Fresh Start

Last year, I had some goals for myself for the year, and though it wasn't perfect, I did OK with them.  I'm hoping that I can improve on that this year.

I think I mentioned here in previous posts, that I finally realized that making New Year's resolutions just didn't work for me.  Once I started to think of goals and intentions, I took a different approach, and even when I didn't exactly reach them, I didn't have the same feeling of failure as I did with failed New Year's resolutions.  On the one hand, it's the terminology, but on the other hand, my goals and intentions were things that were more or less baby steps, not all-encompassing.

This year, I am going to work on the following:

1.  Fitness.  I didn't do as well as I'd hoped, partly because of a few illnesses that knocked me out for weeks at a time, and partly because I got lazy.  I'm still more fit than I was in previous years, but this year, I'd like to be more active.  So I'm hoping to ride my bicycle more (though not in the snow!), and I want to try some low-key running through a Couch to 5K program.  My goal with that would be to run a 5K this year.  I'd also like to do some hiking, and am hoping to get The Tim involved in that as well.  (We'll see.)

2.  Food.  I eat pretty healthily, so there are no major changes for me here.  But I would like to put more effort into cooking things that will serve more than one meal.  It's nice during the week to come home and be able to have a nice meal without it taking hours to fix.  So I'm going to try and expand my repertoire of soups, casseroles, and other dishes that by their nature make more than just two servings.

3.  Clothing.  I'm going to try and make my wardrobe more cohesive, and wearable.  I want to go through my closet and only keep the things that I really like, will actually wear/still fit, and work with more than one other item that I own.  It's not like I have a vast wardrobe, but it's become a mishmash of stuff over the past couple of years, and I want to pare it down.  I may try to save some money and invest in a new winter coat or some other big item, but will try to keep my spending under control otherwise.

4.  Beauty products/habits.  I already have this pretty well under control, so I'll try to stay with my good habits here.

5.  Attitude.  For the past couple of years, I've tried the One Little Word for the year idea.  My word for both of those years was "kindness" and though I'm not through working on that, I can say that I have been successful in being conscious of the word and changing my behavior.  I hope that now it will be a habit, so I'm choosing another word for 2014, which is grace.  As in a quote I saw here: "I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection."  Which basically means to remember that perfect should never get in the way of good.  I tend to be an obsessive perfectionist, and though I'm better at letting perfection go than I used to be, I need to work on it more.  Plus, I would really like to live my life with more grace and graciousness, in the hope to make grace work with kindness.  Life doesn't have to be as complicated as I often make it, and I also need to realize how great my life is and can be.  I'm hoping that grace will be my inspiration and my result.

Onward!  :-)

Run Around

For as long as I can remember, I have had little or no interest in running, or jogging, or whatever you want to call it.  I grew up at a time where there were no real sports programs for girls in elementary or high school, and I am not from an athletic family.  I've always loved walking and hiking, and riding my bike.  But running was never anything I thought about much at all.

Until recently, when I decided I'd like to add it to my exercise repertoire.  I would like to be able to run short distances without feeling like I may die.  I would like to participate in some 5K races, and not only have to do the walking option, particularly when that alternative means walking very slowly, as everyone around you is doing.  I had always thought with my osteoarthritis, it wasn't the best idea anyway. But my new doctors have told me that it is worth doing, not a lot, and not for speed, but for variety as well as for another way to build the muscles around my joints.

I live close to the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia, and love to walk and bike along there, any time of year.  So I have a place where I could also run that is close by, scenic, and at least as safe as anywhere else.  I also have a lovely neighborhood where I can run.  So I'm gonna give it a try.  I have even bought myself a new pair of shoes, and will be wearing them for some walking first, to be sure there won't be blisters.  I'm going to try and follow the Mayo Clinic 5K Run 7-Week training program.  I like it because it builds, and takes its time - and God knows I'm not in any big hurry like I'm getting ready to try out for the Olympics or something!

I want to start soon, but also wait until I have the sense that the extreme heat and humidity will be over for the most part at least.  It would be self-defeating for me to start when just being outside is torture for me, so it may not be immediately, but hopefully it will be soon.

In the meantime, all of my other activities and going to the gym are just fine, and I know they'll be there no matter what I decide about running.  I just think that it's time for a challenge.  Even if I don't keep up with it, I want to feel like I gave it a try.

Have a good weekend!

Not Even Close

Last year at this time, I realized that a) I had forgotten to sign up for the local Race for the Cure, and b) I couldn't even do it at the last-minute since I had made other commitments.  Not a major tragedy, but I felt bad since I try to participate every year, and it just didn't hit my radar at all.

Not the world's biggest tragedy, just something that slipped through the cracks of my brain.  But at that time, I also decided that rather than walk the 5k as I usually do, I was gonna try to be ready to run it.  However, later that month, I started having to wear a foot brace, which was originally supposed to be on my foot for six weeks, and ended up being on for five months (and didn't actually help, after all that).  So no chance to even try to start a running program.  Then I tried to make it a goal for the new year, but my months of ick in January and February not only kept me out of the gym and from any kind of exercise, but made it hard to breathe and walk at the same time.  Things are a bit better now, thank God.

I did remember to sign up to walk the race this year (albeit last-minute), so that's a good thing.  And I'm gonna say again that next year, I want to try running.  I have no plans to become A Runner, or run marathons, but I would like to have some variety in my activity, and build up my endurance levels.

In the meantime, I'll do my best this coming Sunday.  :-)

Forward Motion

I am a walker.  Big-time.  I walk nearly everywhere, mostly because - since we live in the city - it's a lot easier than waiting for the bus or the subway, and I don't know how to drive.  I do ride my bicycle, but my main mode of transport is my own two feet.

Sometimes I go for an exercise walk, and sometimes I head to the gym for exercise.  But in any event, I tend to wear out my shoes pretty quickly.  And with various foot problems, I have learned that it is worth it to invest in a good pair of shoes for exercise.  

Lately, though, I've been wanting to try a little bit of running.  I have no plan to become a marathon runner, or someone who runs above all else, but I am itching to add something a little bit different to my activities.  If nothing else, at this time next year, I'd like to be doing the Komen Race for the Cure running instead of walking.  Mostly, just to see if I can.  

Having thought about this and deciding to give it all a try, I stopped in last week at Philadelphia Runner, a store in the city devoted to running shoes, apparel, and other equipment.  A really nice young man waited on me, and he pulled out three different pairs of shoes to try, that would be good for both running and walking, as well as a set of Superfeet insoles.  At the time, I told him that I wouldn't be able to actually make a purchase until payday on the 30th, but he was nice enough to give me 100% of his assistance anyway.  Of the three pairs I tried, two were especially comfortable, and according to him, were very well-made, and not likely to wear out as quickly as the typical walking/running shoe.  

And of course, since there were two pairs that were possibilities, it was just as well that I wasn't having to decide right then between them.  Decisions such as that can cause me such agony, it's not even funny - especially for anyone trying to help me, or even just accompanying me.  But a couple of days ago, I made my decision - and in the end, it was because I liked this wild color of the New Balance W1080V3:

For someone who is used to mostly white walking shoes, or dark gray trail shoes, these are truly adventurous!

I just hope they make me adventurous enough to actually try running, and to be able to run the 5K next May ...