I hope everyone had a great holiday season!

So I’m doing things a bit different for 2016: I’m not setting any super specific running goals.

While I did complete two out of three of my running goals for 2015, I think I need a year to really try to reclaim my enjoyment of running. After running seven different races in the first four months of the year (with four PRs and one 120+ mile month), I got severely burnt out. I enjoyed coaching my Couch to 5k group during the summer, but running on my own during that time was practically torture. I really want to get back the pleasure I once got from running.

Since half training takes up so much time and I have other things going on that I need to be around for in the coming year (decluttering and fixing up my house to sell being the most involved), Jonathan asked if I could cut back and not run any half marathons. I was already committed to the Nashville Rock ‘n’ Roll, so we agreed I would only run that one (and he’s running it with me!) and then just focus on shorter distances for the remainder of the year. I don’t want to get too much out of shape, but I definitely need to get some of my time back…at least until we can get my house on the market and sold!

Thus, my main running goal for the year is to just relax and not worry about the training plan!

After conquering all of last year’s goals, I was ready to make some new ones! In 2014, I was mainly focused on my 5k time. But 2015 will be the year of the half marathon! (I’m already signed up for four!)

1. Run a half marathon in 2:15:00 or less.
   This one kind of scares me, but I think I can do it! That’s chopping a little over 12 minutes off my half PR, so less than a minute per mile. I’m hoping to achieve this at the flat Tom King Classic Half in March, but I’m also signed up for another goal half in April and may do one in the late summer/fall as well!
2. Run 1000 miles this year!
   It seems like so many, but I achieved my (secret) goal of running 750 in 2014. So that’s only about 5 more miles per week. Doesn’t sound so bad when you say it that way, right? Plus training for multiple halves will help with this, since I usually run 100 miles a month or more at peak half training.
3. Coach a Couch to 5k Group.
   I only know of one group in the area that really does this, and that’s the East Nasties with their Potato to Tomato training. I really wanted to do this last year, but the timing wasn’t right because the training starts right about the time that Bonnaroo happens. I don’t know if it will be the same way this year or if I can find another group that does it during another part of the year, but I think I would super enjoy doing this.

I will probably sprinkle in some more volunteering this year, like I did last year, as well. I love giving back!

My non-running related goals this year include paying off all my credit card debt (I’m on track to do so in the fall) and reading more.

I didn’t really have any goals when I started this pursuit at the beginning of 2013, other than “make it through couch to 5k”, which I did!

But now that I’ve been running for almost a full year, I want to lay out some more specific goals:

1. Finish two half marathons.
   I’m kind of over attempting specific time goals for either of them. Doing so is making me push myself too much too soon. My goal for both is to finish and have fun. Mainly, I just want to enjoy running and I’ve found when I’ve been half marathon training, I don’t. I want to get it back. I don’t want to drop the halves that I’ve signed up for, but I’m going to take it easy.
2. Run a sub-30 minute 5k.
   With all the pain and injuries I’ve had this year, after I finish out my two half marathons in the first half of 2014, I have decided to take a break from anything greater than a 10k for the rest of the year. I mainly want to focus on bettering my 5k time, so that’s what this goal is for! I’ve come so close, and I know I can do it, but I need to train specifically for it. With all the half marathon specific training (and injuries from it), my 5k time has actually gotten worse. So look for a lot of 5k races in the latter part of the year!
3. Participate in a running streak for a month.
   I don’t know what month yet, but I want to do one of those run-at-least-a-mile-every-day-for-a-month things. I’m thinking fall.
4. Volunteer!
   I would love to give back to the running community. Maybe I’m not interested in running longer distances right now, but I would sure love to support the people who love to do it! I’m definitely going to be looking into volunteering at a few races and running events this year.

That’s it! Sounds doable, right?