"Goalsies" 2014

Because "goals" sounds so harsh and intimidating i am calling them "goalsies".  so fun, light and refreshing.

Because it seems virtually everyone else is putting them out there this time of year... here's my pocket full of run-related "goalsies" for the new year:

1. 4:5_ mile (road/track).  Not solid on this one yet.  Part of me wants to put 4:50, the other part says 4:54 (looks trivial but from where I stand today this looks like a BIG difference).

2. 16:30 5k (road/x-country).  On the right course with good temps and good competition this seems "totes" do-able.

3. 3:30 50k (trail-flat).  Same thoughts/feelings as 5k goal above, with a nutrition component added in.  Gotta nail that too.

4. Finish Mac50k for the 3rd Time and beat last year's time, so 4:30s.  This course is nasty and it's a bad time of year for me, but it's become tradition of a sort.  I'd be happy to just keep doing a little better each year from here on out (next 5-10 years).

5. Nutrition/diet: I hate "diets" because they seem so cultish/religious with their fanatic Believers all claiming to know the Truth.  But it seems there's some solid "science" and personal testimony out there that suggest I could benefit from less carbs in my day-to-day eating.  I am not going all Paleo-caveman but I aim to apply a little more discretion when it comes to eating.  That said, I will just think of the Kenyan dudes that own the marathon and probably subsist on carbs (cooked grains) when I smell some tasty polenta or homemade tortillas in the kitchen.  Yum.

6. Adventure.  I want to join friends in running adventures this year.  I seldom get in adventurous outings and when I do I can never seem to pull them off with friends.  I got into trail running from a climbing/hiking background.  I simply loved exploring wild lands and had a desire to cover more ground more quickly.  I've crossed over a bit into running's "darkside" and find myself running for running sake--or what I'd consider "training"--all the time.  It's still really fun at this point but I need to mix some more adventure in there if it's going to be fun forever.

7. Organize a running event and donate some money to charity.  I don't care if it's $10 I just want to put something together for a cause and have a blast doing it.

Hey 2014, bring it.