Looking ahead...

The cooler nights of the past week, the dew on the grass in the morning, and the sun just peeking gently over the horizon as I rise for work, all have me thinking ahead to fall. I know, I know, summer JUST arrived here in Minnesota, but I can still appreciate the warm days while daydreaming about wearing tights and boots, snuggling up in blankets to sleep, and feeling cozy instead of sweaty in my apartment. :o)

I'm a super goal-oriented person, as I've come to recognize only in recent past. In light of this, I've started setting myself some real health and fitness goals for the upcoming fall. This should help me stay better on track as the days grow cooler and shorter and it becomes more difficult for me to fit my exercise in. Goals, both short-term and long-term, are a huge motivator for me.

As mentioned in my previous post, I had planned to run the upcoming Torchlight 5k. This has been moved to next summer's to-do list, along with the Surly Trail Loppet, due to a few reasons. I'm sad to miss out on a chance to run with a few of my friends that I haven't run with before, but I was frustrated to find that I can no longer get my REI membership discount for the race. In addition, as I was pondering whether to register or not, an invitation to a birthday celebration for a friend on that same evening came my way. This friend is someone whom I've talked with online several times, yet missed connecting with in real life quite a few times. I jumped at this chance.

In place of the Torchlight 5k, I will be running the Challenge Charities America the Beautiful 5k with a few of the people that I ran/walked my first 5k with in May. It is in mid-September and will be a fantastic way to bookend my summer; a walk/run 5k in May, followed by C25k training throughout the summer, followed by my first all-running 5k in September (on the same course, no less). :D

A few other fitness goals that I have set for myself in the coming months are:

• to begin regular strength-training. I have the cardio down pat and my weight is dropping at a fairly steady pace. It's time to work these muscles and become a bit more well-rounded physically (so to speak). I will likely be doing at least one kettlebell workout per week. I'd also like to integrate some training using The New Rules of Lifting for Women that has taken the blog world by storm lately. Quite a few women that I trust are hailing its virtues.
• to FINALLY begin regular yoga practice. I've dabbled in this a bit on my own, but have always been wary that I may not be using proper form, and thus injuring myself in the long run. I did a little digging and found a 6 week beginning yoga class starting in September at a nearby non-profit studio. I've been prescribed yoga on more than one occasion by my incredibly wonderful physician to help me keep my anxiety under control. It took me a long time to work up the nerve to go to a public studio, but the fact that this is a non-profit has me much more comfortable. My friend, Meredith, will be joining me and it will make it all the more fun! I look forward to building my strength, gaining more flexibility, and enjoying a new activity with a friend.
• to sign up for (and USE) a gym membership. I'll likely end up at the YWCA. Again, that non-profit aspect really appeals to me. I don't like the idea of having my health sold to me. I also love the idea that I'll be helping others in the community through my membership. Luckily, my friend Kris is a member of the Y and has invited me to join her as a guest to check out the club. I look forward to doing so sometime in the next couple of weeks. I absolutely need to make sure I have a membership before the summer weather begins to fade.

I'm hoping that I can get a good start on all of these things in the next month, if not sooner. I will be sure to update on my progress as time allows. Please hold me to this! Isn't that what this is all about? Accountability!

On that note, I need to go have an awesome run to make up for Monday's craptastic flop of a run. It's a new day, right?!

Queue the "Pomp & Circumstance"

So I completed the Couch to 5k program a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not sure I can call myself a graduate. I have not run a full 3.1 miles as of yet. BUT, I have been running around a nearby lake quite regularly, which happens to be about 2.94 miles. Close enough? I think so. ;)

My first official running 5k will be the Torchlight 5k later this month. I'll be running along-side several friends and I'm absolutely jazzed! I wanted to run the race when I first heard about it, but knew I wouldn't be quite ready for its originally scheduled date in mid-July. As fate would have it, it was rescheduled for a month later due to excessive heat. YES! It looks like a really fun course along the downtown Minneapolis stretch of the Mississippi; down one side, across the Plymouth Ave bridge, down the other side, and then across the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge to the finish line.

We are so blessed here in Minnesota with many gorgeous places to run. Minneapolis is a city of many lakes, rivers and streams with winding paths along them. We are a city dedicated to fitness, as is illustrated by many national studies, and so there are races to be found somewhere in the metro nearly every weekend of the summer, many weekdays, and even throughout the bitterly cold winter. Crazy? Maybe. Hardcore? You betcha!