2013 - Goals n' Stuff

Do you realize that Prince's 1999 was released 30 years ago?

You let that sink in.  I'll wait here.

What?  Come Again?  30 YEARS?!

I always associate that song with New Years and I found myself singing it as I watched the fireworks explode over Sydney Harbor on tv this morning.   30 years?  If I had been this obsessed with New Years goal setting back then, I'd probably be a kick ass media mogul by now!

This year I'm setting goals for January 1 through June 30 and then we'll do a little recap & reevaluate for the remainder of the year.  

1.  Publish 26 blog posts by June 30, 2013.  
I wrote more in 2012 than any other year but considering all that I read and learn about, you'd think I could pump out at least one post per week consistently.  It's not like I'm ever at a loss for words! Stop snickering.

2.  Get my half marathon time under 2:10.
I might not have any official races to run before June 30 but I'm just as happy to get it on a long run.  When I do, I'll snap a picture of my Garmin for proof.

3.  Simplify our 'stuff' in anticipation of moving. 
By my estimation, we have 15 legal size boxes of paperwork, 6 closets, 4 dressers and 12 months of VAT submissions to deal with.  I want these numbers cut in half by June 30.

4.  Pass my Precision Nutrition exam and get my certification.
This is going to be awesome to have but the test is no joke.  I was a study monster up until we left for the marathon but I've totally dropped the ball.  Time to crack the books and get back to it.

5.  Send a card for every birthday in our our family.
This might be the single most challenging thing on my list.  I am AWFUL at sending anything in the mail.  I wasn't this bad in the States but dealing with a small APO that doesn't stock stamps or mailing supplies makes mailing anything sink to the bottom of my pile.  And at the bottom of that pile is guilt and shame.

6.  Complete all 25 miles of The Great Train Run on February 13, 2013. 
I'm really looking forward to this run.  You can see my experience from last year here.  I don't have much trail experience and the heat makes this run a killer.  Mark and I are registering as individual runners (you can register in teams) with the agreement that if one of us falls apart, we'll start trading off segments and finish as a team.  The course starts in the capital city of Bridgetown and follows the old train tracks all the way across the island to the upper most corner.  I got to run 8K of the coastal segment a couple of weeks ago with a small group...

Gorgeous, right?

As I went over this list with my husband on the beach yesterday, I kept returning to the fact that none of these goals scare the bejeezus outta me.  Nothing even comes close to the terror and excitement I felt about Western States last year.  This feels more like a laundry list of tasks.  Mark's advice:  "Keep training hard so that when 'scary' comes along, you're ready!"  Sage advice from the old ball & chain.

Wherever you are in this beautiful world, I hope you enjoy ringing in the New Year!  Remember to take a breath and a moment to look back on 2012 with love and reverence for this amazing gift of life!