Excited for 2011!!

   First off I want to note that this post, my final weigh-in/progress post on Thursday, and my Knee Sock/ Clif Bar giveaway on Friday :D  will be my last posts for 2011.  I'm going to take the whole holiday week off to spend with my family,  Nolan's off from school and Matt is off the whole week as well (I only work a few days a week and make my own schedule, so for me the break is all about them being home!).  Also my sister will be here the whole week (she currently lives/works upstate)  and my brother, as I mentioned, is on break from school in FL.

    It will be nice to take a little break and think about what my goals are for the year, I have some idea, but also some stuff that I am still figuring out.  2011 is my year,  my birthday this year will be on 11/11/11 so how could it not!! :D  Besides, I am very happy with the way the last 3-4 months of 2010 have gone and I am excited to continue this journey into the new year.

    Blogging has been an amazing addition to my life, it has helped me:

~ Explore/ express/ learn about myself through writing, as well as improve my writing as I go.  I have never considered myself a writer, sometimes I struggle with finding the right words and putting my thoughts together coherently, but it is now something I am working on daily and I am proud :)  I never  really considered the way that writing could help you to understand yourself better,  my head is a constant stream of emotions and thoughts and dwelling and anxiety and ideas and on. . .  It is a wonderful thing to be able to put these things into words and release them from taking up all the space in my brain, thus allowing me to come up with more brilliant thoughts ;)

~  Realize that I am not alone with my fears, doubts, anxieties, issues etc.  In the real world you rarely have the deep kind of conversations  you find on blogs and so you don't  always realize that we all struggle with the same insecurities. It is comforting to know that other people have these feelings as well, even the people you see as having the "perfect life."   I think it is much easier to write these things then to speak them and so this is why you often feel such a deep connection with other bloggers.

~  Reignite my passion for running/ racing and challenge myself to go bigger and better.   It is really hard pretty much impossible to read all the amazing/inspirational posts in the running/tri community and NOT want to jump in a marathon/ triathlon/ 140.6/ 13.1. . . right that very second.   In High School as a distance runner, I always thought I would  eventually run a marathon, but over the past few years I had decided that I was not really that interested in doing one.  Well the desire to do one has returned with avengence,  not only do I want to run a marathon/marathons, but I hope to do a Full Iron in the next few years, I never saw that coming.

~ Laugh, all alone in my living room on a daily basis :D And what is life without laughter?     (ETA: For Example, I just read this over at Life of an Aspiring Triathlete and broke out in uncontrollable laughter  :DD)


Things to come:
*I will be starting triathlon training, YAY! and I am sure it will be quite an adventure.  I'm don't even know how to ride a road bike yet and to be honest I am ever so slightly scared about it (make that completely terrified :/.)  Anyway there will be plenty of stuff on my training progress :D


*My first half-mary :) and possible plans/ training for a full! and first Tri!!!!


*Less focus on weight,  but still some stuff on getting fitter, leaner, stronger.  People have responded well to my resistance exercise posts/videos (they are some of my most viewed posts) and I will be adding some more of those.  Resistance exercises= SUCCESS :D  Also MORE focus on improving Self -Acceptance (I've got a LONG way to go :/)


* More meaningful/ thoughtful posts, I've got a lot to say, but (for me) writing the deeper stuff is hard.  I'm afraid I won't convey things the way I wish to in my head and I often procrastinate on writing that kind of stuff.  But as I mentioned above, those deeper posts help us connect, relate and feel less alone on our journeys.

* My pursuit of a career in fitness! I ordered the training manual for the ACE certification test a few weeks ago, it was on back order but it should be here soon :D  I am beyond excited to be making moves toward a career that I LOVE.  This is only the first step, I am going to go for other certifications, including possibly coaching, over the next year(s).

* Plenty of races, race reports, fun race attire :D ahhhh I can't wait!! New PRs!!! Of course I'm guaranteed a PR in the half ;) and the sprint tri ;) ;) and then I'm gonna have to go break those PRs before the year is over :D :D  Hopefully I will get to meet some bloggers at some races this year!  I might even travel to Boston to cheer all of you amazing BQ'ers on (there are not enough exclamation points to express all my excitement over this whole paragraph)

* Whatever other amazing, exciting, possibly disappointing (everything can't be sunshine and roses ALL the time :/), surprising things come my this year.  

* And of course, there will still be lots of knee socks and picture of me wearing them (I know your psyched :P)

#1 Resolution for '11: work on accepting myself.  Striving for improvement is great (and necessary, for sure!) and I plan to do it, but I need to be happy with who I am now, in order to grow as a person.

  I may or may not be around reading/commenting during the next week, but I want to wish you ALL the Happiest and Healthiest Holidays!!  Thank you all, so much for reading and commenting, your support has meant more than I could possibly express and I cannot wait to learn, share and experience with you all in 2011 :D

ETA:  I cannot believe I left out the most exciting thing for the coming year!!  I am, as of right now planning/organizing a 5k race for a local charity organization!  It is in the beginning stages and I can't go into detail right now but I will post about it as soon as I am able.  It is a charity very near and dear to my heart and I feel very blessed to be able use my passion for running to benefit the cause.