You can read more about Susanne on her blog, Purl Before Swine.
My goal for 2013? Run a 5k.
I know, ambitious, right? I’ve been working with a personal trainer at my local gym since August and I feel pretty strong these days. Not necessarily skinny, but strong and capable. I felt that I had accomplished quite a lot just by sticking to my weekly meeting with my trainer for 6 months and I was getting bored with my cardio routine. In December, I felt that I needed a goal to keep in mind while on the treadmill.
My goal is to participate in the Color Run in Philadelphia this summer. I chose this particular run because it is advertised as an event for all ages and abilities. It is supposed to be a fun, happy event intended to make you feel good about yourself. The best part? All participants wear white t-shirts and colored powder is blasted at you at certain checkpoints along the race-course, ensuring that you finish the race in candy-colored, rainbow glory.
The smartest thing I did in choosing this goal was to tell other people about it. In telling those nearest and dearest to me, I raised my level of commitment to my goal. I also enlisted a few others to participate with me as my teammates for the Color Run, thus enhancing my chances of achieving my goal.
To prepare for the run, I am using an iPhone app called “Couch 2 5K” – it is an 8-week program that gently eases you into running by engaging you in interval training. Each week consists of 3 workouts where you alternate walking with jogging for various amounts of time. Gradually, you begin running more and walking less until, voila!, you are a runner! I am on week 2 – stay tuned for my progress over the next 6 weeks.
Easy Ways to Stay on Track for Your New Year’s Goals
- Pick something that excites you. Please do not try to conquer your fear of brussels sprouts or force yourself to love kale.
- “Go big or go home” is a stupid saying. Make sure your goal is realistic and can be achieved within a relatively short-time frame (think: 3-6 months) or you will lose interest.
- Tell people you trust and who care about you what goal you are working towards. This is key – you want to enlist support and encouragement, but you want to avoid snide remarks from your pesky coworkers or other people who don’t have your best interests at heart.
- Enlist people to participate in your goal, if applicable. Fitness is always more fun with friends (think: walking club, dance class, yoga instruction) or a cooking class could help you gain confidence in changing your eating habits.
- Celebrate your achievements along the way and at the end! Every time I go to the gym, I put a sticker on my calendar (don’t underestimate the power of stickers, even as an adult).
- When I finish the Color Run, I plan on celebrating with a healthy brunch at a favorite restaurant.
What are your goals for 2013?
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