"A goal without a plan is just a wish" - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I am horrible at goal setting.

Okay, let me rephrase that- I'm really great at setting goals. Actually coming up with a plan to achieve my goals, not so much. I'm typically one to just let things happen as they do, planning just enough to get by.I mean, it took me 3 years to actually set forth towards my goal of running a half marathon.


Here are the few goals that I have for myself during my training. Not all of these are half marathon training related, but I think are good to piggy back off of:

• Finish the race in less than 2:05
• I'm nervous about this one because I never know how training will go, but this was my friend's finish time and I would love to give him so much shit when I beat it
• Eat healthier
• I want my diet to reflect my training and eat things that will help fuel my running. I want to make more conscious decisions about food.
• Cut out alcohol
• This one is going to be a hard one, I know, but I think I can do it. I've never had a problem with alcohol, but I'm usually the first to suggest going and getting drinks. Cutting out alcohol will help control my budget, remind me to drink more water and hopefully bring my tolerance down :)
• I am allowing myself to cheat on this one for my birthday and two weddings that I'll be attending during my training. I think that's fair.
• Don't skip a single training run 
• Only reason would be true injury or sickness.
• Fit back into my jeans from last year
• If I follow all of the above steps, I think this will happen
• Make more selfish decisions
• I want to do more things for myself and that make me happy.
• Make Ryan Kerrigan fall in love with me 
• #lifegoals

I somewhat have concrete plans for most of these goals and others... well, we'll have to see. I joined the Half Marathon Training Team, which I'll talk about in a later post. That will help me achieve most of these goals. What are some goals that you have set for yourself and how did you go about achieving them? I would love to hear your stories!

Keep on running!

Am I really only half crazy?

This has been 4 years in the making. Not the blog, but the fact that I'll be running my first half marathon. I've done numerous 5Ks, 8Ks, and 10Ks over the past few years, but this... this is insane. I've decided to write about my experiences in order to help gauge my own thoughts and feelings through the training process.

May 2012

I've been a spectator for the Richmond Marathon/Half-Marathon for four years in a row now. Every year, I'd watch and say "Melissa, you're going to do this next year." The next year rolls around and there I am on the sidelines again, watching the runners go by, while I sip on my mimosa. (hmmm... there's still time to back out...)

My fitness journey is a bit of a weird one. Growing up, I swam and dabbled in some out-of-the-norm sports such as horseback riding and ice skating, but I was never on your typical sports team. I always thought of myself as somewhat athletic, but nothing crazy. I played intramural volleyball and floor hockey in college, but I never just worked out. I especially never just went on a run. I always thought that I was just in shape enough that it was fine.

April 2015

In March 2013, I began running for exercise. I was challenged by a friend to do a 5K and figured, why not? Over the course of the next 2 years, I began running regularly. There would be days that I would come home from a long day at work and rather than grab a beer to decompress, I would go on a 3 mile run. It became my stress reliever and I genuinely enjoyed it. I also enjoyed seeing the results that came along with it. Each time my feet hit the pavement, my pace was getting faster and faster. I also ended up losing about 30 pounds, which felt amazing! I started CrossFit (yes, I hear your groans) and stopped running as much.

June 2016

Lucky for me, last year after spectating the Half Marathon in November (with a mimosa in hand), I got home and immediately signed up for the 2016 Richmond Half. I had so much motivation back then...

I thought that I had reached the peak of my fitness and could back off a bit from any activity. Oh and back off, I did. Fast forward a year later and I am back to dreading running and have gained back 25 lbs that I had lost. I am at the point now where I need to start seriously thinking about training. I run every now and then, but I am nowhere close to where I was or where I feel that I need to be, endurance-wise.


This blog is not intended to be about weight-loss or provide fitness tips or anything like that. I'm not a doctor or expert, nor do I pretend to be one. The idea of this blog is to help me collect my thoughts and track myself as I go through my Half Marathon training and find my way back on to the path of a healthy lifestyle.

Enjoy!