One of my shortcomings last year was not checking up on myself much. At the end of 2011 I had a post with 12 “thoughts” about 2012, but I didn’t revisit that post until recently. I realized after reading it that I could have had an even better last year if I would have occasionally taken a few minutes each month to see where I stood with things.

This year, though, I’m doing something completely different — I’m setting goals and each month I will have a short post updating where I stand with those goals. Since I’m no longer doing “things” posts, my “13 goals” keeps me focused and it satisfies my fascination with numbers.

As you’ll see, not all of these are serious goals — some are easy, some will be crossed off quickly and a few others will take a year-long effort. These goals are designed to help me get healthier, improve my cross training, strengthen my core, get faster and still have fun doing it.

In no particular order, here are my 13 goals for 2013:

1. 5k PR - official or unofficial
After running only 1 5k last year, I want to focus on this distance later this year. By the time I can get back to PR speed in that distance, It’ll be 2-year-old record going down.

2. Run at least 2 races I’ve never done before
This should be easy. Of the 3 races I’m registered for this year, two of them are ones I’ve never done — Disney next week and the Richmond Half in November. I’d love, though, to cross this off by mid-summer as I do smaller races.

3. Run a 5k - official or unofficial - with my friend Brandon
My roommate from my first year in college suggested I run a 5k in a skirt in less than 25 minutes. I’d rather just go for a run with him. I’ve run with him a few times … back in 1996.

4. 50 consecutive push-ups
I don’t know why I’ve quit on the 100 push-ups program so many times, but this year I’m going to go for 50 first, and then see what happens.

5. Ride at least 200 miles
I dusted off my bike in spring 2012 for about 30 total miles, only to move to Richmond. My bike is still in Bedford, but it will eventually get to me. 200 miles sounds like a good number to get me started on that cross training.

6. Weigh in at less than 180
I should call this “Project 179.9″ or something. I got to the low 180s in the summer, but the same old excuses continued when I was in the middle of marathon training. Enough of that this year.

7. Do a plank at least once a week
This should be another one to mark off easily come Dec. 31, 2013, but it’s here to help me stay consistent for the next 52 weeks.

8. Run a race without a watch
This is here because it’s been too long since I did this. I need to remember that feeling of freedom in a race sometime soon.

9. Run with my sister Heather
We live 10 minutes from each other, but with various family events, different schedules and never really making plans, this didn’t happen last year. We should run with each other at least once.

10. Do an exercise at least once per month that I haven’t done the rest of the year
A few years ago I was going to start the year doing 31 different exercises in 31 days. That didn’t work out so well. So how about just 12 different exercises in 12 months. While it sounds simple, my goal here is to challenge myself to do something different.

11. Eat at least one salad per week
Sounds easy, I know, but salad and I have a love/hate relationship. I’m trying to find some middle ground this year.

12. Limit myself to one soft drink a month
Last year I quietly went from mid-July through November without a soft drink. Then I fell off the wagon. Now for me it’s about making a Coke or Dr Pepper more of a special thing.

13. Run ON the beach
Not just the boardwalk … I’m talking about on the sand, next to the waves crashing down.

Image courtesy of Dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Be Sociable, Share!

•