Goals: running
So it'll be new years in almost a month. As per usual, we usually come up with a few new years resolutions that we never fully plan on carrying out. As the famous quote goes: " A goal without a plan is just a dream." [couldn't find the definitive quoter] We shouldn't let our resolutions and goals just be dreams. And if they are really unrealistic or impossible, set more attainable goals that can be attained through a plan.
For pretty much my whole life, I've had the most common resolution/goal: some vague aspiration to be more fit/ lose weight/ be more healthy, etc. etc. In highschool, I lost weight, but through unhealthy methods. In college, I was a lot more healthy through starting a vegan diet, but I was heavily out of shape and a bit over my target weight. This continued into my working life until about six months ago when my sister visited post-graduation. I had been saying for months that I wanted to go running, but did little about it. My sister and her boyfriend dragged me out and took me on a 2-mile run through local streets. Not even a mile through, I had to stop, and did so periodically until we arrived home, me wheezing with a growing headache.
And that was the hardest part.
The first step, that first run, was the hardest part. And then the next hardest part is the day after, but it's not as hard as day one. Then each day progresses in that manner. After that, I began running regularly until today. I did my first 10K today (6.2 miles). I didn't go as fast as I had hoped, but I ran the whole way, was within the median finish times, and most importantly, it felt easy and natural, not like some strenuous goal that would leave me sore for the next week. It was in my territory.
In my personal opinion, I feel like running is unique in that the competition is within yourself. You're not competing against some team you have to 'beat', but you are continually challenging and setting new goals for yourself. For this reason, I feel like running has inspired me to succeed in all other aspects of my life. When you see yourself improve in ways you never though you could, you can extrapolate that to that career you've been working towards, that language you want to learn, the investments you want to make. Not to mention the other benefits: endorphins, stress management, weight loss, smoother digestive track, etc.
That said. What are your goals? Not your new years resolutions, but your goals that you are going to start working on today?
My goal is to run a half-marathon by spring 2012.