for me. It’s just a matter of sticking with it.
I also had yoga as part of my goals to improve my health. Last year I bought a Groupon for one year of unlimited access to The Yoga Collective for $11.99. I know there is plenty of stuff out there for free on YouTube, but I wouldn’t know where to start. Right now Groupon has an offer for $5 for three months or $15 for a year if you want to give it a try (you can also do a free 15-day trial). I haven’t used it as much as I had hoped, but for such a small investment, it’s no big deal. You can choose the type of yoga as well as the level of difficulty, and you can also save different classes or favorite teachers. The nice thing is, you can do it anywhere as long as you have access to the internet. What I really love is that you can pause the class while trying to learn the moves. Here is the link to the current Groupon deal: https://www.groupon.com/deals/theyogacollective-com
Also, though I’ve never tried it, Wendy often mentions Five Parks Yoga on her blog. Free access on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrtTMWDx4u1dVKMpXNhjwpA
Maybe check with Wendy for suggestions!
We’ve been in our home for over 25 years, so we really need to work on decluttering as well. I’ve been slowly chipping away at it, but I am a total pack rat and it’s hard. I have to go through EVERYTHING. My husband would just throw it all out and move on.
Happy new year!
Haha just re-read the minute I hit submit. I WISH I was NOT at an all time high for weight but alas…
got it!
don’t feel bad about your weight gain! just do what you need to do now! if you feel bad, you’ll “wear” that on the outside and others will see that. wouldn’t you rather have them just see the Linda they know and love? I mean I DO get it but you are so much more than your weight is all I’m saying!
thanks for all the tips and links! I’m checking them out!
my husband would also just throw everything out by the way! sometimes he does that and then months later I’m like “have you see our xyz?” and he’s like “oh. I threw that away” WHAT? hahahaha!
The older we get the more time flies by is definitely a thing. I once heard it explained as: since we have lived years and have more years to compare each year to, the years seem shorter. Make sense?
Good luck with your Big Hairy Goal! It will be fun following along and exciting for you as you check each one off your list. You’ve got this!
it does make sense!
thanks Debbie!
You have some great goals for 2019! I hope you crush all your PR’s. I’d love to PR in the marathon distance ( by 3 lousy minutes) but I dont know if I have it in me to train for another one…lol.
Thanks for linking up with us for the Friday link up!
Thanks Meranda! it is very challenging to train for a marathon. I won’t say I’m “done” with the distance if I finally PR but let’s say I’ll probably have less of a “need” if you know what I mean?
Your goals ARE big, hairy and audacious! Looking at your times, I think you will beat your 5k PR, no problem. I guess my goal for 2019 is to get healthy. I have been dealing with a hip injury for a year and a half now. Ugh! I am so ready to run without pain. Hope your foot injury is a thing of the past.
Oh I know all about injury! So I totally understand the goal of getting healthy.
Yoga with Adrienne is considered to be the best one among runners I know here.
My big goal is to complete an ultra which I’ve signed for in July. I have Liverpool Marathon in May but no PB chasing there as it’s a training run for the ultra in effect …
Good luck with your goals!
thanks for the tip! I had a look on youtube and found her!
where is your ultra? I was thinking you weren’t doing RnR but are you? I’ll be there!
My ultra ends in Avebury Stone Circle and is in mid-July, and yes, the RnR so I hope to see you there!
Awesome ambitious goals! And hey, even if you shoot for the moon and don’t make it, you’ll end up among the stars (to butcher the quote) :).
thanks! you’re right, I’ve just got to give it a shot!
thank you Deborah!