31 December 2015

I'm not much of a resolution-type person; absolutes set me up for failure, and a year from now I don't want to sit here beating myself up because I had this list written down, and a bunch of the things on it are unchecked. However, I do like to make some generalized plans, goals for the the year, and I like the idea of the new year being a new slate to write on.

2015 was the year I wanted to focus on getting my krap together--eat better, move more, get control of some of the physical things that vex me--and I pretty much did what I set out to do. I paid better attention to the things I was eating, and while I ended the year with a tasty 2 week food fest, for the most part I got a good handle on it. I hit the gym and re-discovered a fondness for swimming, working up to a fairly easy 1.5-2 miles at a time. I worked with my doc to pin down my blood sugar issues, and the things she suggested are working, for the most part. I still have the odd moments here and there when it crashes, but I can now at least get through a workout with a lot of worrying.

I didn't participate in any charity walks; part of the getting-my-krap-together thing was taking a break from those. I wanted to focus on a more rounded approach to fitness, and just walking wasn't going to do it.

Onward and upward

But 2016...I will walk again. Better yet, the Spouse Thingy is going to walk with me. We're registered to walk in the San Diego 3 Day for next November. The rest of the Pink Slips are going to Atlanta and crewing there, and a big part of me wants to go, too, but I won't know what my doc thinks about me flying until May, and by then the crew slots will be gone.

Plus...I am totally digging the idea of the Spouse Thingy walking with DKM and me. He's crewed before (and if he can't get in the training time, he may wind up crewing after all...but I think we'll get it done) but this would be his first walk, and maybe he'll get an idea of why it matters so much to me.

That will probably be the capstone for 2016, which I'm starting to think of as the Year of Doing. Other plans:

♦ Hot Chocolate 15K on January 10th, the previously mentioned race that I am in no way ready for. I'm still determined to have fun with it, finish or not. I have only two hopes for it: to have fun and to not die.

Might want to get rid of this mop, eh?

♦ The St. Baldrick's Shave-a-thon to raise money for kids' cancer is in February, and I'm registered for that. I've been seriously flip-flopping over doing it again; while I enjoy dyeing my hair odd colors and rocking the faux-hawk every now and then, I truly do not enjoy the shaved-head look for myself. And right now my hair is the longest it's been in 2 years (which isn't long, really) and part of me wants to have normal hair for a while...but. I can't do much for kids who have cancer, but I can do this.

♦ Donna virtual marathon for breast cancer; I'm registering at the beginning of the year and just have to get it done before March 31st.

♦ The Pixie Dust Challenge at Disneyland in May. Two races back to back, a 10K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. I'm not worried about the distance, just meeting the pace. It's a required 16 minute mile pace, which is slow for most people, but pretty freaking speedy for me. I'd worry if it was in February or March, but being May I think I'll have it down by then.

♦ The Avon Walk in San Francisco late July. I know I haven't actually walked in the 3 I registered for, but this is the year. I registered already, and am determined to be healthy enough to do it this time around.

♦ Yosemite Half Marathon in October. This should be a good warmup for the 3 Day.

Let's not do this again...

♦ And then there's the 3 Day in November. That should be a good way to end the Year of Doing. After that we spring into the holidays and take the time to enjoy just Being.

So no real resolutions, but lots of plans and things to look forward to. Less of working on me and more of doing things that this year's working on me has allowed.

Now, I would like to lose about 50 more pounds in 2016, but I'm not resolving to do it. If I keep eating well and working, the weight will take care of itself, or not.

As my doc told me this year: you are not a number of the scale; keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be fine.

And I will be.

I am.