New Year's Resolution Week

The first couple weeks of a new year always bring delusions of what the year will bring. It seems like every year we all vow to eat better, exercise more, be more productive at home and at work, save more money, etc. So-called "experts" on making resolutions suggest several ways that might help you actually reach those goals. Two common suggestions are:

1. to make your goals measurable and specific (exercise "more" is too vague - you should quantify this) and
   
2. share your resolutions with others.

Last year, I recall having two specific goals and both were related to exercise. At the beginning of the year, I was hoping to run three half marathons during the year, trying to spread them out over the course of the year. If that were to be true, then I expected to be training most of the year which would have helped me keep my weekly mileage up. Therefore, my first resolution was to run 1,000 miles during 2008. Conveniently, I have a couple of personal excuses for missing my first planned half-marathon (the Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville), but the bottom line is that I didn't run in three half-marathons and I ran only 800 miles during the year.

My second goal should have been ridiculously easy to do, yet I still failed miserably. Years ago, I bought a Cross Bow (the cheaper version of a Bowflex) in an effort to persuade me to do some resistance training. However, despite Theresa using it now and then, the Cross Bow has mostly gathered dust over the last few years. Last year, I simply wanted to start using it a tiny, tiny bit. And I didn't...at all.

Perhaps my goals were too varied. Perhaps making "extra" time for resistance training and running overwhelmed my tiny, lazy mind. While I still would like to do both this year, I will instead officially resolve to run 1,000 miles. I'm stating it publicly so that ya'll can make fun of me if I don't make it. You can follow my progress in the margin of my blog and help push me along. Note that, as I begin January, my weekly mileage is low (damn holidays!) so it will take some time before I can build to where I need to be (I need to average about 20 miles per week). Of course, if you plan on making fun at me at the end of the year, then you have to commit to buying me a beer if I do run 1,000 miles!

Feel free to add a comment and post your New Year's resolutions for all to see! It won't help you get it done, but if you are serious about it, I'll do my best to help you in any way I can. Even if that means a nice friendly e-mail reminder.