The End of More; the Beginning of Study

The word for 2014 is study.

Last year, my Word of the Year was More.
Specifically:

• More miles
• More family time
• More charitable donations

I am happy that, for the most, I did more.  I ran more miles in 2013 (558.91) than 2012 (427.7).  I put a lot of emphasis on spending family time together, making sure that some fun activities like the Polar Express involved all three of us, even if that took a little more effort/planning to make sure Husband wasn't working or traveling for work.  I don't feel like we made a huge impact on the charities I had planned to focus, but with apps like Charity Miles and some other donations that came up mid-year, I feel like I have made a more positive impact on the world than in past years.

As I turn the calendar to 2014, I am also turning a page in my own life.  This semester, I am officially a Northern Arizona University Lumberjack, working towards my masters in English.

I have hemmed and hawed over my masters for far too long; Husband graduated in 2007, and since then, it's been "my turn" to go back.  Some days I would think that I needed to get my masters in Something Practical (read: not English).  Some days I would think that I needed to study What I Love (read: English).  Finally, the days when I thought the latter far outweighed the former, and the decision was made.  I'll be taking all my classes online, which does restrict my class options a little, but I will be able to take some electives within the education college, which will in turn help me add some practicality to my new degree, which I should earn in December 2015.

As such, while I will continue to run more miles, spend as much time with my husband and daughter as possible, and give back when and where I can, my main focus for 2014 is on myself and my books.  Hopefully the work-life-school balance will be manageable in the first half of the year; I'm counting on HRH's entrance into kindergarten next fall to allow me a greater ability to focus on work during the work day so my school hours can be more tightly focused as well.

I've always loved learning, and I was a good "traditional" student (I still take notes when I'm reading books for fun), but after not having been in a class since 2002, I'm also a little nervous.  I'm not new to online learning (after all, I teach online now), but it will be a new perspective being a student.  That being said, I'm excited at this new chapter in my life, and I can't wait to see what doors it may open to me!

What is your word/motto for 2014?

Reverb 13 · Prompt 11 · Fail

#Reverb13 is a prompt-a-day series for the month of December that is meant to give participants the chance to reflect on the past year and take the opportunity to write down some hopes for the coming year.

Prompt 11: What just didn't work out this year?  Is that OK with you?  Or are you going to try, try again?

Failure is always easier to admit in others than it is in oneself, but without our failures, we wouldn't know our success.  And even if I'm not "OK" with my shortcomings, they are what they are, and I need to use them along with my successes to try to be the best Me possible.

A few Fails of 2013:

I Can't Do Math -- last year, I thought I'd run 700.4 miles in 2012.  Turns out, if I had actually, oh, like checked numbers or something, I'd have realized that in 2012, I actually ran 427.7 miles.  That's a difference of over 270 miles, so it's a really good thing that I'm an English teacher and not trying to prep America's youth to try to add things.
As such, you'd think that my more miles goal would also be a failure, but as of the end of November, I've still run more miles in 2013 than I did in 2012, despite my injuries.
This is probably my best failure this year.

Parenting Means Always Digging Yourself Out of a Hole -- every time I lose my patience, temper, or cool with HRH, I feel like I'm failing as a parent.  Not that I expect every day to be like this:

But when I raise my voice or use sarcasm as a response, I certainly don't feel that I'm living up to my potential as a parent or a role model.  This year, as HRH continues to grow into her full size attitude, I've been working on taking a deep breath and walking away (metaphorically) from the situation in order to resolve the standoff peacefully, with as few tears (from both of us) as possible.
It's a work in progress.

I Doom Socks -- I'm not even sure how it happens, but I go through socks like nobody's business.  Usually it's at the toe, but I discovered a pair this morning that were missing their heels.  Both of them.  Why on earth did I even put them back in the drawer?  Why did I even wash them and not just chuck them, for that matter?

But this isn't an admission of my failure to throw things away.  We'll discuss my hoarding tendencies some other time.  I think some of my friends are bringing a banner.

Yes, I maintain my paws, getting semi-regular pedicures and doing at-home up-keep in between times.  No, I don't let myself get gnarly long nails, because that's just gross.  And while Husband tells me every time he sees that I have yet another hole-y pair that I've got horrible Hobbit feet, I really try to take care of my feet, since without healthy feet, I'm sitting at home instead of out for a run.
But as sock weather is once again upon us, I've realized that almost every single pair of socks I own that are Not For Running Socks could use a good darning at best, or need to be tossed in the trash at worst.  As for For Running Socks, those are on a regular rotation from drawer to trash bin every few months.
I mean, seriously.  I don't even wear socks for most of the year here in Arizona, so how on earth does my purchase of a pair mean a certain death sentence for them mere months later?

OK, OK.  So that last one isn't really a failure failure in the same category of not being able to do simple math or faltering as a mother.  But if I can't make light of my failures, I won't be able to revel in my triumphs.

Reverb 13 · Prompt 1 · At the Start

#Reverb13 is a prompt-a-day series for the month of December that is meant to give participants the chance to reflect on the past year and take the opportunity to write down some hopes for the coming year.

I'm starting late, and I can't promise that I'll post for each one, but I think this will be a good chance to reflect and decompress during what is otherwise a fairly busy and yes, stressful time of year.

At the start: where did you start 2013?  Give some background on this year.

I started 2013 injured, nursing the worst shin splints I had had since I was 18 and stubbornly refusing to give up either jumping or hurdling.  I'd limped through December to meet a running goal that I only recently realized, through some actual math, wasn't accurate, and I was paying for it.  No January trail race.  Barely ready for a March 10K.
But thankfully, in my injury, I was turning over a new leaf, starting a better self maintenance plan, which I began almost immediately after the dawn of 2013, seeing the chiropractor regularly and making myself use the foam roller instead of just stretching it out.

But it was also the start of lofty goals to do and be more.  Run more miles.  Spend more time with my family.  Give more to my favorite charities.
Reality: more is easier in January than any other month of the year.

Workout Wednesday - Back in Training

For a while, I've been toying with the idea of finding a full marathon to complete.  I never thought I'd actually WANT to do one.  But then again, I never thought I'd want to do a 10K, either, so there's that.
But with the 15-year marker of my dad's passing coming up in 2014, I kind of wanted to honor him in a way that I hadn't before, and I thought that running a marathon, by which I could also raise money for the Colon Cancer Alliance in my efforts to eradicate this cancer that took my dad from me, would be a perfect gesture.
There are just two things wrong with my plan.
The first one is that I don't really like the idea of marking how long it's been since he died.  I began running to honor the memory of his wonderful, albeit too short, life, so it would be almost hypocritical of me to make the jump to the full marathon in memory of when that beautiful life ceased.  And even my dad both joined this world and left it during the same month - October - I think that I'd be better off focusing my efforts elsewhere.  I'm thinking about something in 2017, which would mark his 70th birthday, instead.
The second issue is that I'm starting my masters, and I don't want to commit to any marathon until I'm done with that.  Being a full time parent, wife, teacher, and student will take up enough of my time, I'm sure.
But I haven't had anything on my calendar since Pat's Run in April except the CCA's Undy 5000, which is always on my schedule, and I wanted to push myself further again.  I've already decided to do the Lost Dutchman half marathon in February, even though my masters start date is (hopefully) January.  But that left my fall literally empty.
When I was looking for a 26.2 for next year, I was steered to the Peoria Halloween Marathon, which takes place the weekend right before Halloween.  It's really the only full marathon I was able to find in Arizona in the month of October, so it would have been perfect for my original plan.  But it also works extremely well THIS year for a half marathon, so I'm signing up for it, and training has begun.
I loved using the Marathoning for Mortals book (by John "The Penguin Bingham and Jenny Hadfield) for my first half marathon.   It made the distance completely obtainable, mentally, and I felt extremely well prepared to run the distance on the morning of the race.  But this time, I've opted to use Hal Higdon's Novice 2 plan.  This one was created for the runner who has run a race (or two, maybe) but isn't quite ready to make the jump to the super serious training expected in his Intermediate plan.  Basically, it's perfect for me.  I'd like to do better than my first time, but I also just want to finish and have fun while I train, too.
Of course, being able to follow a calendar is a skill that, apparently, is completely beyond my comprehension.  I thought, ALL of last week, that I was ready to start training this week with Week 1.
Then, all of a sudden, I looked at the calendar and realized I was thinking a week behind.  Technically, I should have started the week of the 4th.
Last week.  Not this week.
So, oops.
I jumped in to the plan on Saturday, running the 4 miles that were on the calendar, and it was fine.  Even though I took a week off running, those miles felt really great.  Since it's still ridiculously hot, I ran two miles with Zooey, and then dropped her off at home before doing two more.  I'll likely be doing something of that nature until it either cools down or forever, depending on her energy levels (I hate to admit that she's almost middle aged).  I was crazy tired that night, but I felt better Sunday, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plan, which has me running three days in a row during the week, will be on my legs and body.
Even with these two races added in, I'm pretty sure I won't meet my mileage goal for this year, but I'm OK with that.  Considering that the first four months of this year, which are prime running weather months here in Arizona, I was sidelined by plenty of injury and illness, I'm going to plan on calling 2013 a win in the mileage column anyway.
I'm really looking forward to hitting longer runs soon, even if I have to leave Zooey at home for them (she didn't like being left home, by the way - she was barking at me as I left as if to say, "Hey! You forgot me!"), and now that I know what I'm capable of for the half marathon, I'm excited at the prospect of working on my pacing, etc., so help me become a better runner.  Hopefully I'll see everything come to fruition at the finish line.

Even God Rested

After shin splits, tendinitis, and strep throat this year, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to beat my mileage from last year.  Even my attempt at a month-long run streak was cut short (Thanks, tonsils.  Jerks).
In an attempt to make sure I don't fail my body (and vice versa), I'm trying a little something new this month.  I'm calling it the "Even God Rested" plan.  If all goes well, I'll be running 2-4 miles Monday through Saturday.  Sundays will be reserved for sleeping in and resting.
Note to self: spending all day cleaning and de-cluttering a bedroom does not count as "rest."  Plan for a nap in that case.
Before I decide on my miles/route for the day, I have to take into consideration the following:

• how much sleep I got that night
• quality of said sleep
• temperature outside

If I didn't sleep well or much, or if the temps are too hot, I'll stick to the shorter quantity.  If I slept well and the temperatures are tolerable, Zooey and I will trek out for a bit longer.  I'm hoping to keep my weekly mileage between 15 and 20 miles.
In some ways, that doesn't seem like very many miles.  I see people on Twitter who post that mileage on practically a daily basis, and here I am hoping for that much in a week.  But at the same time, it's hot, I refuse to put my dog in danger, and I'm not training for anything at the moment, so my miles are to keep me in shape (especially after that milkshake I just had - shhhhhh!) so that when I do start training again, I'm not starting from scratch.  Heaven knows I don't want to get hurt again this year.
Of course, I don't want Zooey to get hurt or sick, either.  In order to make sure that we avoid heatstroke for her, I take quite a few precautions.  Naturally, the shorter miles are a part of it.  If it's really hot, I hose her down before we leave, making sure to get her chest.  We take frequent water breaks (two of my four water bottles are reserved for her until I can find her doggie backpack again, at which time she'll carry her own water), during which time I try to check her tongue and nose (if her gums and mouth are red, or if her nose is hot and dry, she's getting heat exhaustion) .  We run more slowly than we do during the cooler seasons.  When we get home, I take a cloth that I've wet and left in the fridge while we were gone and apply it to her chest and belly while she lays down under a fan (I have a cloth for myself, too).  Once she's cooled a bit this way, I offer her an ice cube or two, which she generally takes.
When we do head out for 4 miles, I will even let her splash in the canal for a minute.  This is not something I will do on a regular basis, as who knows what sorts of disgusting things live in those canals, especially around all the duck poop.  But if it cools Zooey's paws off a little bit, I'm willing to let her get in for a minute before we shove off again.
My mileage for June was 52.5 miles.  I'm hoping to get over 60 this month.  Hopefully resting more will end up adding more miles to my tally.

What's your running/resting schedule?  Have you found that resting more helped you physically (or mentally)?

Streaker

If you've been a regular reader to his little hobby I call a blog, you'll know that I don't run without Zooey, my intrepid coonhound.  She is my constant companion on the roads and trails, and I hate having to leave her at home when I take off for a race without her.
But her being by my side means that when it gets hot, she gets hot.  And it's gotten hot.  We've already had multiple 100°-plus days, and some of those days have topped out at 110°.
Ick.
Yes, it's a dry heat.  You wanna know what else is a dry heat?  The inside of an oven, and no one decides to vacation there.
Annnnnnnnyway, in order to make sure that I can keep up the miles over the summer but also ensure Zooey's continued good health, I decided to start streaking.
No, I'm not running nekked - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (aka "the girls") would be all over the place, probably giving me two black eyes, if they didn't have support.  Plus we live down the street from the police station, so I'd probably have quite a bit of 'splainin' to do before I hit the first crosswalk (that would be quite the phone call home, hey?).  I'm just running every day - or nearly every day.  Think of it as a winning streak you can't lose.
Of course, I've decreased the miles on each run in order to make sure that I don't overdo it and end up with shin splints or tendinitis again.  I've been pretty careful, have added some new stretches, and just replaced my worn out shoes with my last two new pairs of my beloved Saucony ProGrid Guide 5s.  Aren't they purty????

I hope I love the Guide 6s as much as I love the 5s.

Some mornings are great.  I feel like I could run farther, even with the heat already starting to bear down at 5:00; we leave the house between 4:30 and 4:45, depending on how fast I get moving after my 4:15 and 4:15:01 alarms (the second one is Zooey making sure I'm up).  Some mornings, like yesterday, SUCK.  Zooey was restless until Husband got home, and he was at an event somewhat late, so she woke me up and then kept me awake with her pacing, whining, and having to go out to do absolutely nothing - twice - until he pulled into the driveway.  Holden decided he was going to sleep on my pillow, and while I normally love his purring, his subsequent decision to give himself a leisurely bath was, um... irritating.  HRH then got into the game by coming in around 2:30 needing a snuggle.  Normally I would love that, but I was already feeling so tired that I was dreading that alarm.
But I didn't turn it off, as sorely tempted as I was.  I got up, sucked it up, tied my laces up, and got out there.  Three miles later, I was ready to go back to bed, but I was glad I went.  Just like I always am.
The benefit of running every day is that I can be up, get my run in, and then have some quiet time to myself before everyone is up.  Or I can go back to bed for a nap, also before everyone is up.  The latter is generally my favorite this week.  But it's also allowed me to make time for some quick weight and resistance workouts for my legs and arms as well as ensure that I am continuing with my quest to do 100 pushups.  I kept on saying that I'd do yoga or other cross training on my rest days, but I found myself sleeping in instead; it seems so much easier for me to get up when I have to run (I only set my alarm on run days because Zooey has identified the alarm with "we're going running," and I don't want to have her howling at me to get her leash when I'm trying to do a set of skull crushers).  Now, I'm already up, so I have no excuse not to get that strength training in.
Thus far this month, I've skipped two days when Husband was out of town.  I suppose I could have run  when HRH was at school, but Zooey would have had to stay back, and once she realizes I'm putting on running gear, she works herself into a stage of excitement that Cesar Millan would probably tell me isn't healthy for her.  And we could perhaps have taken a quick mile around the neighborhood in the evening, but it stays hot well into the evening, and I didn't want to risk Zooey's paw pads getting burned on the asphalt.  And to be honest, it was only a week into the streak, and my body was grateful for the rest.  But by the time Husband got home and the weekend rolled around, I was anxious to hit the road again.
Yet another bonus - if I did my math correctly (always questionable), I should actually up my mileage from last month.  So if I can keep it up and bump up the daily miles just a little, I can make some good inroads in my goal to hit more miles this year than last, even with the injury breaks I had in the first quarter.  But let's not hold our breath.
For now, I'm hoping to be able to continue my streak until the end of the month, when Husband and I will be headed up north for a few days to celebrate our anniversary (we plan to do some hiking while we're up there, so maybe I'll count that).  After that, we'll have to see.

Less is So Much More

My foot has been feeling better, so I decided to give cabin fever the finger and try a few miles out and back on Wednesday.  To my relief, the two miles were completely pain-free.  I'm hoping to be really back in the swing of things by Pat's Run in a few weeks.  If the doctor says I'm good to go on Monday, I'll be adding the trails back in to the mix next weekend.
I signed the entire family up for Pat's Run this year.  The Husband ran it with me last year (and to my dismay, ran it faster than I did with little to no training), but HRH went to the zoo with my mother-in-law.  This time, she's signed up for the kids' .42 mile run.  We're currently debating who's going to run the 4.2 miler and who will stay back with her.  I'd insist on being the one to run the longer distance (I was the one who signed us up, after all), but my foot is definitely a part of the conversation right now.
HRH is excited, to say the least, at the idea of going to a race with Mommy.  Even though she knows I come back from runs smelling like a goat a wilted rose, she wants to get out there with me.
So, the other night, we put on our gear, slipped the Halti on Zooey, and headed out for a run around the neighborhood.

It might not have been easy running with a 4YO
and an excited coonhound, but it was worth it!

At first, I figured we'd just run a loop - down to the last street in the neighborhood, around and back, but HRH wanted to keep going, so we made our way back by zig-zagging up the streets, saying hello to anyone passing by and taking frequent water breaks in order to stay properly hydrated.

In the end, we ran 1.12 miles, and by we, I mean just that - we both did.  HRH never stopped to walk or asked to go home before we actually got home.  And she had that big grin on her face the entire time.  I can't deny that I had a big, proud mama grin myself; this was the best, most fun, happiest mile I've ever run.

Until she went to bed, HRH kept commenting on our run: "That was totally fun, Mommy!" and "I liked going on a run with you!"  And five minutes after I put her to bed, she was out like a light.

And the next day, she asked if we could go again.

I'm not planning on taking HRH for a seven-mile trail run any time soon, but I certainly am going to start adding in more of these evening, 14-minute-mile jaunts through our neighborhood and perhaps at the park down the street.

Watch out, Boston 2030 - there's a qualifier coming your way!

Disappointed

Paroneal tendinitis is the medical term for "my arch really f***ing hurts whenever I take a step!"
It sucks, and after almost a week of not being able to run, I'm getting grouchy about it.
In my more compassionate moments, I smack Angry Allison and remind her that in this last week, while I was kvetching about having to wear a brace, one woman I know lost her beloved dog (a beautiful coonhound) suddenly, and two people in my local colon cancer community lost their battle with that horrible disease.  So a lame foot for (hopefully) a few weeks really is nothing, so STFU, right?
But still, I'm disappointed.
I'm disappointed that I can't take some time out of the house (more important of late, since I work from home and spend way too much time here, honestly) just for myself.
I'm disappointed that I just got my shins healthy and then met this.
I'm disappointed that I had to defer my registration for my first trail race, which was scheduled for this weekend.
I'm disappointed that this is another way that my plan to achieve more miles this year is getting sidelined.
I'm disappointed that even though I started running to help others, I can't seem to help myself heal.
I'm just disappointed.

I have my fingers crossed that rest and a super sexy food brace will be all I need, and in lieu of running the trail race this weekend, I have signed up to be a volunteer.
I have a follow-up appointment in ten days, and if I don't go stark raving mad between now and then, I'll see you on the road and the trails very soon.

Intervals

Hi, I'm Allison, and I'm addicted to trail running.

I started running the trails, as opposed to simply hiking, last fall, and I was immediately smitten.  The euphoria that getting in a workout on the trails is difficult to articulate; it's certainly not easier than my weekday runs along the canal, and there is always the threat of coming across various Arizona wildlife (though rattlesnakes are a more realistic hazard, last weekend I managed to terrify myself imagining being trailed by a mountain lion - I had some badass splits for that time frame).  But it's something that I absolutely cannot get enough of.  I even asked my husband for an annual pass for my birthday so that I can go to any of the Maricopa County parks to get my fix.
Last weekend, our trail at San Tan took us along about a half mile of a very loose, very sandy wash.  Zooey was enthralled with the smells of all the critters that had recently used the wash as a highway, and by the time we got back to an ankle-friendly footing, her nose was absolutely covered in sand.  She might have been ecstatic, but that loose sand were hell on my legs; my calves were on fire, and I had to stop and stretch or walk them out a few times, grumbling about my stupid choice of trail.
Then we reached the top of a hill.

If I hadn't already been out of breath (it was a steep climb, OK?), the view would have taken it away.  This picture just cannot do it justice.  As much as the triple-digit temperatures and the scorpions make me wish that we'd relocate to a more moderate climate, I cannot deny that the Sonoran desert is a strikingly beautiful place.

Go home, cactus; you're drunk.

When I don't look up, my view looks more like this:

There's really nothing cuter than a coonhound rump, but I especially like to bring up the rear in this instance because Zooey just knows the best footing, so I'm happy to follow in her stead if it means that I have a better chance of not tumbling down a rocky cliff.  Her enthusiasm on each incline is pretty darn contagious, too.  She keeps me going when I think I might not be able to crest one more hill or head down into one more wash.  She helps me be the tortoise to the hare of fear.

When I'm on the canal, I like to listen to a playlist set to random.  But when I'm on the trails, I keep things quiet.  Part of that is to make sure that I hear any sounds of impending danger - rattles, growls, mountain bike chains - but it's also so that I can fully take in the sights of the trails.  I have less of a chance to get lost in the music and can instead get lost in my steps, my breathing, and the rhythm of my body working with the earth.  It's grounding.  It's humbling.  And it's addictive.

Photo courtesy Saucony

More Ice, Please

My shins hurt.
I've been resting since a lame two-mile run on Wednesday, during which my anterior tibialis (outer shin) muscles, had they been people, would have been screaming bloody murder and on fire.
Ouch.
So, I've been resting my body, doing lots (and lots) of foam rolling, stretching, and icing.  I'm also working on tracking down a chiropractor as well as a new family doctor (seeing as mine retired last year).  I had thought I found one chiro, but they are "out of network" for my insurance plan, and their use of thew word excellent to describe their cash rates had me wondering if the woman with whom I spoke knew what the word actually means.
Of course, this isn't really the "more" I'd been hoping for in 2013, but if I do want to run more miles this year, I have to be cognizant of my body's aches, pains, and twinges and to be take care of myself so that I can log those miles.  I took plenty of time off in 2012, so a week right now won't derail that plan, and I am optimistic that all I needed was a little rest.
The good news is that since I've been spending a little more time sitting, legs elevated and immobilized by the free Similac ice packs we got at the hospital when HRH was born (they offered us formula, too, but we only took what we figured would be useful), I've been able to find some races that I want to run - including, possibly, my first trail race - and some events that I think would be great family outings for us.  I even bought a planner that I've color-coded to make sure that proper planning can be done in order that I do get more out of this year.
At the end of this week, hopefully my legs will be rejuvinated, and I'll have started plotting out some specific training in that planner in order that my goal continues to be attainable.
Also, one of the family events I have is doing an animal feeding at the zoo, so I need my legs to be in top shape in case the elephants decide to charge.

More

More is officially my Word of 2013.

Not in the traditional American "earn more, get more, buy more, have more" mindset.  But sometimes, more is better.

I'll be using more in terms of sentence formulas in order to achieve a few SMART goals I have set for myself.  This brings together my love of diagramming sentences (yes, really) with the ever-popular concept of improvement.
SMART goals are appropriate for any time, and they are highly beneficial in the professional world.  I used to have students, as a part of their individualized learning plans, create SMART goals so that they would have a plan of attack from freshman year through senior year.  Even if their larger objectives (college of choice, major, job, etc.) changed in those four years, they could take steps to graduate successfully.
In the interest of attempting to complete Twelve for 12, I couldn't put these into effect until today.  Yes, it's kind of like a new year's resolution.  But look at it this way, too: today's Tuesday, and it's time to start SMART.  Now.

Goal #1

[verb] + more + [noun]  --  run more miles

I ran 700.4 miles in 2012.  To put it simply, I want to run more miles than that this year.

SMART Criteria
Specific: Mileage must be > 700.4
Measurable: This one's easy - I'll measure it by miles logged, using my favorite iPhone apps.
Attainable: - Hell yeah - if I could increase my miles by over 50% in 2012 from 2011, of course I can do even 10% more this year!  I need to obtain a calendar to plan out my training and events for the year - it's easier when I can see it.
Relevant: Running is what I can do for my health without a gym or trainer and within my schedule of working and being a mom.
Time Frame: My firm deadline is December 31, 2012.

Goal #2

[verb] + more + [noun] + [adjective phrase]  --  spend more time with family

This is kind of intangible, which generally isn't the best type of goal to set.  However, with The Husband's work schedule being what it is, this is something that we need to do.

SMART Criteria

Specific: Time spent should be away from the TV but can include activities at home or away from home.  While some occasions can and should include other family members and friends, several should also just be the three of us.

Measurable: How much? Minimum one weekend day a month of "fun things."  

Attainable: - This will require communication and planning so that time can be spent joyfully.

Relevant: Even more than running, this is incredibly worthwhile.  It's not about the things we buy HRH; it's about the experiences we build.

Time Frame: The soft deadline is December 31, 2012, but by then it should be a habit and ongoing.

Goal #3

[verb] + more + [adverb phrase]  --  participate more in my favorite charities

There are several charitable organizations that are dear to my heart, and even more that are wonderful groups intent on making our world a better place for all of us.  The important thing to remember, though, is that even if I choose ONE charity to focus on, I am helping move the energy of our world in that positive direction.

SMART Criteria

Specific: There will be 4 groups to get my main attentions this year (of course, "things" come up, so I don't want to limit possibilities): 

• United Blood Services - I'll continue donating blood this year, and I hope I can convince some of you to do so, too.
• Colon Cancer Alliance - I'll fundraise for the Undy 5000 as well as with other events.
• Arizona animal rescues - whether it's coonhounds, orange cats, or other critters, animals are part of our world, and they should not suffer at the hands of humans.
• Heifer International - Improving life in the United States is important, but the world is smaller now, and staying within national boundaries are really ridiculous when it comes to doing good works.

Measurable: Each group will require some measurement:

• United Blood Services - I need to donate a minimum of twice.
• Colon Cancer Alliance - Last year I raised $550; this year I want to sent at least $750.
• Arizona animal rescues - When I took Frye Guy, the little stray kitty who had been living in our backyard, to the Humane Society, I was beside myself.  I took him there because all the other rescues I contacted were all full.  Donations to AHS and the AZBARC, as well as advocacy for adopting pets from shelters and rescues, are a part of this.  I want to give the equivalent of a full sponsorship, $300.
• Heifer International - rather than purchasing gifts for some friends and family, donations will be made in their name for this group's various projects.

Attainable: - This will require proper budgeting, and I'll need to rotate my focus throughout the year so that I'm not spread thin financially or time-wise.

Relevant: In the same way I want my daughter to know that Cinderella is "better" than her step-sisters because of her kindness rather than because of her beauty, I have a duty to share with her the responsibility of being a member of our community (local and global).

Time Frame: The soft deadline is December 31, 2012, but, like my previous goal, by then it should be a habit and ongoing.

Of course, in order to achieve these three goals, I'll have to do without buying and having more.  But in all reality, I don't need more stuff.  It's just stuff.  I can't take that stuff with me, but I can leave an imprint on the world when I give a little more instead of have more. 

How do you plan to achieve goals for the day, the year, or the decade?

What goals have you before yourself today?