Before I set new goals, though, I always check out my progress on the previous year's resolutions. I am super happy to report that I met every single goal I set for 2017!
2017 Goals:
1) Race in a marathon again--accomplished on 11/4/17. I didn't care about my time... just that I competed in another marathon. I was so thrilled to cross that finish line!
2) PR in the half Ironman--accomplished on 7/31/17. This was a difficult race. I struggled with injuries (as usual) leading up to the race. I knew that I would kill the bike, but wasn't sure what would happen on the run. I had built up enough of a cushion with a sub-3 bike leg that even though my run was slower, I still had a 5 minute PR! Woo hoo!
3) Become a scholar of the heart--I definitely embraced heart-rate training this year. I stopped wearing my monitor after my half-marathon, as my heart rate was being super wonky. However, I am planning on getting back to it as 2018 begins. It truly is a great measure of how hard I am pushing things, and how well I am recovering. I loved having a Fit Bit to chart my resting heart rate, but it sadly died in September. I want to get another fitness tracker simply for this reason!
4) Compete in a swim meet--I actually raced in TWO meets (3/4/17 and 4/1/17)! I had a fantastic time, and did relatively well, winning my age group in all but one race at both meets.
Time for some new goals, I suppose!
2018 goals:
1) PR in the marathon--I wanted this goal to be to qualify for Boston... then I realized, if I PR, I WILL qualify for Boston! I am turning 40 in September 2018, and thus would be 40 when I competed in Boston in 2019. My new qualifying standard is a 3:44:59. Since my PR is 3:44:29, I will basically qualify with a PR. For whatever reason, saying that I want to qualify for Boston hasn't worked for me in the past... so I will just go for that PR! **NOTE: I fully realize that it will take faster than a 3:44:29 to qualify for Boston... but right now I am not focusing on that :)
2) Qualify for Age Group Nationals for the triathlon--This year's AG Nationals (held every August) happen to be in Cleveland! If I have a good race in June at the Central Ohio Triathlon, I should be able to make this goal happen. Basically, I need to win my age group, or place in the top 10%. If that race doesn't work out... I don't have any other triathlons currently on my race schedule. I can't do Mingoman as I'll be out of town. I may sign up for an HFP event instead. I haven't even signed up for Ohio 70.3 for 2018 yet. I am not even sure I WANT to... and $300+ is a lot to pay for something that I am currently ambivalent about.
3) Keep up with Body Pump and spinning classes at least once a week (for both)--I love going to my gym for Body Pump, and have recently started going to spin classes more as well. Right now my coach is having me go twice a week to pump, and cycling twice a week. As much as I hate spinning classes, I prefer it to sitting on my bike on the trainer in my (now super cold) sun room. I also know that spinning is good for triathletes! I need to make sure that I am making strength and cross training a priority for 2018.
4) Incorporate my PT exercises back into my life--I know how important these are, and I need to start doing them again. I get so upset when I am doing them and then still get injured... but I am sure they do me more good than harm! I will set a small goal of 20 minutes once a week, and hopefully can up that to twice a week in the summer once school's out! I did the best with PT when I actually put it on my calendar, so that's my plan this time around as well.
As always, I will add the caveat that the best thing in the world would be to stay injury-free. Not a likely thing to have happen... but you never know!
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