We are in the first week of December! I’m really excited to share my December running goals!
I’m glad to say that November went really well when it came to my fitness goals. I was pretty busy but did my best to stay active and continue to enjoy my running off-season. How did you do with your running, fitness, or nutrition goals? And what are you looking forward to in December?
I’m linking up with Marcia, Patty, and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run, Susie, Debbie, Lora, and Rachel for the Running Coaches Corner and Annmarie, Nicole, and Jen for Wild Workout Wednesday!
[bctt tweet=”What are your running goals for December? #runchat #bibchat” username=”Janelle_RWNR”]
November Running Goal Recap
November was an extremely busy month, and extremely stressful, so I’m thankful that it is in the rear-view mirror. Since my half marathon in mid-October, I have been in my runnnig off-season and it’s been going pretty well! I ended up running only about 43 miles in the month of November, but like I said, I kept busy just about every day! Here’s a look back at my goals for last month:
- Run 2-3 days a week: Grade: B-. I had 2 weeks with 3 runs, 2 weeks with 2 runs, and one week with no runs…so I’m okay with it. I also raced the Rothman 8K and had a really fun time, though it was the first distance this year where I didn’t PR. I can’t help but be a little bit competitive with myself!
- Barre/yoga classes 3 days a week: Grade: B+. Between barre and yoga, I had 2 weeks with 3 classes and 3 weeks with 2 classes in November. Honestly, I didn’t get to take as many yoga classes as I wanted to because of those pesky work meetings, but I made the most of what I could do. I have really LOVED being a regular at the barre studio! They have such a great community at Y2B Fit and I’m so glad to be a member. I highly recommend it if you’re in the Philly area!
- Explore a new running trail or group: Grade: A-. I didn’t run with a new running club, but I did go for my first run in the Valley Forge State Park on a breezy Sunday morning. The trails were absolutely beautiful and we covered a lot of ground in 5 miles. It was just what I needed!
December Running Goals
- Get 7 hours of sleep each night: Ever since Daylight Savings kicked in, I have had horrible sleep. Seriously. I don’t know why it’s affecting me so much this year, but I’ve been falling asleep too early and waking up in the middle of the night…every single night. So I’m really going to take this goal seriously. I need to be in bed at 10 pm to get up at 5 am…and I can pivot from there. I’ve had so many nights where I fell asleep at 8:30 or 9:30…ugh. Hopefully I can break the vicious cycle ASAP.
- Walk at work 2 days a week: Even though it’s (finally) getting colder, I need to spend more time out in the fresh air. This year I didn’t participate in the Fall Walking Challenge at work, so I didn’t have those nice 30-minute walks before lunch. Since work can be a pain, I’ll need walking to be my outlet and opportunity to clear my head. I’ll start with 2 days a week and go from there.
- Foam roll after every run: A couple of months ago I had a goal to foam roll every day – I totally failed that goal. Now that I’m getting back to building a base for spring race training, I need to get back to the good habits. Coach Laura always has Foam Rolling as part of my post-run routine, but I runfess that I don’t always do it. After running on Monday for the first time in a week, my hamstings and IT band were not happy with me….it’s time to get back to work and finally make it a habit!
How did you do with your running goals in November? What goals are you working towards this December?
Those are great goals! Nothing too lofty; they’re totally doable.
We stopped in Valley Forge on our way back from Annapolis a few years back. It was beautiful & I totally wish I ran there!
Yes I definitely think these goals are achievable…though sleep has still been a struggle. Valley Forge is so nice! I need to get back there soon.
We need to branch out and find some new places to run. I get lazy about routes. Looks like a great month for you
Thanks, Deborah! I know I’ll need to switch things up…even in my neighborhood I’ve realized that there are so many more routes I could do to mix it up.
Great job on your November goals!
Although i didn’t write it down as a goal, I’m also trying to see if I can break free from the office during lunch. I normally eat all my meals at my desk while working or on conference call and it’s horrible – i feel so sluggish! Some fresh air would be great!
Thanks, Kim! I eat my lunch at my desk too. I’m hoping the fresh air will help clear my head and add some exercise while I’m at it.
I’ve been bad, very bad, about foam rolling. And stretching. I’m starting to feel the effects of that. Recovery is a goal of mine for this month.
Recovery for the win! I hate feeling so tight and while The Stick helps, I need to stop taking shortcuts.
ah! I should have added “foam rolling more” to my goals. Good call.
Seems to always be a given!
I definitely go to bed earlier on standard time. It’s hard to stay up with it’s been dark for 4 hours.
Yes, the dark nights have been really throwing me off, the sun sets at like 4:30 when I’m leaving work!
These sound like great goals for December! It can be so tough to get on a good sleep schedule. I find that if I go to bed at the same time every night, its so much easier to sleep well and get up at the same time in the mornings.
Daylight savings ending has really thrown me off…I’ve still been waking up an hour too early! Hopefully I can break the cycle ASAP.
Ugh, the dreaded IT band!!! It’s such a cranky body part!
This year is the first that I really noticed tightness in that area, so I definitely want to avoid any issues!
Foam rolling is such a tough “goal” to stick with…for me, at least. I do it more than ever before, but I know I’m still not doing it enough. Good luck!
Thanks, Kimberly! I bought a new roller that is so firm and great but I need to actually let it do its job!
I’ve been struggling to get out the door and walk a few times a week too! The weather has been great for a quick walk break I just have not made it a priority. Let’s do it today! You had some great races so you earned a break in mileage 🙂
Great job with the November goals!!! I definitely need to work on getting more sleep too!
After getting a PR on a marathon and starting my running streak on Thanksgiving in November my running has been pretty good. But I couldn’t tell you the last time I foamed rolled. That should be a goal for myself as well for December.
Great job with November and great goals for December! I was doing a good job at walking during my lunch break at work during the Summer and Fall but haven’t figured out how to get back on with that in the Winter.
You and I are in sync with the sleep goal 🙂 Hope we both get enough rest this month! Happy December!