Goooooooooooals!!

The stress excitement of the holidays have worn off, along with marathon training.  Its time to settle in and take a look at my goals for 2011.

Each year, I want to be able to mark something off my bucket list.  Let's take a look to see what I've got on there.

Physical

Run a marathon 01/09/11

Complete a triathlon 09/29/10

Find that happy weight both my body & mind like

Hike the Appalachian Trail

Okay good.  Got two things done.  The AT ain't happening while I'm working full time, so that's not an option for this year. 
 
Which only leaves finding my happy weight.  I hesitate to put a time limit on that because its not easy to measure.  But surely a year should be plenty of time right? DUE DATE: 12/31/2011. 
The How: Toy with different strategies - see if I can handle intuative eating when I'm not training for a marathon or else calorie count one day a week (ish)  to see if I'm on track.  I'd like to not return to full time calorie counting, but we'll see how the other two options go.

Jay has challenged me to compete in the Mountain Man Memorial March against him.  You'll remember from last year that's its quite the challenging course.  Its more of a hike than a run.   Jay's convinced that he can run a good portion of it and beat me.  I'm convinced that a marathon distance (walking or running) is the only distance that he can't beat me at.  My goal is to whoop my husband's hiney.  DUE DATE: 04/16/2011.

The How: Maintain my current fitness level and add in some weekend hikes.  My experience, training and over all fitness level should give me the edge over my sit-on-the-couch-and-eat-chex-mix hubby. 
 
I'd like to add to that a 5K PR for the year.  I'd like to run a sub-30 minute 5K.  I'm going to rest up from the marathon and give myself a bit of time off.  My 5K training will start up in March and hopefully I'll be able to achieve those two goals at the SMARM 5K in May.  That was my first race ever 2 years ago and I'd like it to also be my fastest.  DUE DATE: 05/07/2011

The How: This training plan should help, although a PR is almost guaranteed since I was broken for most of my races last year.  My Moonshine Run 3.2 mile race time means that sub 30 minutes isn't out of the question, but since that was the flattest East Tennessee course I've ever raced on it will still take some work. 
 

Financial

Paying off the house

Developing a Million dollar + net worth

Help my niece and nephew with college

None of those are going to happen this year, but in order to get there we need to set sub goals.  We're currently paying extra on the house each month, but I'd also like to be able to pay a bigger chunk of twice this year.  DUE DATE: 04/16/2011 (after we've filed and paid our taxes) AND 12/31/2011.

I'd also like to contribute to our Roth IRAs for both 2010 DUE DATE 04/15/2011 AND for 2011 DUE DATE 12/31/2011.

Once we get the remodeling done, taxes paid, and Maui enjoyed, we really need to take a look at our money/budget and buckle down to get these things done.  Right now I feel like I'm spending with reckless abandon.  That's not truly the case, but those 3 items (the first two more so than the vacation) will take up quite a bit of money.  We can't really make a game plan going forward until we know exactly what we're looking at in those areas

The How: Keep doing what we're doing. Living on dramatically less than we make, Jay working his buns off, and me continue to be a savvy shopper/meal planner.  This also includes doing a budget plan at the first of each month, and then following up at the end of the month and reviewing our "actual spent" totals.  When possible I'll update the spreadsheet to reflect the spending for the previous week every Friday.

Spiritual

Read the entire Bible

The How: Finish this plan, that I started in 2009.  I know, I know.  Why is it so much easier to keep my physical and financial goals than my spiritual ones?  At the rate I'm going, I'm on track to finish up in a couple of months.

Other

Read 52 books in a year.

Celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary with my darling husband 

The How (books): I'm already behind for the year, but I need to be very purposeful in my reading.  Putting down the computer and committing to a chapter or two a night would help tremendously.  I read quickly, its just carving the time for it.  (I read 46 last year.)

The How (50th): A lot of variables are out of my control on this one, but I can study/read up on how to be a good wife.  I'm currently in the middle of Marla's book, and hope to find some more good marriage reading this year.  Also, a Love Dare revisit might be in order.

In order to accomplish 50 years of marriage, I need to keep us both alive that long, which would include purchasing only good healthy foods as well as encouraging him to stay active.

Travel

Europe

Alaska

Australia

None of the above are going to happen this year.  Partly because we're going to Maui next month!!!  Hopefully we can hit Alaska in the next year or two. 
The How: I booked the tickets yesterday!!

Am I leaving anything out?  I feel like I should be making more physical goals, but the ones I've got are big hairy deals so I'm not sure I could handle much more.

What are your plans for 2011??Baring something delightfully unforeseen, we won't be making it to any of those places this year.  We are, however, traveling to Maui next month thanks to a buddy of Jay's who lives there.  We'll be mooching off staying with him while we're there.