resolving to abandon resolutions.

I've been neglecting my blog like I have been neglecting responsibility (I'm on vacation) and running (I have no good excuse, I just haven't done it). I don't mean to be neglecting, but there's just been so much real life going on that posting on a blog that doesn't really garner much attention hasn't been priority.

With the new year approaching, I am noticing so many people claiming to make resolutions for 2012. I wonder how many of these resolutions will actually be completed? If you've ever accomplished a resolution, I'd love to hear about it. I'm just not that big on resolutions, because I think that while a calendar year is a convenient time to restart a hobby or try something new, usually people give up and revert back to their old ways before January is even over.

A friend of mine decided that instead of making resolutions, she is going to make suggestions. Awesome. (You should read it, because it's actually funny and relevant all at once.)

Maybe, instead of making resolutions for just one year, we should make those bucket lists (and actually I hate that term so I will just say a things-to-do-in-this-life list) and try to cross things off them. Then it's not a one-year-only goal, it's an all-time goal and we should be thinking big and trying to accomplish great things all the time, not just in January.

So if I want to go to France (and lots of Europe, actually), and I want to play my flute again, and I want to learn new languages (plural), and I want to be a better knitter, and I want to run that marathon, and I want to expand my horizons... I shouldn't wait til December 31 or January 1 to decide.

The new year might make you think about things because another year has gone by and you haven't accomplished things you wanted to accomplish, but January 1 won't change that. You getting the motivation and desire and passion to pursue those things will make them happen.

From this day forward, go for it. And not just because it's December 30.

12 in 12.

Earlier this month I mentioned that there was a great blog challenge that used word prompts to spark an idea or thought process, and though I haven't been participating in this daily like some may be, I really liked today's prompt:

Take today to talk about 12 things you would like to accomplish in 2012. These 12 things can be 12 resolutions, 12 changes in your life, 12 wines you'd like to drink, 12 cities you'd like to visit, or 12 monthly goals.

I think it's good to look forward to next year, even though I don't really believe in resolutions. January is kind of the natural starting-over point for some, and it seems to make more sense to go in 12 month cycles with the calendar than make your year start, say, on your birthday.

So here are my 12 things I want to accomplish in 2012 - if you know any of yours (even if you don't have 12) I'd love to hear about them. Maybe we can do something together!

LindsAy's 12 in 12

1. Run more races. I feel like this is pretty self-explanatory but I want to at least double the number of races I did this year and run at least two half marathons.
2. Train better. This is kind of about running, but kind of about getting up and being active in general. I wish I had trained myself better for my half marathon, and that includes the cross-training I was supposed to be doing to supplement the running. Next year will be better. More serious.
3. Try something new in sport. This year was the year of running, and 2012 is going to be a year of swimming and biking too. I know how to swim, obviously, but I need to make regular dates with the pool (see goal no. 2) and I need to get on my bike. I'm going to try to do at least one triathlon and a friend is encouraging me to do a bike race in June. Maybe I'll even do something like participate in a RAGNAR Relay...
4. Visit a new place. Preferably this would be a new state, so I can eventually get to my goal of visiting all 50 states, or it would be a new country (like France. Please?), but even a new city or a new "destination" (like DisneyLand) would be okay.
5. Spend less money. This year (and probably last year) I spent entirely too much money on stuff I wanted. Because I wanted it, and why shouldn't I have it? I need to knock that off. You heard it here. I guess this would also help me be less wasteful.
6. Step away from technology more. This is not going to be easy but I think it's important to remember that it's okay to be unplugged every once in a while. This means I can write more snail mail letters, read more books and use my brain for more than texting or tweeting (even though I love those things too).
7. Learn a new language. I wanted to do this at some point this year, but I never followed through. Maybe I should just try to re-learn Spanish. 
8. Stop being late. I have a bad habit I picked up somewhere along the way (ahem, sorority) that has led me to be late. A lot. Not extremely late, but often times I am 1-5 minutes late meeting someone for dinner, getting to work, etc. Grown-ups can't be late.
9. Wake up earlier. This should help goal 7 but I need more sleep. Plain and simple. My schedule needs to improve so this can happen.
10. Stop worrying so much about what other people are doing. Look, people are going to be jerks and they are going to piss you off. The only person you can control is yourself. So no one else and their bullshit should matter.
11. Listen. I think a lot of times people have such interesting stories or important things to say, and we rarely take the time to find out what they want or need to say. I want to be a better listener, and hopefully I will learn something.
12. Be better. Smile more. Be a better friend. Be smarter. Be caring. Be someone that people respect and want to emulate, just because you're you and they like you for it. (That sounds kind of Mister Rogers but I don't care.)

There's a lot more to reflect on from 2011 and goals to set for 2012, so stay tuned!

four things i'm going to do better next time.

Running Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas (#RnRLV) was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Not because of some of the issues that occurred on race day (because let's be honest, there were issues), but because it was the furthest I had ever ran.

Here are four things I will do differently for my future half marathons, and things you could probably consider before you run your first one! If you are an experienced runner, please add your suggestions in the comments - I'd love to hear what I can improve upon for next time!

• I would have run more than 9 miles one time. Yes, running 9 miles on a treadmill was hard but running 13.1 miles when you've never gone that far is hard too. I should have followed my training plan better and had a week that was at least 20+ miles of running instead of topping out at 14. 
• I would have carried my own water and Gu with me. Considering the problems people ran into during and after the race with the fire hydrant water offered during the race, and that by the time I got to the water tables there was very little water (if any at all), it's probably more intelligent to look out for yourself than it is to rely on water stations to help you. I guess this means I need a FuelBelt (and I'm taking suggestions).
• I would have tried to make more friends on the course. When I got to mile 10, I was hurting, and if Melissa hadn't found me and finished with me, I'm not sure how I would have felt trekking through the last 3.1 miles. I was under the impression that more people socialized on the course, but it didn't really seem that way to me? But maybe everyone was feeling it by then. Not sure.
• Next time, I'm signing up for a race with a smaller field. A "more organic" race, as someone called it. This race was a great experience but I would likely not do it again. Between the issues with the race, the lack of water on the course (at least for back-of-the-packers like me) and the lack of organization and direction after the race, I am looking forward to my next experience which will be smaller and less congested. 

I'm looking forward to trying to run (a short run) again this weekend. I really do enjoy running and it is somehow oddly freeing to know that I can run 13.1 miles (without music) and that someday, I'll be able to do a marathon.

It's hard to believe that 2011 is almost over, and right now I'm working on setting some goals for 2012. Are you? Is running one of them? Is triathlon? What will you do in 2012 that you've never done before?

If you're looking for a little inspiration, this always helps me (and it airs on NBC tomorrow afternoon so you should check out the full broadcast):

so i ran a half marathon.

Months ago, I set a goal. To be a runner. Sunday, I proved that I can do it.

I signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Strip at Night Half Marathon back in May. I ran lots of miles. I had some injuries. I doubted myself. But in the end, it was crossing the finish line that really mattered. When the race was about to start, I knew that my best goal would be to finish. Sure, I wanted to finish under three hours, but that was not the important thing here. Finish. That's all.

Like I said in my RunKeeper post, I felt great until I didn't. I actually was consistently moving from the start of the race until near mile 10. I walked through a few water stations prior to mile 10, but I was able to pull myself together and keep running. See below:

Considering my history, it would be easy to assume that my legs were the problem. Sore calves, sore shins, sore hip(s)... but this time, that wasn't it. I was in control of my breathing and the only part below my waist that really hurt was the soles of my feet. Awesome!

Except that my back hurt. Bad. By mile 10, I realized that it hurt too bad to keep running. The last thing I wanted to do was walk with only 3.1 miles left to go. But thankfully, right after I started walking, my sorority little sister and good friend Melissa saw me and walked with me. She said her legs were sore, and at this point I'm not sure if I held her back or if she wanted to walk too, but it was GREAT to have someone right there. Though there were moments when I felt like I could have started running, it wouldn't have lasted long. With less than a half mile to go we set out to start running again, just through the finish chute.

I finished in 3:09:48, and I'm proud of it. So proud. When it comes to endurance sports, I tend to be a bit emotional, and I cried when I finished. I cried a little as I was starting my race, I got choked up when I saw the wheelchair athletes finishing, and I really lost it in the finish chute. I came a long way and accomplished something not many people even have the guts to try.

I'm sore now, and though I am glad I'm not signed up for my next half quite yet, I know that in 2012, I want to do at least 2 halfs in addition to some 5ks and 10ks. Next year I'm going to get serious about running, so that in 2013 I can do a full marathon - something I claimed I would do this year without realizing how much dedication it really takes.

I want to thank everyone that supported me leading up to this event, including Justin, Melissa, Brent and Josh who were part of our group in Vegas that all did our first half marathon. It's not easy, and no one ever said it would be, but damn is it worth it.

Stay tuned ... I have some other fun posts before the end of the year and I hope you enjoy them as much as I am looking forward to writing them!

almost there.

This time tomorrow, I will be in Las Vegas.

I have been to Vegas plenty of times before, but this time is different, because Sunday I'll be running that half marathon.

It's hard to believe it's December 1 already. It's hard to believe that almost one year ago (on Dec. 31) I decided I was going to become a runner. Me - a runner? I'm really not. I'm not always very motivated. I am a far cry from those super-skinny runners you see out there, braving the cold in their shorty shorts. I like food. I like sleep. I like TV. Are those habits of a runner? Well, yes.

I'm never going to fit a cookie-cutter mold of what you'd expect a runner to be. I'm going to skip runs to go to happy hour. I'm going to skip runs because it's "too cold." I'm going to run badly, a lot. I'm going to start a run streak and give up on day three. But considering that before this year, I ran a recorded zero miles, and this year I have run approximately 198.6 miles (to date), I'd say I'm doing okay.

(Side note: have I really almost ran 200 miles this year? Whoa.)

A friend of mine put together a community writing challenge called #Resound11 - a chance to reflect on 2011 and reinvent yourself as you head into 2012. On day one, you have to pick one word that describes your 2011, and share why it sums up the year.

Considering a huge part of 2011 for me has been running, I would say my word is perseverance.

You see, there are many times I could have quit. I could have quit when my shin splints made my legs feel like exploding. I could have quit when I ran my first 5k and had to walk roughly half of it due to unpreparedness and pain. I could have quit when I felt something snap or cramp or otherwise feel abnormal.

But I didn't.

And I know that pushing myself to run when I didn't really want to, and when I was traveling, and when I was hurting has made me better. And going from half a mile of running to 3 miles of running to 9 miles of running has made me realize how possible this half marathon is going to be. I can do it, because I have built myself up to do it. I can do it, because it's just one piece of a bigger goal, to do more endurance races like half marathons and full marathons and triathlons.

It has been hard - it will be hard! - but if it was easy, everyone would do it.

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt