January 30th

What has gotten into me? Over half my workouts this month have been on my bike? For those that know me know that I am not a fan of my bike but for some reason I have been jumping on it a lot. Is it because it is convenient and setup in the middle of my living room? Is it because I can do it at anytime of the day ... so in case I have gone all day without a workout I can jump on it before I go to bed? Am I doing it out of convenience rather than out of desire? Or am I starting to like the bike? Are the stars aligning??  Only time will tell ... keep peddling!!

January 2016 Update

So we are 17 days into 2016 and I thought I would take a look at how I am doing on my resolutions (see previous blog post). Well if I am going to complete 2,016 miles this year I have to step it up. I have been working out but really I have been slacking. So far I have completed 8 out of the 17 days for a total of 37.5 miles and that just won't do. Time to step it up. I might as well do it half way through January rather than half way through 2016. Time to get moving...no looking back.

The Practice of Meditation ... I have realized that there is a reason why they say "the practice of meditation" because it doesn't come easily without practice. I have not committed to doing it every day but I have been practicing and hopefully over time it will get easier. Again we are only half way through January ... I think I will need a bit more time.

Other items I listed on my 2016 resolutions have to do with reading and knitting. I have been reading, in fact I finished a book last night. Tonight I will start another! My knitting hasn't been touched in 2016 and I have plenty of projects to work on ... I still have time right?

In regards to my goals about buying a house and working on my budget and finances...I have been actively working towards the finish line. I have been actively looking for a house, met with the banks and have taken a serious look at my monthly budget. If this is a goal, I can't sit around and hope this will happen I have to work towards it!

Just a few thoughts I had as I reviewed my resolutions. What's the point of making resolutions or goals if you don't re-evaluate them or see how you are progressing. I don't want to look back in December 2016 or January 2017 and wonder why I didn't accomplish these things.

Let's keep moving...

Balance or Searching ... Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I woke up this morning made my first cup of tea in 2016, sat on the couch with the fireplace going and watched the snow fall outside. It was a great cup of tea! It was a quiet moment in which I started to think more about my goals/resolutions/dreams. Was I ready to take on more or was I more frustrated with the past year? I was staring at a blank page of a new book and wondered what would I do with it? What would I create?

I have thought very hard about whether or not I wanted to do this again this year. The last two years haven’t gone quite my way when I have looked back on what I said I wanted to do. I completed only two endurance events the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Brooklyn and a 5K open water swim in Lake George. I had my sights set on others but work always got in the way. I have registered for other races this year determined not to have work get in the way ... they do take place on a weekend but we all know I work a lot of weekends.

So I decided I would try it one more time. Maybe this year will be different. My health is always on the top of my list. Last year I dedicated 2015 to one word “health” and one phrase “medication free”. Well I learned a lot about myself and about the disease diabetes, I went into 2015 naive and ended quite frustrated. I am still struggling and fighting my diabetes so yes, “health” is still on the top of my list. I learned it will take a lot more than just creating the phrase “medication free” to get rid of medication … sometimes I want to fight but my bodies doesn’t or vice versa.

So I decided this year I am going to define a few other words besides “health” and hope that they all work together. Perhaps the over arching goal or word of 2016 is "balance"?

1.      Workouts –

a.       I want to complete my workouts in the morning during the week … I am going to work at being a morning person. Rise and Shine ... get out of bed and get to the gym or the pool. This will mean that I have to be more organized at night. Gym bag packed, lunches and breakfast made so I can head out the door.

b.      My goal is to complete 2,016 miles in 2016. Yes, you read that correctly 2,016 miles. I have never actually tallied up all the miles I have covered in the past so I thought why not. I can cover the miles by running, biking, swimming or walking. Yes, it will be hard but I won’t know if I can do it unless I try.

2.      House-

a.       It is my goal to find and buy a house in 2016. I have been looking but this is the year to really put my energy behind it. I am tired of paying rent and I want to own my own home.

3.      Savings -        

a.       Put together a budget and continue to save money which will help me with #2

b.      Pay off debt and limit my spending on a daily, weekly and a monthly basis.

4.      Meditation-

a.       I would like to start meditating on a daily basis

b.      During the last quarter of 2015 I read a few books and articles about meditating.  I read how meditation can help in so many aspects of your life; health, workouts, weight, stress, happiness etc.

c.       As part of meditation I would like to increase my time that I spend reading and knitting. Along with reading about meditation during the last quarter of 2015 I started knitting and reading again.

5.      Finally –

a.       I would like to organize and de-clutter my guest room and office area. Both spaces have become the dumping ground and I can’t take it anymore. Even if I do it one week at a time, one drawer at a time or one pile at a time. I just need to work at it.

Does this list seem overwhelming? Am I taking on too much? If not now when do I do it? This may sound like a strange statement but I feel like I am searching for something but I don't know exactly what it is yet. I am hoping if I work towards these goals they will help me find what I am looking for (in my head I just started singing U2's "Still haven't found what I am looking for"). So is my over arching goal/word "balance" or is it "searching"? Only time will tell.

 

Just in case you are curious about my races, here they are:

Syracuse Half Marathon - April

Right to Run 19 K - May

Tour de Cure 65 mile bike Ride - June

Cayuga Triathlon - August

Open Water Swim Lake George - August

Rock n Roll Half Marathon Philly - September

Princeton Half Marathon - November

Happy New Year ... I hope 2016 is the best yet!