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It was last year that I made my first set of 'manifestations' that I looked forward to at the start of 2009. I blogged about my goals in this post. After much dedication and determination I was able to meet every goal months before the end of the year. The secret is to make realistic goals, have a strong game plan, and give yourself enough time to reach all you set out to do. Also, I am not afraid to revise my goals and game plan to align with my life.

I am very much looking forward to 2010. This year brings about much change in my life. For starters I am getting married. I am the luckiest woman in the world to get to marry my best friend - a guy who shares the same goals, outlooks and world views as myself. Dave, my fiance, is a selfless giver and a hard worker. He will make an excellent husband and father. I'm so fortunate for him in my life and to grow young by his side.

Second, I will be moving from from Sarasota to Tampa. I am very sad to leave Sarasota and anxious about moving to a new town where I have to start fresh. I worry about creating my individuality in a place where I know no one but my fiance. I know I am safe there with my best friend by my side. I am hoping one day Dave and I will be able to come back to Sarasota. This town is everything I ever wished for in a city to live in, and both Dave and I love it here. The only problem is the job market, and since Dave works in Tampa it makes more sense to live there.

So 2010 is going to be a great year. Change, even while I try to resist it, is always very refreshing. With out any further ado....

Here are my 2010 goals:

1. Have an amazing first year of marriage
2. Be happy and healthy

2. Make new friends

4. Keep off the weight I lost in the past year
5. Further myself professionally

To achieve my goals, I will:
1. Be patient, a better listener, never go to bed upset, and work at expressing my feelings when they are hard to articulate.
I hope to be the best wife I can be and to do this I need to work on some of my faults. I need to be a better listener, be more patient, and express myself fully so I never go to bed upset.

2. Run a 5k
This will be my third IronGirl Clearwater event on April 10. Even though I have run the 10k the past two years, I'm looking forward to moving more towards sprint running since I feel long distances are too hard on my body. I look forward to starting to train for this race after my wedding on February 6th.
3. Compete in a triathlon
I am hoping to race in the Trek Women's Tri Series at Disney in September; however, the last time I check the date was TBD. I did this race last year, and you can read about the journey here.

4. Work out 5-6 times per week.
This really goes with out being said since I currently work out this often and have consistently for quite some time. I go in phases with my workout routine. Last two years I was into running (one marathon, two half-marathons, 10 mile races, 10ks, etc.). An injury took me off running for what has been nearly 8 months now. I then moved on to swimming to heal my foot of plantar fasciitis. I began working out with a trainer one time a week and starting swimming heavily again. Slowly I began working in spin classes and that is where I have been comfortable for the past few months with pool session in there 1-2X per week.
5. Eat healthy
I'd like to think this goes with out saying as I am a high raw-vegan eater, but there are times I get on peanut butter kicks or dark chocolate covered almonds kick or chocolate soy milk kicks that aren't healthy. I'm going to try to keep those at bay while I tranistion over to living with Dave and adjusting to our joining diets.
6. Join a Professional and/or Social Oganization
I will be joining the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Tampa Chapter. This will allow me to network with local people in my field and gain some professional development through seminars. I also will be joining with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Group in Tampa. Dave and I actually met through one, but now I will just be looking to meet new friends with similar interests where we can share stories about our times abroad. I also will be joining various Vegetarian/Vegan/Raw Food groups in the Tampa area. Both meetup.com and the VegTampaBay, have great groups available. This will allow me to meet new friends that share similar culinary options as I do.
7. Recipe of the Month Club
I'm not really sure what goal this falls under, but I might say "have an amazing first year of marriage." I like to cook, and it brings me great pride when Dave says to the dog, "do you know your mom is a great cook?" Furthermore, I have stacks of recipes from Vegetarian Times, blogs and emails that I need to try but never have time to. I really eat very simply - fresh salads, wraps, homemade soups, smoothies, and fresh fruit make up my diet. So making a "big" meal is reserved for Dave's birthday (he asks for Thai 'pad me' noodles, spring rolls, my amazing butternut squash-garlic-apple soup, and vegan chocolate mousse for dessert) or guests (we normally just grill because it is easier to satisfy meat eaters and me - the lone vegan!)
8. Weekly Weights
I have been working out with Michele Rose from SRQ Athletics, a personal trainer, each week for the past year. I have really seen improvements in my strength and muscle tone. I love our session every week and will sincerely miss her when I move to Tampa. I hope I can find an affordable personal trainer in Tampa or a group of women who I can train with. I want to continue to get buff.
9. Join a Master's Swim Team **
I'm hesitant to put this goal on here as I'm not sure it is something I am willing to achieve in 2010. Joining a Master's Swim Team has been in my head for quite some time. I briefly swam for University of Texas' Masters Swim Team in college, but I couldn't hang with the early workout times. The New Tampa YMCA's Masters Swim Team - Tampa Metro Masters Swimming - practices M-Th from 630-8. I need to see how the move goes and if I can commit to those times with a 20 minute commute on each end. Maybe I will find a team closer to our home or a group of people willing to practice at 6am at the Campo YMCA. *** I think this will be on a Maybe list and I will reassess when I move to Tampa next month.

Swimming World Workouts

Visit the Swimming World Magazine website to get motivated and inspired in the pool. You can enter different search criteria to get a customized swim workout that will keep you busy in the pool for days.
I know it is getting cool in Florida, so either find a heated outdoor pool and brag to your friends in the snowy North that you swam outside or find a nice indoor pool.

My fiance and I are big fans of the YMCA. We both grew up swimming at Y pools. With the holidays around the corner (and our upcoming wedding), we are making sure to spend lots of time hitting the gym to offset the extra holiday feasting.

Happy swimming.

You can run a marathon. I promise!

If you notice in my list of "thing to manifest in 2009" it doesn't say anything about running a marathon; however, I ran 1 marathon and 2 half marathons in 2009.

It all started when I saw an ad in our local health magazine advertising a marathon training group which is run/walk. I had just ran a 10 mile race with a friend - Blessing of the Fleet in Narragansett, RI - in which we did a run/walk method, and I really enjoyed myself. Not only did I finish 10 miles with a smile on my face, but I surpassed any distance I had ever run.

I knew training for a marathon shouldn't be a solo adventure. I would need a training group to stay motivated to finish a 26.2 mile race. So in September 2008, I joined a Jeff Galloway marathon training group which ran from Fleet Feet Sarasota every Saturday morning.

I got so much more out of the experience than crossing the finish line at the Disney Marathon in January 2009, I gained many new friends, two of which I consider very close now, and I gained a new perspective about how to achieve things I never once thought possible.

I even made the local news for the Sarasota Marathon (which I ended up doing the half since I had injured myself. )

I am not one of those people who said "one day I want to run a marathon." In fact, I still can't believe I ran one. But I did. And you can too.

What do you have to lose... besides some lbs? You should look into joining a training group now. Marathon season is around the corner, so start training now so you will be ready for the 2010 marathons from January to May.

live well,
carolyn

Adventures of a First Time Triathlete

I signed up for the Trek Women's Triathlon many, many months ago when I got an email telling about a discount for the first annual event. I tried to convince friends to do it with me. After all it was something I had to do in 2009. I had to cross this sucker off of my 'manifestations' list.

Well, the time has come (and gone now!) and here are the adventures of a first time triathlete.


I knew swimming would be my strong suit. I was a swimmer growing up. A very competitive swimmer to be exact. And I know how to race this event.

Before the triathlon I had dreams I came out first from the water. I didn't come out first (mainly because I was in the 10th heat) but I did kick ass! 10th out of 935 women!!!

Things start to go up hill after the swim...

I mean, come on, could I convince you that I was NOT a first time triathlete? Look at that crooked helmet!

And then there was the run. This was the first time I've run in 6 months due to a foot injury. The tri was a sprint tri so only a 5k. The run felt pretty good, and I am debating whether to start training for a half marathon this weekend or giving my foot more time to heal. Along with completing a triathlon in 2009, I told myself I would heal my foot 100% also.








And a happy first time triathlete... crossed that finished line and crossed completing a triathlon in 2009 off my list.


Maybe you could give competing in a triathlon a try. An all woman's race is a great place to start where you will fell comfortable and supported!

Before we jumped in the water for the swim, Sally Edwards told my heat our mantra, "I am a bad ass." And I am.


Be well,
Carolyn