Friday, December 30, 2011

What? 2011 is almost over?

But I'm just getting started!!

Even though this year whizzed by me soooo fast... and plenty of things didn't get done, I did get a few things accomplished fitness-wise.

* Improved my 5K time to under 24 minutes.  In June at the Meet Me Downtown 5K, I did just that.  23:47.  I course, I thought I would die during it... but it showed me that you can do anything for 24 minutes, including run as fast as you can in 100 degree weather.

* Ran a half marathon.  I hadn't done one in 3.5 years... and I'd only done that one.  This one was more challenging because it had that mountain in the middle.  And I still finished in less than 2 hours.  This just proved to me that training works.  I did the work and the mountain wasn't a problem. It also showed me that with a little planning, I can get more running in.  It also reminded me how much I love running long distances.

* I ran a lot.  Not the 1000 miles I envisioned.  But, when I tell my friends that I ran 760 miles this year (I'm estimating here for the runs I will do today and tomorrow), they seem pretty darn impressed.  (And think I'm crazy as a loon, but what am I going to do about that?)  That is the same number miles from my house to my friend in Salt Lake City's house.  And, I did run much more than last year.  I will be setting myself up to do a 1000 miles in 2012.  I think I can learn from my mistakes of 2011 in order to accomplish this goal.  Like not to think I can make up miles that I missed the month before.  Tracking it all month by month gave me a pretty accurate picture of where I messed up.  I'm not complaining.  Just saying.

* I ran in six events this year.  Three 5ks, a 10K, an 8 miler, and a half marathon.  I think that is the most events I've ever done in one year.  And though two events were pretty small, I did win my age group for them.  Note to self, continue to enter small, local events so I can take home things like t-shirts and Christmas ornaments that the general entrants didn't get.

* I'm eating a lot less processed junk.  It's a process and like anything, it takes some time.  I know I can't rip the ice cream out from My Cute Husband's hands without major complaint.  And the kids think cold cereal is just the cat's pajamas.  But we are working on it.  It also helps that a Penzey's spice store opened here in the spring and I am cooking like mad so I can justify another trip to that store.  My kids are quite sure they sell some sort of "mom heroin" there!

How did 2011 end up for you? 

Next up... goals for 2012!



Fitness Friday bloggers - welcome!! 

5 comments:

  1. Great summary of your year! I did a lot more races this year than I have in a long time, too. And good for you for working on cutting out processed food! It's an ongoing struggle in our house, but it's getting easier. It helps that we started before my daughter was born, so she doesn't yet know that she's deprived of corn-syrup and preservatives. :)

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  2. Congrats on winning races this year - that's awesome (and something my turtle like pace will never accomplish!).

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  3. You did run a lot! I'm trying to get 1,000 miles next year, this year I didn't start running until April and it was for time for awhile so I'm not even sure how much I did.

    Congratulations on getting rid of a lot of processed food in your diet, I really need to work on that!

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  4. Great work! You should be proud of what you've done for sure. Also, way to go on the jingle bell 5k!

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  5. Looks like 2011 was a great year for you. Congrats on your accomplishments!

    I was so close to 1000 miles last year. In 2012 I'm going to do it!

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