Tuesday: 7.7m easy 8:31/pace treadmill with 1-2% incline

I’m pretty sure everyone at the gym yesterday thought i was nuts because i finished my run (to the tenth of a mile) pressed stop, threw my hands in the air like Rocky and said “ONE THOUSAND!” I’ve never hit an annual mileage this high before. I made it a goal this year to hit 1000 and I’m so happy xmas came early for me. To give you an idea of how my annual mileage stacks up, i found a piece of paper with the tallies.

2009: 368 2010: 695 2011:840 2012: 860 2013: 1000 and counting!

I’ve had a few big milestones this year in running: Three consecutive half marathon PR’s in March, September then October. These 3 races also helped with a more fun, long term goal of running a race in all 50 states. DC, PA & MD. Three new places done!

I also dealt with a hip injury immediately after the USA 1/2 marathon in March. It was a process and a half to get my hip back to normal so I could run pain free. My friends and Cameron can totally tell you I had my days of being a depressed brat, but I did put my energy into strength training the heck out of my hips. When injuries happen, the best thing to do is learn from them, strengthen the weak areas and train smarter. I’ll take my 2013 injury as a positive, because I’m a much happier, healthier runner than i’ve ever been and my stats are reflecting it. yay!

Every year I write down a goals list to set out and accomplish, instead of just a New Year’s Resolution. Everyone does this, I know, but I toss in random easy goals because I like crossing things off a list and it keeps the list encouraging and fun. The list is also posted right by our door so i see it multiple times a day.

I still have a few I could finish before the end of the year, but whatever doesn’t get completed just rolls over onto next year’s list. I like having a variety of goals on my list that way i don’t take myself too seriously and have fun. The list has also come in handy on days where there’s nothing to do.  I can go to the list and pick out a goal just to get out of the house. Usually this would be a place to visit or eat, but hey–how many times do you drive past a place and say, “I should eat there one day, I should totally go there!” Write it down and make it a goal 🙂

I’m going to get working on my 2014 goal list and I’ll share it with you soon. I hope this changes your idea of “New Year’s Resolutions” or as everyone knows it as,  the goal that no one keeps past the first week of January. Make a big ol’ list of goals, all different kinds, big/small, easy and hard and fun, running and non-running related and give yourself the full year to accomplish as much as you can.

What goals did you accomplish this year?