Next Chapter: Rebuilding My Base (Reviewing January Goals)

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Rebuilding my Base

Well...official diagnosis is that my finger is broken in two places, but will not require surgery. The hand specialist said he was shocked I could still move it. Got this nifty little custom splint to keep all the pieces lined up.

So far my running in January and February has gone really well, other than a silly fall on some ice a couple of weeks ago that resulted in some minor abrasions and a broken finger!! I’ve been pleased with how well my hips and legs have felt after the injury last year, and have been surprised at how quickly my endurance has returned. I’m beginning to get excited about my running again! After only running 32 total miles in November and 33 in December, I was able to complete 95 in January, and this included my first run of greater than 13.1-miles since the injury.

At the beginning of the year, I decided that I was going to take it month-to-month with my goals, and try not to get too far ahead of myself. Here is a quick review of my January goals:

  • Run an average of at least 20-miles per week

My average for January was 21-miles per 7 days, so this was a WIN!!

  • Workout for at least 30-minutes per day (except Sunday)

Didn’t come close to hitting this one, and I know that my cross-training MUST improve to remain injury free, and get back to where I want to be.

  • Lose 8 pounds

Lost 8.5 total pounds in January so this is another big WIN!!

Now that I’m starting to get my mileage base back, I need to start focusing on two things for February:

  1. Strength
  2. Speed

Even though my endurance is coming back, I feel like a Mud Turtle! This was especially true during my two track workouts in January. I felt like I had a 50 lb pack strapped to my back.

To help with my strength, I did a 6-mile run with a few members of my group this week in Percy Warner park. Our total, cumulative elevation gain for those 6-miles was over 1,600 ft:

Screen Shot 2014-02-13 at 3.57.27 PM

Even though I did ok, it really demonstrated to me how far I have to go!

So, with that in mind, here are my February 2014 goals:

  1. Complete at least 110 total miles running
  2. Complete at least 2 trail runs and 2 road runs with over 1,000 ft. of elevation gain (strength)
  3. Complete at least 2 track workouts and 2 race pace workouts (speed)
  4. Complete at least 4 leg workouts (strength)
  5. Complete at least 4 abdominal workouts (strength)
  6. Lose at least 3 pounds

Well, there you have it! About to head out for what I hope will be my 3rd track workout of the year so far.

 

Sara’s Top 10 Favorite Beatles Songs

BeatlesAmericanFlagTonight, while we were watching the CBS Beatles’ Special The Night That Changed America, Olivia looked over and asked my 4-year-old daughter Sara, “what is your favorite Beatles’ song?” She replied, “how about I give you my top 10,” and without missing a beat rattled off the following list:

 

  1. Eleanor Rigby (McCartney / Revolver / 1966)
  2. A Day in the Life (Lennon-McCartney / Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band / 1967)
  3. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (Lennon / Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band / 1967)
  4. Hey Bulldog (Lennon / Yellow Submarine / 1969)
  5. Yellow Submarine (McCartney / Revolver / 1966)
  6. Magical Mystery Tour (McCartney / Magical Mystery Tour / 1967)
  7. Let it Be (McCartney / Let it Be / 1970)
  8. Octopus’ Garden (Starr / Abbey Road / 1969)
  9. Within You Without You (Harrison / Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band / 1967)
  10. Drive My Car (McCartney / Rubber Soul / 1965)

Track title (Primary Songwriter / Album / Release Year)

I quickly wrote them down as fast as I could while thinking….That’s My Girl!

BTW…Not a bad list for a 4-year-old!!

My Top 10 Favorite Beatles Songs (50th Anniversary Edition)

BeatlesAmericanFlagIn honor of the 50th anniversary of the Beatles first trip to America (February 7, 1964), I wanted to take a shot at writing down my top 10 favorite Beatles songs. I will often joke that trying to pick a favorite Beatles song or album is like trying to decide which one of your children you love the most.

There are obviously a LOT of great songs to choose from. In fact there are so many that when Rolling Stone magazine compiled their own list, it included 100 songs! This is utterly astounding for a group whose recording career only spanned eight years.

Let me start by saying that I think the Beatles are the greatest group in the history of music. This wasn’t always the case, but after re-experiencing their catalog through the ears of my daughters, I’ve come to fully embrace their genius. Even though I’ve listed my top 10 favorites below, this list might change on a day-by-day basis as I continue to listen to their incredible music, especially with my two young daughters.

So, without further ado, here is my list for February 7, 2014…

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