New Year's Resolutions

I normally do not make New Year's Resolutions.  I don't know why really, I guess maybe I just do not want to set myself up for any kind of failure.  I'm also a pretty lazy person and don't really like to DO things.  In the past my resolutions look more like this:

I could totally dominate this, by the way. (courtesy of http://stream.pleated-jeans.com)

I know the big "resolution" for most people is normally weight loss or fitness inspired.  Well, as much as I would like to shed some pounds, I just do not know how feasible that is as long as Mars keeps producing M&M's....

This year however, I have set a few goals for myself.  While they are all totally feasible, they will also be fairly difficult for me to accomplish.  Normally anything difficult has me running in the opposite direction (and into the loving arms of my bed), so again, that could be why I have never had official resolutions in the past.

So, for 2014 I've decided I'm going to throw a curve ball to myself and change it up. This year I would like to:

1) Read 16 books.  Last year I had a goal on Goodreads.com (it's like Facebook for books) of reading 15 books and I squuueeaakked by and finished my 15th book on December 28th.  This will make reading 16 books pretty difficult for me, but I think it can be done.  I do all of my reading in bed at night, so sometimes it's hard to get this done when fighting work/kids/life-in-general exhaustion.  However, I do fall asleep faster when I read for a bit, so maybe this could also help my sleep life.  Momma has a hard time falling asleep and a hard time waking up.  It's a vicious cycle.

2) Run a minimum of 276 total miles.  To the non-runners out there you are probably all "Whoa, that's crazy!"  To all the runners out there, you are probably all "So you'll go on like what, 5 runs?"  

Any time I run I use the Map My Run app on my phone.  This tracks how far I've gone on each run and will tally up my miles by day, week, and year.  Last year I ran 138 total miles.  I am very proud of those 138 miles.  Coming from a couch-potato like myself this was a huge accomplishment for me in 2013.  I did not set out to run a certain amount of miles/times last year, my goal was just to get up and go.... And honestly, I wussed out on running a lot of times, so if I can keep my motivation up I know I can easily accomplish this.  Maybe this will keep me motivated to get out there.  I did my first two runs this weekend, so my total for 2014 thus far: 4.06.  Only 271.94 to go!

And just to put this goal in perspective, last year Cheyenne ran a total of 1,000 miles! So my 276 goal is weak sauce compared to what he can do, but hey, it's still better than zero.

3) Finish the Derby 1/2 marathon in 2 hours and 45 min.  I will be running my second 1/2 marathon on April 19th.  The Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon is normally the same day as the Country Music Marathon (and I work that event), however, this year it is the weekend before so Cheyenne and I can participate.  We also have some very good friends in Louisville, so we are always looking for a reason to go up there for a weekend.  I finished my first 1/2 marathon last year in 2 hrs 56 min.  Shaving 11 min off my time might be too big of a goal.  In fact, as I type this I'm realizing that I might have set my sights too high on this one.  Maybe I'll re-evaluate this and come back....

So for a 1/2 marathon, 337 M&Ms...

And that's it. 

I know what you are thinking "WOW! 3 whole resolutions! How ever will she do it?"   Well us lazy quitters have to start small in order to get out of our "Very Lazy, Want To Quit" zone. 

Obviously I have the other, generic, same resolutions as everyone else
* Be a better person
* Be a NICER person (This is the hardest one on this list, honestly)
* Have more patience with the kids (no wait, this one's harder) (that's what she said)
* Be a better wife
* Blah, blah, other things about improving myself, blah, snore....

But those are boring and I have nothing insightful to say about those things. 

To those of you with New Year Resolutions/Goals, good luck to you! I would love to hear about them and then I can help encourage you and keep you going.  Even in June, when you'll be all like "Amy, seriously, it's June and I could give two flips about my resolutions." I'll be that annoying friend that you later block on Facebook and your phone because you can't handle my enthusiasm!

Kidding.  I'm totally the "you should buy that!" and "you're right, running DOES suck, you should stop and come sit on this couch with me" friend.....  But I'd still like to hear what you've got.  Then we can complain about our resolutions together, like friends should.