Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Setting New Goals And Keeping A Commitment

I can't believe that we are half way through 2015 already. May and June seemed to have just rushed on by and now we are at July. I had set a goal for myself that I would run three to four Half Marathons this year. I completed one in April and my second one in May. Yesterday I committed to my third one of the year which will be the Charlotte Covered Bridge Half Marathon. This will be the first time that I have run this race as well as it being my Fifth Half Marathon. I love running in new places. There is something thrilling to me when exploring new roads to run. I do find comfort in some of the routes I frequent yet I enjoy the adventure of a new run.


May was my highest mileage month for me this year hitting 131.08 miles (not a PR for me though). June I fell short for some reason only reaching 116.01. I was pretty disappointed in that. I had thought I even put in a few extra days. I think what happened is that since I was not officially in "training" mode for another Half I allowed some of my longer runs to fall short a couple miles of where I would have liked to be. Now that I have committed to my next race in September I am hoping to start pushing myself to at least break 120 miles this month.



I am still cross training on days I don't run. I have a few video's on You Tube that I enjoy. Adding to my love for Jillian Michael's, I recently discovered and developed a girl crush on Rebecca Louise. She has a full body workout on You Tube that I have been doing along with an arm workout. We can't forget to work on our core so there are days I also do her 10 Minute Ab Workout. I do like to mix up my workouts so I am sure to work all areas of my body. I get in a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) once to twice a week as well. This is effective as well as challenging, not to mention important if you are a runner. If you want to get in a quick but effective workout look up some HIIT video's to try.

For a couple years I ran without any cross training, silly me! Cross training has indeed made me stronger for my runs. My times have improved as well as my stamina. I really wanted to sculpt my body more to gain muscle and tone my body.  I am still a work in progress. I continue to work on where I want to be physically knowing that with each workout or run I am creating a better me. I may not ever be exactly where I want to be when I look in the mirror, yet I hope to be happy with the work I have put in and being where I am at now.


Since we still have a couple of months left of summer and July and August tend to be the hottest I decided to purchase a Camelback Hydration Pack. I do not like running with anything in my hand and decided a fuel belt that holds water also wasn't for me. I figured a Camelback might be just what I need. In looking for the right one for me I knew I didn't want anything big and I would only be using it for my long runs. I was also being frugal, truth be told, and though there were other models I liked I was not looking to spend a lot. I instead used Birthday money I received which bought me my new friend. I will keep you posted on what I think about it after I get to try it out.

For me setting goals and following through with my fitness commitments is important to me. Setting the goal is the first part. Once I have set that goal I become determined to reach it or excel beyond it. It's not always easy and there are days I do not have the motivation. I always say I love to run, but that doesn't mean I always want to run. Some days require an extra push, a personal pep talk. I never regret a workout or a run afterwards. Making the commitment to a healthier and better me is one of the best commitments I have ever made.


Did you set any fitness goals for yourself for 2015? What is your favorite way to workout?

11 comments:

  1. You are so inspiring, Crystal!
    I love setting goals and fitness certainly has its place on my list.
    I enjoy alternating cardio with strength training, and am going to check out the video you linked. Something new is a great way to prevent burnout.
    Thanks for sharing your inspiring post.

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    1. You are too sweet Karen! I just want to be healthy as well as set the example for my children how important it is to take care of yourself. First for you, then for those around you!
      What do you usually do for strength training workouts?

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  2. I love setting fitness goals - thank you for sharing yours! I think you make an excellent point about cross training, no matter what sport we're into, doing other things to support it is such a big help.

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    1. Setting fitness goals helps to acknowledge how important fitness is to me as wells as being a good example for my children and others around me.
      Thank you for stopping by!

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  4. Great list. I'm also a runner and working on cross-training too. It's tough, because I like cross-training so much less than running, but so worth it, because it makes you a more successful runner!

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    1. It is definitely worth it! I have noticed a big change in my running this year. The good thing about cross training is there are so many different variations. I try to mix it up so I don't get bored. Like you, I enjoy my running more.

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  5. Three half marathons! I'm so impressed! I love these goals and am totally inspired. Thanks so much for sharing at the Manic Mondays blog hop!

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    1. Running is the one thing I do for myself. I enjoy the challenge and pushing myself further. :)

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  6. Wow, way to rock your mileage! I just hit 130 for this month which is a PR for me and I felt accomplished, haha. Setting goals is SO important- gives me something to work toward and keep me motivated!

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