Running and Fitness Goals for 2019

2019 is now well underway. So it's time to sit down and write out my fitness and running goals for the year.

Last week, I posted a recap of my 2018 goals (click HERE). From that update, I enter 2019 with a large amount of optimism. Despite some nagging soreness in my legs (which I'll talk about briefly further down), I feel really good. As I wrote in my last post, 2018 was a fairly monumental shift in direction for me. For 2019, I don't have nearly as dramatic of a shift. I'm looking for this year to be an incremental improvement in every single one of the same areas I addressed in 2018.

So, without further ado,here are my goals for 2019:

• Run or bicycle at least 3 days per week, with a minimum 30 mins per session, 2.5 hours per week, 10 hours per month)
• Run 1,200 km, ride 1,000 km
• Eat fruits or vegetables at every meal
• Run a half marathon under 1:40:00

In general, I really want to focus on getting more consistency. I was good with a fairly regular routine this year. But I want to push that a bit more. Ideally, I'd like to get to 4 days per week whenever possible. But I set time and duration goals to account in case I can only manage 3.

Another area is that I want to incorporate a bit more on the bicycle back into my routine. Last year, I focused mostly on running and cut down riding altogether. For 2019, I'm looking to balance them out more. I want running to be my main focus, without a doubt, but I want to have that second option ready to go.

The main reason is that my legs are taking a pounding. I feel sometimes that my calves, shins, or ankles are still recovering from my last run when I set out for a run. So, especially in those cases, I want to use my bicycle. I'm constantly stretching and icing sore legs. So I need to take some of that pressure off. The goal, ultimately, is to build endurance, cardio, and overall fitness. So I need to be more mentally open to alternative methods of achieving that.

The next one is simply because I need to eat better. I like to snack. Tortilla chips and salsa or cheese and crackers are my go-to snacks. So, I'm committing to eating fruits or vegetables at every meal, including snacks.

And my last one is really where my heart is at. I want to run a sub-1:40:00 half marathon. In 2018, I went from 1:51:58 (First Half 2018) down to 1:46:51 (Fall Classic 2018). In 2019, I want to improve and knock those next 7 minutes off. I know it'll take hard work to get there, but I'm ready. I'm no longer building that runner's base for endurance - I have the base. Now I just need to improve on it.

Time to go put in the work and make 2019 something great! 

Recap On My 2018 Fitness Goals

What a year!

2018 was monumental year for me in terms of setting ambitious fitness goals, and achieving most of them!! As with most goals, I changed and modified them throughout the year. As I attained certain levels of my goals, I set increasingly challenging goals for myself. Initially, I was a bit disappointed where I finished the year. However, when I look back at where I started from, in December of 2017, 2018 was a massive successive.

Here's my recap, and a bit of a back-story:

Up until the end of 2017, I had largely gotten my fitness from my bicycle. Not a hard road-rider by any means - I simply enjoyed riding and used my bicycle to commute as often as possible. As my kids got older, and bigger, this became more and more difficult. I have been a casual runner since I turned 30 (7 years ago) - but it was never my primary focus.

Around mid-2017, I started getting serious about running again and slotting it into my regular exercise routine. In September 2017 I wrote THIS POST about refocusing on running. A little later that month, I was thinking about a half marathon (click HERE). And in November 2017, I signed up for one (click HERE).

So here were my goals that I set at the beginning of 2018:

• Run a half marathon
• Run regularly - 3 runs and a minimum 20 km per week
• Run 1,000 km by the end of 2018
• Learn to love running.

And I nailed every single one of those goals!

I didn't run just one half marathon, I ran three (First Half on February 11th, half marathon at the BMO Vancouver on May 10th, and the Fall Classic on November 4th). In addition, I added several shorter races just for fun: 5K at the Scotiabank Vancouver, Under Armour Eastside 10K, and the 8K at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.

I finished my first half marathon (the First Half) in 1 hour and 52 mins. And I improved to just under 1 hour and 47 mins at the Fall Classic. I would have liked to run under 1 hour and 45 mins, but that's going to have to wait until 2019!

Except for a few rare instances (rest weeks or travelling challenges), I managed to run 3 runs per week and averaged over 20 km per week. 

I ran a total of 1,178 km for the year. A massive accomplishment that I am very proud of!

Overall, it was a massive year. Running is now an integral part of my fitness! And barely three weeks into 2019, I have already signed up for three races (Steveston Icebreaker 8K on January 20th,  Vancouver First Half on February 10th, and half marathon at the BMO Vancouver on May 5th), one of which I've already completed.

Most importantly, I loved every second of it - the struggles, the accomplishments, the fitness gains, the lost weight.

So I'm taking a couple of weeks to celebrate everything I accomplished in 2018 and plan out my goals for 2019. Until then, here is my Strava summary of 2018.