Hoedown Goals... goals in general

Today is the first day of the Shrinking Jeans Holiday Hoedown, my first challenge since finding this network of ladies (and a few gentlemen). Part of the challenge is weight-loss and fitness related, logging minutes and pounds lost every week, but also setting goals for ourselves that are not fitness related.... And I'm drawing a blank. I don't think its really because I don't have any goals, I do, but they are so vague and broad that it would be tough to pare them down into a 5 week challenge. Just wouldn't make sense. Last semester I took a Sports Psychology class and goal setting was one of our projects, and I feel like going back and focusing on making GOOD goals, specific goals, is exactly what I need right now.

So lets start broad:

• I want to finish my (first) 70.3 triathlon in July (Vineman 70.3 Ironman)
• Prior to the Vineman, I want to complete no less than 3 sprint triathlons and 2 olympic triathlons.
• I want to be ready to start my half-ironman training plan the first week of Jan.
• Before really getting into the more intense portion of my training I'd like to be down to 130lbs, this is mostly because my training hours begin to go well over 11 hours a week I don't want to also be trying to cut calories, it will lead to over training issues (which means by Feb 1st).
• I want to be consistent in my training between now and January.

Now for the next 5 weeks during the challenge - so all to be accomplished by Dec 22.

• I will lose 4lbs.
• I will accomplish 2 long runs of 7-8 miles each.
• I will strength train a minimum of 2x a week
• I will increase my swimming distance to 2800yds a workout
• I will swim a minimum of 2x a week.
• I will run 3-4x a week.
• I will cycle a minimum of 4x during the challenge, at a minimum of 1 hour each time.
• I will stretch everyday.

My next project now, will be to come up with a weekly schedule to fit all this in for the next 5 weeks. I love having something printed up so I can look at it in the morning and know exactly what I need to accomplish. :) Love me some Excel! Or maybe this time I will make a check list broken down by each week... we'll see. I'll get it together in the next day or two.

I guess that wasn't so hard, now I just need to follow through with it. ;)

And as another goal I'd like to set for myself, I will blog about the next 5 weeks, at least once a week, to keep myself honest. I have never consistently blogged in my life, but I think it would be interesting to see what I end up having to say. :)