2013 Goals

It's that time of year where we all sit down and make goals for the new year.  I've struggled with goals, like everyone, but I've done pretty well with resolutions in the past so I'm definitely going to make a few this year.  I'm sure I will struggle with my goals this year as well, but I also think I'll do okay.  I might not make every single goal, but I will work on them and will accomplish most of them, especially now that I'm posting them publicly.  2013 is a big year for me.  I'm turning 30 in May and I want to start my 3rd decade of life feeling healthy and strong!  As I like to tell myself when running, "it's amazing what you can accomplish when you tell yourself you can."

As you know, I've taken a liking to running so I'll start with my running goals:
1. Run a 5k with no walk breaks and in 30 minutes or less
2. Become a member of Half Fanatics by doing 6 halfs in 6 months.
3. I also hope to PR at each half marathon (my one and only was like 3:20) and eventually work toward a 10-minute pace.
4. Run at least 3 times a week (something I never did consistently), work up to 4 times a week and toss in speed work once a week.
5. Run a 10k with no walk breaks too and eventually in 60 minutes or less.
6. Become a member of Marathon Maniacs by doing 2 marathons within 16 days (Chicago and Marine Corps Marathons are planned.  I just have to get into them both for that to be a reality)

To help me accomplish my running goals, I committed to running at least 1,000 miles this year with the Moon Joggers.  I'm also going to be logging miles with my online running club.  The accountability piece of having to log miles will help a lot, I hope!  To run 1,000 miles this year, that is 83.3 miles/ month and 19.2/week.  I won't be running every day, but if I were it would be 2.7 miles/day.  I'll be splitting my miles between 3-4 days a week, with a long Saturday run.  Next year I want to run 2,014 miles, but I'm not ready to do that this year.  I need to build a strong base and be running 38 miles/week for that challenge so this year will serve as the building block for that challenge next year.

Another goal I have is to blog more regularly.  I'd like to get to weekly postings and publicly post about my trainings weekly, as well as my PhD work (not nearly as exciting).  To kick start that goal and get in the habit I've joined the Janathon challenge. The point of that challenge is to do a workout everyday and then blog about it. I'll be doing running some days, hot yoga other days and maybe just a random home workout whatever days I don't feel like going to yoga or running.  Luckily I have a few at home workout videos and kinect games so I have the resources. It'll definitely be a challenge to post everyday, but I'm up for it.

Professionally, I have goals as well.  Being a teacher, it's a impossible to ask for a raise.  Other professions can ask for a percentage increase based on performance, but not us.  We get what we get and everyone gets an increase or no one does.  Judging by the current county budget situation I'm guessing I won't be getting any increases this year.  I'll probably lose money because our out of pocket expenses for insurance and retirement are increasing.  So, salary-wise I'm stuck.  However, I do have goals.  I'm applying to transfer to a high school teaching position and would love the chance to work with older students. I'm not too excited about the idea of starting at a new school with new people and policies, and also building all new lessons, but I really want to work with older students.  Middle school students, especially 6th graders are too needy for my liking.  It wouldn't end my world to stay where I'm at in 6th grade, but I'm dying to try a new school so I'm really hoping for a change.  It could be just what I need.  I think eventually I'd like to try a new career all together, but for now I'll start slow and just try high school.  Plus, I have a dissertation to write and it'll be a lot easier to do research in my county if I'm still teaching there so logically it doesn't make sense to leave just yet.

Finally, I have a dissertation to write!  I took off far too long for a mental break and need to get back on track.  As of today, it doesn't look like I'll be ready for the proposal class this spring, which really sucks, but I only have myself to blame.  I procrastinated too much and don't think I'll be able to pull it all off in the next week.  Stranger things have happened, but I'm not banking on it.  However, I have a plan.  If it doesn't happen for me I will be taking a graduate writing course this spring, which will meet each week and at the end I'll be where I want to be.  I think the structure and accountability of a class will be just what I need.  I'd rather not pay for the class, but if I don't take it, I fear the next 4 months will come and go with little progress so it'll be worth the expense if I have to go that route.  My goal is to get my portfolio and proposal done and defended by May (if I get into the class this spring, if not then defended by August) and start my dissertation research by September.  I would love to have my data collected by December and then I'll be left to write it all and graduate by May 2014.  My original goal with my program was to be finished by the time I turned 30, but it's a lot of work and the extra time has been good for me.  I'll keep you posted on this goal.  It's going to be a challenge, but I didn't start a PhD program thinking it would be easy!

I wish you all a happy and safe new year and good luck with your goals as well :)