I like to dream, but I once heard a quote that said something like, a dream without a plan is a wish. I firmly believe that to be true.

How many of us dream about something, whether great or small, but if we don’t activity pursue it, make a plan and follow it, or even write it down, it completely disappears or gets lost in the stresses of life.

2017 was that kind of year for me. When I made my goals at the start of the year, I didn’t think of all the possible upheavals that could happen. But that’s the blessing of life, isn’t it? Even the tough years will serve a purpose. The Lord uses them to sandpaper us into the people we are to become. The mothers, the leaders, the teachers, the (fill in the blank) he calls us to be. Whatever my dreams may be, I don’t have to give up on them. I just need to dust myself off and keep running forward. I certainly learned a lot, and was blessed far more than I deserve because of it.

I definitely didn’t hit a lot of my 2017 goals since I had a few life lemons thrown at me, but I hit some and came super close to others. And each year, I think we have a chance to keep dreaming. To evaluate and strive to grow more, learn more and do more. I grew a lot this year. And still have a long way to go.

In a previous blog post, I shared some of my goals for the year, and while I didn’t hit all of my goals, I’m closer to where I want to be in my running. My motherhood goals will always be a constant. (Although, we did watch a lot less TV this past year. YES!)

I think its important not only to set goals to accomplish dreams, but also to look back at them and reevaluate them. Sometimes you don’t hit a goal when you’d like to, and that’s ok. Readjust, and keep going. But I want to take a moment to reflect the goals I set and how I can improve for 2018.

Review of Running Goals for 2017:

1. Break 24 minutes in the 5k  Well, I got very close. I ran a 5k with my sister back in July and managed a 24:10 and placed 2nd in my age group. The course was extremely hilly, and had I been more prepared for a hilly course, I might have broken 24 minutes.
2. Break 2 hours in the half marathon HIT! In April I ran the Reedsburg Vetfest Half Marathon and ran with a time of 1:57 and placed 3rd in my age group. This in includes a pit stop, which means if I hadn’t stopped, it would have been even faster!
3. Compete in my first triathlon  Didn’t happen. My summer was full of moving and everything that goes with it.
4. Run a 4:30 marathon in April (date subject to change) No marathons at all this past year. I’m not too disappointed. I think my fitness was there, but again, life threw a couple curve balls at me this summer.
5. Run my first ultra???? This is still on my bucket list. The commitment it takes to train for an ultra is more than I could handle this past year.
6. Average  40-50 miles a week I got very close, somewhere between 30-40. Didn’t quite get where I wanted to, but a definite improvement over the last year.
7. BE CONSISTENT IN WEIGHT TRAINING HIT! Not as consistent as I’d like, but a huge improvement! Can’t wait to keep getting stronger!
8. Practice more yoga HIT! Even if its only ten minutes, I managed to do more yoga more often. Hoping to include more yoga, especially since I just bought some DVDs at the dollar store. (Hurray for frugality!)

I have big dreams. Dreams I want to make reality. Instead of wishing it, I have goals for 2018 to work toward it. Most of them are running, but I have a few others I’d like to achieve that I’m including here as well.

Goals for 2018

1. Break 23 minutes in the 5k Despite not hitting my goal last year, I going to keep working toward getting faster. And surely there’s a race that will help me hit this goal. (See #4).
2. Break 1:50 in the half marathon I probably will focus on 1:55 for a half marathon in April that I have my eye on, and then try again in the fall to break the 1:50 mark.
3. Break 4:00 in the marathon I actually think with the proper training and conditions I could do this in May for a marathon I hoping to do. It would require everything to be perfect, but I don’t think this goal is too far out of reach,
4. Run a race every month I have a race January 1! Anything distance from 1 mile to a marathon. I need to sit down and plan all races for the year, but it’ll help keep me motivation and focused. Not every race needs to be “raced”, but it’ll be a fun challenge.
5. Blog more often I would actually like to grow this blog. (So thanks for reading! I’d appreciate it if you would share or comment below!) And while I’ve been keeping it, I really haven’t gotten in to a habit of blogging on a regular basis. I’m hoping this year to really buckle down and have a couple of blog posts a month.
6. Average 40-50 miles a week I’m keeping this one from last year. I’d actually like to run more, but, you know, baby steps. It shouldn’t take much to boost the mileage from the 30-40 I’m currently running.
7. Spend more time reading and learning I love reading. LOVE it. I’ll read anything, fiction, nonfiction, articles, blogs, cookbooks (especially cookbooks.). But I’ve found that I have a tendency to go in waves with reading. I’ll read a lot one month, and nothing the next. I’d like to take more time and just read at night instead of watch TV or something.
8. Dial in nutrition We’ve kept up pretty well since doing our rounds of Whole 30, but since the move, we let our nutrition slip. (Turns out stress make you eat garbage. Who knew?) I want to reboot it and get the whole family back to healthier eating. We will be doing another round of Whole 30 in January, and I’m planning on blogging about the experience.  You should join us!
9. Spend QUALITY time with kids Emphasis is quality. Sure I can spend time with my kids as they watch a TV show, or I can clean the kitchen as they play with puzzles, but I’d really like to take the time and talk with them, laugh with them and play with them. Even if its 30 minutes a day, I want those moments.
10. Read a daily devotion I had gotten in to a great habit of reading a Meditations devotion every morning while I drank my coffee before a run. I want to get back to having those moments of enriching my spiritual life and having the daily dose of God’s Word. I can think of no better way to start the day.

Take a moment this New Year and think about where you want to be in a year, or five years, or ten years. Don’t just dream about it, plan for it. Even in life stresses get in your way, the Lord will bless you better than you deserve.