Last week I shared my thoughts on how 2019 shaped out for me running-wise. You can read more about it by going HERE, but the gist of it is that I ran my heart out, had lots of fun, and got zero person record (PR) times. I tried for PRs, but things never quite came together. To be fair, the only distance I was looking to PR in was the half marathon (13.1 miles). There were countless runs and races where I asked myself, “How bad are you willing to work for it?” I was and am willing to work hard for a PR, but I learned last year that I need to have just as much or more fun doing the hard work than simply putting in the miles and performing well on race day.
2019 was also the first year in five years that I didn’t run a marathon. After the 2018 Chicago Marathon I was burned out by the 26.2 distance and wanted 2019 to be a year of falling in love with running again and reconnecting with my favorite distance (13.1). I spent 2019 being curious as to what kept me running on days that felt great and especially on days that felt awful. In the end, I discovered and remembered that I run for many reasons. In no particular order, I run because :
It makes me feel good.
It makes me feel strong.
I never regret having run.
Running is part of my active lifestyle.
I want to inspire my girls to be active themselves.
I’m proud of the self-love that goes into prioritizing runs.
Running makes me feel free (I can decide on my outfits, route, and pace).
Running reminds me to be grateful for the ways in which my body can move.
Some day I’ll miss being able to run as far and fast.
No one else is doing the work, which means no one can take away my sense of accomplishment.
Running is me-time.
Running is a form of meditation in motion.
Runners and people who support runners are incredibke human beings.
If 2019 was my year for reconnecting with running and the reasons I lace up, I want to think of 2020 as my way of being grateful for the ability to run and not taking for granted the ability to challenge myself to run faster. In 2020, I want each run to serve as a representation of one of the reasons listed above, to be a bedrock of motivation for actually getting PRs this year. With all that said, here are my personal 2020 running goals:
Make it through my 13.1 trifecta of Miami Half Marathon (February 9th), Disney ‘s Princess (February 23rd), and 305 Half Marathon (March 1st) healthy and injury-free.
Run a 1:50 at either the Miami Half Marathon or 305 Half Marathon.
Run a 1:45 half marathon sometime in the fall.
My 5K PR is SIX years old, so run a 5K in 23 minutes or better.
Run somewhere new.
Stay injury-free all year long.
Do something each day to prehab, rehab, and/or strengthen myself.
Smile more on training runs and extra big during races.
Go to more run clubs and races so that I can better connect with the Miami running community.
Beyond my personal running goals, these are my goals for living boldly and courageously in 2020:
Read 12 books, alternating between fiction and self-betterment books.
Attend a conference that sets my soul on fire.
Consistently practice handstands.
Host monthly fundraising events for my charity, Empowered Through Fitness.
Attend a training that supports and enhances my yoga teachings.
Take a solo trip somewhere new.
Host a yoga retreat.
Be more present with my family: less screen time, more quality time.
Make a big dent in repaying my student loans.
Grow my run coaching business (I got certified as a run coach in October).
I’m sure more goals will come up as the year progresses, so I’m staying flexible with them and staying open to how working towards each goal can shift and change as I shift and change.
Here’s to 2020! Please share some of your goals, race recommendations, and favorite cities in the comments.