Happy New Year + 2017 Goals

Image from Tone It Up (I loved it so much, I borrowed it!)

Happy 2017 everyone! Long time, no talk, eh? 2016 was not a great year in terms of blogging for me, but I am hoping change that in 2017. I am borrowing a term from one of my Volee teammates and "zamboni'ing" it for 2017 (i.e. making a fresh start). So rather then re-hash all that I did in 2016, I am just going to start fresh in 2017.

So to start 2017, I want to share my goals for this year. These are my overall goals, but I also plan on setting smaller monthly goals (some related to my overall goals and some not related).

Let's start with my running goals:

1. Run 1,270 miles in 2017 (same numbers, different order). 2016 was one of my lowest mileage years, but that is to be expected given the surgery. I am finally feeling back to normal and am excited to tackle 2017.
2. Tackle 5 states in 2017. I still don't have them all set, but I am excited to check some more states off of my list.
3. Run 2 marathons. My plan is to run a marathon in the Spring (likely in May) and then the Chicago Marathon. I had a time qualifier for Chicago so I didn't need to wait for the lottery results. Really excited to head back to Chicago after the heat of 2007 (and praying for better weather!).
4. And the big one - qualify for the Boston Marathon. I haven't spoken to much about this goal, but this one has been a longtime goal for me. I got pretty close at Route 66 and am hoping to get back there. My plan is to run the spring marathon to get the cobwebs out and get my speed back, then use Chicago as my goal BQ race. Dream big or go home, right?

And now for some other goals (blog-wise and life wise):

1. Get back to blogging regularly. I really do enjoy it and miss doing it. My plan is to do 2 posts a week: a weekly training recap and one other. The second will change each week, but I do know I want to go back and recap my recent races (more for my own personal memory).
2. Work on eating clean as much as possible. I don't know if it's getting older or a side effect from my surgery (they did route around in my stomach for a bit), but I just really can't handle processed foods anymore. I'd like to focus on eating healthy (and clean) as much as possible. It'll be a work in progress - I know I won't be perfect all the time (especially when traveling) and I know I'll slip up, but it's something I am going to be working on.
3. Cross train more often. This is something I really want to focus on. My best year of racing (2015) included a lot of cross training and especially, core work. I know it's shocking, but my abs/core did not magically reappear post surgery (and wishing them back didn't work either!). Really going to focus on this, especially in the winter/spring.
4. Travel more. I love traveling and am looking forward to visiting some more states as part of my 50 States goal. I am also looking forward to visiting far flung friends and family.
5. Downsize my stuff. This should really read "get rid of my excess crap". Because really, I have too much stuff. I love my apartment and love that I haven't felt a need (or had) to move in years, but the downside to that is that I am not forced to clean out/go through my stuff every time I move. This means I have a lot of stuff in my apartment. My closets are packed and my drawers overflowing. While I plan on going through my stuff, a big thing I am doing is instituting a "1 in, 2 out" policy. This means whenever I buy something, two thing must go in the donate pile (and stay there). I am hoping this helps me make smarter purchases ("Do I want this enough to get rid of 2 things?"), while also helping me downsize my clothing collection.

In full disclosure, this will not fully apply to my race shirts. I don't get rid of those (as they have sentimental value to me), but at the same time my race shirt collection is out of control. What I am thinking about doing is removing shirts from the rotation and packing them away. Especially some of the older shirts that have already gotten a lot of use. I am also considering pulling all my Disney shirts and making a quilt out of them. Has anyone ever had one made? What company did you use?

What are some of your goals for 2017?