*Photo of Charlie Watson - taken by me*
A new year means new opportunities and new chances to set goals. I didn't really have many fitness goals last year apart from I knew I was going to be running my first half marathon and I just wanted to finish in a somewhat reasonable time. I completed that goal and now, with two half marathons under my belt, I've got a desire to set new goals and set some personal bests.I've got a post coming up about some of the races and events that I've already booked in 2015, but these are the smaller goals that I'm going to be working towards throughout the year. I've only got a couple at the moment but I'm hoping to be able to accomplish these and then add to them as the year goes by!
Yoga
I've tried doing yoga regularly before but time and time again I can never stick to it! After Christmas I planned to start 30 days of yoga on the 1st of January. For the 29th and 30th December I did give it a go and really enjoyed it but took a break for New Years Eve before starting it again properly on the 1st. It's only day three but I'm really enjoying it so far. Yoga With Adriene is currently running a 30 days of yoga series so I've been following that but I have also been checking out the 30 days challenge videos on the Do You Yoga 30 Day challenge channel.
Yoga is incredibly beneficial for both relaxing the body and also taking time to relax the mind. I find I can get quite stressed and tense, sometimes for no specific reason, so I'm using these sessions as a chance to relax and focus. I'm hoping to incorporate it a more into my routine, even when the 30 days is over, to make sure I'm having a proper stretch in between my training sessions.
Pull ups
I say pull ups but my aim here is A pull up. Just the one. One little pull up - with no assistance whatsoever. No matter when I reach this goal whether it's in three months or nine, I will successfully complete a pull up completed unaided and I can't wait. I'm currently using an assist of 40kg which is a teensy bit to much for me at the moment, I could take that to a lower weight if I really tried, but for now it's a good starting point. Who knows, I may even be able to do more that 2 in succession by the time the year is out!
Half marathon and 10k times
I'm already booked in for a half marathon and 10k races this year and I'm hoping to achieve a personal best in each of them. I feel a lot stronger now than I did this time last year and know that when I push myself I can do well with my times. The first 10k is at the very beginning of February and although I don't think a PB will be hugely likely, as this race is definitely going to be a lot of fun running with friends rather than a serious test, I'm looking forward to it either way. It will also be the anniversary of my first ever half marathon in April and there I am highly hoping, and aiming, for a new personal best.
What are your aims for 2015? Do you have any events or goals you've got your eye on? And what are you planning to do differently from last year to develop this year? Let me know @afloralcrown on Twitter.