Good February Reading

Hello Friday! It's so nice to see you this week and a new month too! 

I don't know about anyone else, but the consensus over here is that this work week has felt like it was 2 weeks long. Not sure what's up with that, but yippee it's finally almost over!

With it being March 1st and all, today will be all about recapping my February reading. I certainly didn't read as much as January, but I am still making progress towards my goal of reading 40 books by the end of this year.

So let's get started...

8. Gates of Paradise (Blue Bloods #7) by Melissa de la Cruz
Finished February 7, 2013 

Amazon Description:

"Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.

Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?

Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.

Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?

The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love."

What can I say about this book? First of all, this is the final book in the Blue Blood Series and it was long overdue in my opinion. I started reading this series back when my niece was in high school (she is now almost a college graduate) and I have faithfully looked forward to each installment of this series, including the mini novellas that came out in between each main book.

When I started reading this last book I became quickly frustrated. Why you may ask? Well, while I kind of remembered the story from the last book 16 months before, there was one character that I did not remember ending up in the state she was in for this book. I thought to myself, "What the heck? Did I miss a book or just totally forget what happened to her?". I decided that maybe reading further things would be explained, but to my frustration, the author never mentioned the back story of this character.

In between my moments of wanting to throw the book across the room and wanting to see how this saga all ended, I did a little online search and noticed the author wrote a mini 4 Part series of books that explained what happened to this character. I knew nothing about these books. From what I can tell they weren't mentioned as being part of the Blue Blood Series. In the end I did not stop and read those books, mainly because the library didn't have them and I didn't want to purchase them. Do I feel like I missed something? Yes. I really think that the author should have just taken those 4 mini books and made them into one of those in between novellas in the series.

9. The Scorch Trails (Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Finished February 17, 2013 

Amazon Description: 

"The Scorch Trials picks up where The Maze Runner left off. The Gladers have escaped the Maze, but now they face an even more treacherous challenge on the open roads of a devastated planet. 

And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. 

Can Thomas survive in such a violent world?" 

After I finished the Maze Runner in December, I really didn't want to wait to see what happened with these group of young Gladers. Was their adventure really over? What was going to happen to them next? Was life going to become normal again?

Before I started reading this second book, I thought about maybe reading the Prequel to the series, there is even a 1.5 book out there too, however, in the end I decided to read the books the way the author originally published them. I didn't want to ruin anything that he might have intended and after finishing this second book, I am glad I did. 

This book did not disappoint. The whole time I was reading it, I kept asking what else could happen to these kids? I think if I had read the other 2 books before this one, the surprise and suspense might have been removed for me.

10. The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

Finished February 27, 2013 

Amazon Description: 

"Thomas knows that WICKED can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. To complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what WICKED says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine."

As you can see, I did not wait a whole month to find out what happened to the Gladers. I had to know the outcome. Just like the previous two books, this one was filled with suspense. I could not have predicted any of it or even the outcome. I thoroughly enjoyed this series, maybe even more than the Hunger Games. I plan on reading the Prequel and the in between book at some point, but for now, I have a sense of satisfaction with this story and can wait.

So tell me, what are you reading right now? Got any good recommendations?
I was cruising around the internet yesterday stalking reading some of my favorite blogs and came across this recommendation/review: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. While the cover of the book leaves me with nothing to be desired about reading it (and if I saw it in the store I woudn't even pick it up), I thought the description of the story was quite interesting. Think I may be adding it to my reading list.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Workout Roundup (02/18/13 - 02/24/13)

It's Wednesday. 

It's raining. 

It's finally time I talk about my awesome week of working out that I had last week! I honestly don't know what has taken me so long to get this post done. Well who am I kidding, work gets crazy, life gets crazy and before you know it, you have run out of hours in a day.

So let's get down to business.  According to Daily Mile I had a Super week of training last week.
Side note: Uh, you think it's time to change out my mug shot? Me thinks I do!

Anyhoo, Daily Mile doesn't take into consideration if I do any cross training or weight work, this is all running, so I am happy with the Super for my running effort! 

I of course decided to become an over achiever this past week and decided to try and kick things up a notch. I even snapped daily pictures to document my efforts (Instagram: angelny29).

Here's the nitty gritty:

Monday, February 18, 2013 (Presiden't Day - NO WORK)
Run - Astoria Park Track - 4.02 miles (43:46)

Since I had the day off from work, and was all alone, I decided to hit up my local track around 11:30 A.M. for a little runsy that ended in 4 miles. The temps were fra-fra-freezing. We're talking a "Feel Like Temp" of 13 degrees with some major winds coming off the water. But it all worked out in the end. I wore my Pearl Izumi Wind Blocking jacket with 2 long sleeve layers underneath. All was good as if you couldn't tell in my post-run bliss picture above.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Run - Treadmill - 400s - 3.25 miles (34:01)

It was back to work and back to business. I hit up the gym during lunch and knocked out a little run which consisted of 400m intervals. I managed to complete 6-400s for a total of 3.25 miles.

After work is where I first changed my workout up a bit.

P.M. Workout - Strength Training / Abs

A couple weekends ago I asked Mr. B to take me over to my storage unit because I wanted to retrieve my set of dumb bells so I could do exactly what I did on Tuesday night. I completed a Shoulder/Bicep circuit workout and finished up with some Abs. It was nice to see that I burned an easy 150 calories in the 30 minutes.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Run - Treadmill - 3.5 miles (35:56)

Pinks and I (mad lurve for my Reebok's) headed to the gym treadmill at lunch again and knocked out a speedy run. 

Today I completed my first ever 3.5 mile run during lunch! This made me extremely happy. The most I have ever completed was a 3.25 mile and that was because I was including intervals.

I completed this feat by increasing my speed by .1 after the first .25 miles and then another .1 after another .75 miles and then kept repeating this until I hit 3 miles. Then after that I increased my speed by .1 then again after .25 miles. I believe the last quarter mile I ran was at a 6.3.

P.M. Workout - Step Aerobics DVD

In addition to dusting off my free weights from storage, I also purchased an Aerobic Step. Back in the 90's I loved Step Aerobics! It's an awesome workout and can burn some awesome calories. After work I knocked out an old school step workout with my friend Gilad and blasted 469 calories. 

Thursday, February 21, 2013
Rest 

Friday, February 22, 2013
Run - Treadmill - 800s - 3.5 miles (35:27)

Since my 400s workouts have been going so well over the past few weeks, I decided that I would attempt 800s during my lunch time run and knocked out another 3.5 miles. I must say that I am in love with 800s! 

Saturday, February 23, 2013
Rest 

Sunday, February 24, 2013
Long Run - Rockefeller State Park Preserve - 8 miles (01:40:20)

It felt super awesome to be back running on the trails. Mr. B and I haven't been for a month and a half due to sickness and nasty weather, but Sunday we were back at it. We had to modify our course a bit due to patches of ice and big sloshes of mud puddles, but it was all worth it. I was aiming for a 6 mile run and left with 8 miles under my belt and yes that is a big pile of snow behind my wrist.

In summary, this past weeks workout was amazing for me. I managed to complete 5 days of running for a total distance of 22.27 miles.

I also incorporated a bit of strength training and a cross training workout. I am planning on continuing to mix things up with some of my DVDs and will continue to strive for running at least 4 days a week. 

So tell me, do you work out with DVDs?

Back in the 90s into early 2000, I was an avid user of home workout DVD's, but they were VHS tapes then. It was an awesome way to get a workout in without the major expense of a gym membership. 

If so, what's in your home collection?

My collection includes 3-4 Jillian Michaels DVDs, 2 Gilad DVDs and a new DVD that is suppose to mimic attending a Ballet Barre class. I will share more about that after I give it a whirl.

Good January Reading

Welcome February and Happy Friday! At times January sure did seem like a big blur to me. It was a month filled with some so-so exercise, some sickness, some butt freezing temperatures, some knitting, some Jury Duty and tons of reading!

Today's post is going to be all about what I read during January! I know, very exciting, but I am a woman who loves to read and look forward to sharing with you all that I read during the year. By doing so, you may even find a book or two that interests you.

First let me say, I read all varieties of genres. One day I may read a Historical Fiction novel and the next day it may be a Young Adult novel. The one genre you may not see on my lists are the Classics. I think all the reading of them I had to do in High School and College may have given me the fill of them.

One of my goals this year is to read 40 books. I think that is a pretty big goal and when I set it, I didn't know just how realistic it would be. I think that January had gotten me off to a pretty good start on that goal. I managed to read a total of 7 books and let me tell you, I enjoyed every single one of them.

So let's get started...

1.  Divergent (#1) by Veronica Roth

Finished January 6, 2013

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her."

I had heard that if you enjoyed the Hunger Games series, then this was a must read. In my opinion it is absolutely true. This is the first book in the Divergent Trilogy and I have to say I enjoyed this book way more than the Hunger Games. The ending left me wanting more.

2. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Finished January 9, 2013

"Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match."

I had come across this book on a summer must read list this past summer. I wrote the name of it down and completely forgot about it until I saw that my sister had bought it. I admit I started reading it probably back in November, but only the first couple of chapters. After I finished Divergent this year, I was waiting for some books to become available through the library so I thought I would commit myself to finishing this book. I did enjoy the book and can understand why it was on a summer reading list. I could see myself lounging at the beach or at the park while being totally engrossed in it. I always know I am enjoying a book when I want to yell at the characters and I wanted to do that A LOT!

3. Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon

Finished January 13, 2013

"When Josie Jensen, an awkward 13-year-old musical prodigy crashes headlong into new-comer Samuel Yazzie, an 18-year-old Navajo boy full of anger and confusion, an unlikely friendship blooms. Josie teaches Samuel about words, music and friendship, and along the way finds a kindred spirit. Upon graduation, Samuel abandons the sleepy, small town in search of a future and a life, leaving his young mentor behind. Many years go by and Samuel returns, finding his old friend in need of the very things she offered him years before. Their roles reversed, Samuel teaches Josie about life, love, and letting go. Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings."

When my sister finished this book she told me I had to read it! I am so glad I did. This is a beautiful story and I became emotionally involved with the characters. I DID NOT and COULD NOT put this book down!

4. Unveiled by Colleen Quinn

Finished January 19, 2013

"What happens when two people marry for money. . .and then find out neither one has any?

Katie O’Connor is desperate. When an opportunity arises to impersonate a wealthy socialite, she sees a way out of disaster. All she has to do is find a rich husband. When she meets Christopher Scott, of the well-to-do Scott family, she falls hard for him, only to discover the truth after they are wed. . ."

This is another book my sister had and the cover intrigued me to see what it was all about. It is classified as Historical Romance. I was excited to pick it up every night before I went to sleep to see what would happen next with Katie. I would recommend it to anyone as a filler book to read between major books because it is such a quick delightful read.

5. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Finished January 23, 2013

"Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child.

So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, , she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over..."

My sister has read this book. I know this book has been making it's rounds in the book clubs. I know it took FOREVER for my library to get me a copy of it to read. I thought this book was fun and couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I hit my head and woke up thinking I was 29 again!

6. Insurgent (#2) by Veronica Roth
Finished January 27, 2013

"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so."

Knowing that the third book in this series wasn't due for publication until this Fall (hopefully), I tried to put off reading this book for as long as I could. When I put it on hold at the library, I thought that getting through the long list a patrons in front of me would take longer than it actually did. So of course, I couldn't resist finding out what happened with Tris Prior. When I read the last sentence of this book I immediately said to myself, "When if the next one coming out again?"

7. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Finished January 30, 2013

"A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows."

This is another book my sister had (yes, we read and recommend a lot of books to each other) and I had been wanting to read it for a long time. I started this book late last year and again I only read the first 3 chapters. When I finished Insurgent, I told myself I wasn't going to get any other books out of the library until I finished this one. While the peculiar pictures throughout the book kinda gave me the creeps and it took me a bit to really get into the book, I ended up knocking this book out in a few days. I was in bed one night reading and all of a sudden I hit a point in the book where I didn't want to stop reading. I was completely sucked in it. I noticed that this book is classified as #1, so I browsed the internet to see if there really was going to be a sequel. It's appears to be true. I will definitely be reading it.

Tell me, what have you been reading? I am always looking for new authors/books to read. Any recommendations?

Workout Roundup (01/14/13 - 01/20/13)

Another week of working out and another week of it not happening exactly as I had planned. I started the week pretty strong with my running, but by the end of the week, I was not working out at all due to not feeling well.

So let's just get to the nitty gritty of what did happen this past week (01/14/13 - 01/20/13):

Monday, January 14, 2013:

Gym - Treadmill Run - 3 miles (35:01 @ 2:32pm)
This was a nice recovery run. I made sure I kept it at a slow pace. I averaged 11:46 min/miles. While it was torture running this slow, I know the importance of running slow the day after a long run. I generally don't run with music, but today I was glad I had the earphones plugged in to help with the run.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013:

Run - Astoria Park Track - 4.10 miles (Sprints - 100s) (48:07 @ 6:27am)
This run consisted of a 1 mile warmup at 12:01 min/mile pace. Then 2 miles of 100m sprints. This is usually sprint for 100m and then slow jog for rest of quarter mile and repeat for a total of 8 times. I finished the run with a 1 mile recovery run at 12:01 min/mile pace. My legs felt like lead for that last mile, but I somehow found the fortitude to push through it.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013:

Gym - Treadmill Run - 3.25 miles (34:01 @ 2:42pm)
This should of been an easy/slow run for recovery from the previous days speed workout, but for some reason when I stepped on the treadmill I couldn't help myself and ending up averaging a10:32 min/mile pace. My body seemed able to handle it, but the whole time I was telling myself I should be running slower.

Thursday, January 17, 2013:
Planned Rest Day

Friday, January 18, 2013:
Unplanned Rest Day
By the time I came home from work on Thursday I was not feeling well at all. I spent the whole day feeling sick and felt resting was the best thing for my body.

Saturday, January 19, 2013:
Planned Rest Day
Saturday is generally a planned rest day since I run long on Sunday. While I was feeling a bit better than the days before, I still chose to keep it as a rest day.

Sunday, January 20, 2013:
Unplanned Rest Day
My honey was officially sick and I still wasn't 100%, but I was much better than him. We bagged our planned long run and continued to rest.

2013 Goal Check-In

Week 1: 8.12 miles
Week 2: 16.59 miles
Week 3: 10.35 miles
Total: 35.06 miles

My lackluster week of running hasn't helped too much in reaching my goal of running 1,000 miles this year. However, I know it's only the beginning of the year and there are many more days left to run.

Now if mother nature could just do something about the frigid temperatures we are having this week!

How did ya'll spend the holiday weekend?
Besides resting, I managed to:
Read - Finished 1 book and halfway through another
Knit - Started last ball of #3 Christmas present
Movie Watched - Kings Speech (loved), Pitch Perfect (funny) and a documentary called First Position (interesting)
Cooked - Made another batch of my Vegetarian Wheat Berry Salad for the week. I will share the recipe as it seems to be a big hit.

Weigh-In Wednesday #1

Welcome to my Weigh-In Wednesday and Workout Roundup! Today I am going to update you on my past weeks workout and where I also weigh-in on my 2013 Goals. I am going to make this a weekly post to check-in with you all and talk about how things are progressing in regards to achieving my goals.. Today I will update you on the first 3 goals I set for the year: Weight Loss, Weight Lifting and Running 1,000 miles.

First, here's what my workouts looked like for the past week (12/31/12 - 01/6/13): 

Monday, December 31, 2012:

Ran 4 miles (45:22 @ 11:26am) - Astoria Park Track

This run was a little tough on me since the day before I ran 6.25 miles up at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve Trails in 2-3 inches of snow. My legs were tired and felt like logs, but I was happy I was able to eek out a few miles on the track.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013:

Rest Day - My body was aching from the previous 2 runs so I decided to take a complete rest day.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013:

Gym - Leg Weights, Abs
Since I do weights during my 1 hour lunch break, the workout tends to be a circuit workout and I am a sweat monster when it's all said and done. This was my first weight workout in over 6 months. When I became so focused on my Fall Marathon training, weights kind of went out the window. Not a great thing, but it happened. By the time I headed home from work, my muscles were screaming at me. 

Thursday, January 3, 2013:
Ran 4 miles (46:15 @ 5:30am) - Astoria Park Track
My legs and abs were sore and I was hoping a run would help to loosen them up. Completing the run wasn't too bad. My legs pulled through it and I ran a tad but slower 4 miler.

Friday, January 4, 2013:
Rest Day - No way in heck could I move. My leg weight and ab workout was really hitting me hard.

Saturday, January 5, 2013:
Rest Day - My body was still aching and I chose to give it another rest day.

Sunday, January 6, 2013:

Ran 4 miles (44:37 @ 10:17am) - Astoria Park Track

My honey and I got up at our usual 6:30am time in order to drive up to Rockefeller State Park Preserve for our weekly long run on the trails. Unfortunately, when we got there the trails were unsafe to run. Last Sunday we ran there in 2-3 inches of snow, this week the trails were covered in a compact sheet of ice. While there were other runners out there, we decided it wasn't worth the risk of falling and hurting ourselves. So we got back into the car and drove to our usual morning running spot of the park track. The ideal place to have done this run was in Central Park, but due to our schedule that day, we did not have time to hop on the subway to get to the park. So the track it was and let me tell you I struggled. My legs were tired and by the time I finished my 4th mile I was done. It wasn't the long run I had planned, but it was better than nothing!

Now on to my goals...

Ever since my early 20's I have always struggled with my weight. I am a known yo yo'er in the weight loss/gain department. My weight generally tends to reflect how things are going in my life and it didn't help that I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in my mid 30's which makes losing weight all that more of a challenge. In 2006 I got down to 130 pounds. The lightest I had weighed in years. Within 6 months of completing my first marathon, the weight slowly crept back on my body. Looking back, I know what happened.

For the past 6 years, my weight has gone up and done enough. In 2009, I managed to get my weight back down to 142 pounds after it crept into the 160's. Then in 2010, I started working a Night Shift job and for a year and a half my weight bloomed to an all time high of 178. 

Last year I was determined to do all that I could to take the weight back off. My focus was on the 15 pounds I gained while working nights. I did succeed with that, but it was not easy. While I can lose weight one week, the next week I could put some or all of it back on and then some weeks there will be a continual weight loss. 

By the time I ran my marathon in this past October, my weight was at 165 pounds. I managed to keep my weight steady until the week before Christmas. I had been sick the previous 3 weeks and I could not workout. Then the sweet treats at the office was a temptation for me. The week of Christmas my weight was at 169.5 pounds. I took the opportunity of my staycation to get back into running and healthy eating. By New Years Eve my weight was down to 168 pounds.

I weigh myself every Monday morning and I am using my starting weight for my 35 pound weight loss journey as 168 pounds. So where does my weight stand after the first official week of 2013? Here's the numbers:

12/31/12 - 168 pounds
01/07/13 - 166 pounds
Total Weight Loss: 2 pounds

I am happy with that number. I know what I need to do and I am going to try and stay focused on it this year. I know it won't be easy. I know I can't look at the big number of losing 35 pounds. I know I have to focus on breaking the 35 pounds up into smaller goals. Right now, I am focused on achieving a 10 pound weight loss.

By reading my workout roundup above, you noticed I only lifted weights once last week. I shocked my body with that workout and it totally rebelled on me. This week I am going to focus on lifting a lighter weight and I think that my soreness won't render me into a debilitated old lady!

Last year I ran 615 miles. I was surprised to see that number and my mind was imagining what it could have been if I had been running consistently throughout the whole year. That's where the 1,000 mile goal came into play. I will be totaling my mileage starting from January 1st. So minus my run on December 31st, I have run 8 miles towards this goal. It was a low mileage week due to my sore/fatigued body. I am feeling much better this week and look forward to my mileage increasing this week.

Overall I am pleased with the start I have had towards achieving these goals. I know it's going to be interesting and probably a roller coaster of a ride at times. I hope you come back on Wednesdays to see how things are shaping up for me and who knows, maybe you'll read something here that will help you with your own journey.

So tell me, anyone else set some health related goals for themselves this year? How's it been going for you so far?

Looking Forward in 2013

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year's Eve celebration last night. 

With the start of a new year today, I wanted to take the time to share some goals I setup for myself. Notice I am not calling them New Year's Resolutions. Some people may say it's just semantics, but I think there is a difference between resolutions and goals. For me, resolutions are things that are associated with failure, not achieving or giving up. Goals on the other hand is something very positive to me. I generally have pretty good success when I set goals for myself. I tend to be a very goal oriented person. I enjoy having something before me to work and strive for in my life.

Over the past couple of weeks, I thought long and hard about what goals I wanted to set, most of them came to me during my runs. I didn't want to set any goals that aren't attainable. I wanted them to be very realistic and even if I didn't achieve them 100%, I would still be happy at the end of the year. I wanted goals that were not only health related ones, but also happy/hobby related ones.

Without further ado, here they are:

I am happy with what I developed for myself. All the health related goals work together and I didn't choose any goals that I would dread trying to achieve. Goal #5 is really something that I would like to happen this year, but I would be ok if it didn't. I wanted it on the list because it is something my heart desires, but after I ran the Philly Marathon, I proclaimed to my honey I would only run a 3rd if a couple of health related items happened for me. So we will see about this goal and how my year goes. 

I plan on revisiting these goals here on the blog throughout the year. I want to check-in and share how everything is going. I think it will be an exciting and fun year!

So tell me, does anyone else out there set resolutions or goals for themselves? If so, what are some you'd like to achieve this year? Do you do anything special to keep track of your progress throughout the year?