My 2011 plan

Happy 2011 y'all! I like the promise of a new year. It's as if with the turn of the calendar, the slate is wiped clean, and anything is possible. I've spent the past few days thinking what I'd like to see the new year bring.

Like last year, instead of setting resolutions, I'll outline a plan that to guide my days. It seemed to work really well last year, so here goes:

1. Running: I'm already starting out more positively without the pain of last winter. I'd like to work towards a half-marathon before I turn 35. Right now, I'm thinking of the Mardi Gras half in NO in Feb. 2012. To get there, I want to train and race more regularly. My goal: 8 races this year. I already have my eye on them: Rockets 5k in Jan., Rodeo 10k in Feb. (with the Bayou Classic in March as a backup if needed), Memorial Park 4 mi in Apr., either the Astros 5k or the Contraband Days 5 miler (in Lake Charles) in May, possibly a July 4 and Labor Day race, the 10-miler in Oct. I wanted to do last year, and the traditional Turkey Trot in Nov. I'd like to do most of these in barefoot shoes but will see how that treats me.
2. Staying active: My physician says I should aim for 45 minutes a day to keep the hereditary high blood pressure at bay. I'm fine now, but it will creep up as I get older. Staying active and will help with my thyroid issues too (just realizing now I didn't mention either of these in the 2010 review, and they were big game changers for me!). My goal: 300 minutes/week. I know I didn't hit the 200 weekly every week last year, but I think setting my goal high encouraged me to aim higher some days than I would have. Plus, I'd like to take a hot yoga class most weeks this year, so that will be almost a third of the weekly total if I'm successful. As I start training, long runs will eat a lot of that time too. It should be easy to get the minutes, as long as I commit to making them a priority! I'd also like to lift weights at least once a week as well.
3. Eating: I plan to continue tracking through the new Weight Watchers program most days. I recognize it is OK and healthy to take a day off now and then for special occasions (Christmas etc) where it's just not practical to weigh everything out. I am proud that this holiday season, I really worked well on portion control. It's more important to have tastes of everything and not stuff myself! I also want to eat more fruits and veggies, which the plan promotes. My goal: Achieve a healthy weight (under 150) through eating better, watching portions and staying active. I haven't settled on an exact weight number, knowing that the more fit I become, some of that will result in muscle gain. But under 150 is a healthy BMI for my height. And I'm only a few pounds over that now, so that should be achievable! It would also be nice to get closer to my 10-years-ago weight in time for our anniversary this summer!
4. Professionally: I will take the CFRE this year. My goal: to take the CFRE review course in Feb. and apply for the exam by the last deadline of Aug. 26 to test in fall. I will hit 10 years total of fundraising in Oct. (7 consecutive in Apr.), so it's time to add this to my resume. I may need to spread it out to the end of the year though ... the course and exam are both several hundred $$ each. (See previous note about anniversary: we are planning a second honeymoon and are saving for it!)
5. Personally: I want to read more often. I read a few books this year and really enjoyed it, but I've lost this discipline. My goal: to read a book a month (12 total) this year, and make it a mix of fiction and non-fiction. That will keep me from just reading 12 business or self-improvement books!

So this is my plan, and I'd like to stick to most of it again. What's your game plan for 2011?