this is the year I

I can't believe we're already half way through January! I've had a few important goals for 2015 floating around in my head but have yet to put them all on paper the internet. Following the lead of Oiselle and many great athletes who have already declared "this is the year I....." I too would like to voice my goals and aspirations for 2015.

First and foremost...

This is the year I stop speaking negatively about myself. 

This, most important goal, is a hard one for me to admit and talk about. The sad reality is that this is going to be a very difficult one for me. We are all creatures of habit and for too many years I have developed the terrible habit of thinking negatively about myself and my appearance daily. More specifically, the appearance and size of my body. It's not ok. It's going to take some work to turn these thoughts around to a positive direction, but it's so important and I owe it to myself. If I continue to think and say negative thoughts, I will continue to believe them. My body and my mind deserve better than that. 

This is the year I make peace with the marathon.
I've ran three two and a half marathons in the past year and a half, and all left me confused and defeated. I am not running a spring marathon this year to give my body and my mind a break. I do plan to run one in the fall, and with the help of my new coach, I believe good things are going to happen.

This is the year I PR the half marathon...5k...10k...
Since I am not running a spring marathon, I can shift my focus once again to the distance that made me fall in love with running, the half marathon. I've been so focused on the marathon that I almost forgot how much I loved running the half. I haven't specifically trained for a half marathon since running Boston's Run to Remember in May of 2013. I'm super excited to see what I can do with this distance, as I know I have more to give. I'll be returning to Boston't Run to remember in May with the goal of finishing under 1:45. I've always been stronger with the shorter distances, and know I am capable of some faster times this year.

This is the year I eat less processed foods.
I consider myself a generally healthy eater. I understand what it means to eat healthy (I think), and I try to load my plate with veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruits. However, I do have an incredible soft spot for crunchy chips and sugary candy. When extreme hunger strikes I reach for something easy and quick, which is most likely something highly processed. What this means is I'll need to be more prepared with easy to grab healthy snacks to keep my hunger at bay. Preparation and planning will be so important.

This is the year I become more adventurous.
By this I mean take the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone. I want to try new things, and see new places. I want to travel at any opportunity. I started doing this last year when I traveled to South Korea, participated in my first Ragnar Relay, went to NY to spectate the marathon, and Philly to attempt to run my 2nd marathon of the year. This is something I want to continue this year and beyond. I already have a couple fun adventures on the calendar and I'm looking forward to adding more.

adventures for the win.

I'm sure this list will continue to evolve, change, and grown over the year, but I think it's important for me to start somewhere. Setting goals helps me achieve them. I do better when I have something to focus on and work towards. 

I have a feeling 2015 is going to be a great year.