Some 2012 Goals

Better late than never! I’ve had these goals and have been working on them before the new year began, but I had not published them until now. This is an incomplete list. I have more goals, but they are more personal and not worth and/or suitable for sharing.

Read through Bible

I’ve done this a few times, but I didn’t do it last year. I missed it and feel like I was not as focused on the Grand Narrative as I would have been if I had been reading it straight through. I use a Bible specifically designed for the goal. It has a date at the top and how many chapters to read. It also has an overview of the reading, along with some challenging thoughts regarding application. It builds in breaks periodically, and some days have less to read than others. It helps keep it moving along.

Running

I think I ran around 1700 miles in 2010, but in 2011 I only ran 1260. That’s fine, and it reflects where I was all year: in a non-competitive state/funk. I think it was the post-Boston Qualifying affect for me. I put so much energy into the Monumental Marathon of 2010 (where I qualified for Boston), that I just didn’t have much to offer after it. I really thought my drive and desire would come back in the spring. Wrong. It’s back now, however!

Having a low mileage year and not investing any emotional energy into running in 2011 has left me hungry and ready to really go for it this year. My goals include a 3.29.59 Boston Marathon, which is very ambitious, given the hilly, difficult course. I hope to total 1500 miles this year and be competitively focused in the Persimmon 5K in September. I may run a fall marathon with a view toward Ironman training. I am thinking of doing an Ironman in the fall of 2014, which is probably certifiably crazy. There may be other running goals, but they will likely be in the context of a triathlon (hopefully).

Biking

I want to become much faster on the bike. I have ridden for 2 years now, in the summer only. I rode quite a lot last summer, which was why, in part, my running miles were way down. I’m not very fast or strong on the bike. This year I am going to work some during the winter and get out earlier in the spring. I have a really good bike now, so it’s time to work hard. I plan to complete RAIN without dying or being hospitalized! In preparation, I plan to do at least 2 centuries (100 mile rides); I only did one last year before RAIN. My other biking goals will be in the context of triathlons. I want to be able to average 20 miles per hour minimum for the sprint distances.

Swimming/Triathlon

This is the biggie! And I plan to start on it soon, maybe this week. So many of my future goals hinge on this. My desire is really, really high, so I plan to stick with it until I get it. I don’t have to be fast or pretty, I just have to get it done without drowning (ha). My first goal will be to get across a pool and back, then longer distances, followed by open water swimming, followed by a successful sprint triathlon, where the swim is usually around a quarter mile. If I can get that, then I will move on up to the Olympic distance, hoping to move even further along by doing a half Ironman in 2013. The swimming portion of that event is 1.2 miles, followed by a 56 mile bike ride, followed by a half marathon. Of course the ultimate goal is the Ironman, which is a 2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a full marathon. 2014? We’ll see...

Reading

I hope to average reading one book per week. This last year I started reading more broadly, including some biographies and fiction. I usually read 2-3 books at the same time. I have one I read while the TV is on, something pretty light. Then I have one for reading in bed, again pretty light, because I usually fall asleep with it. Then I read books related to ministry, theology, etc. when I am more alert, like before 5 p.m. (ha).