The year ahead

I'm home sick again today, but feeling better and should be back to work tomorrow. I always preach to my colleagues that if they're sick they should stay home. No need to be a hero and infect everyone else. I figured I should heed my own advice.

The positive to having this "down time" is that I've been able to reflect on the past year and get a jump on setting goals for 2011. As I've written, one of my goals for this coming year is to qualify for and run the ING New York City Marathon in November. Something that I'm focused on now and is important to me, but after I qualify in mid-January, then what?

Well, with respect to running, my goals are to post PRs for the 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon distances. Ambitious perhaps, but I'm hoping with Ian's experience, direction and motivation, combined with my dedication and consistent training, I'll be able to realize all these running goals.

Since I began running in 2007, golf has taken a backseat to my new passion. However, I'd like to change that in 2011.

Now to be successful or consistent at either sport requires time and commitment. Some might say it would be impossible to adequately "train" for success in both sports simultaneously. Perhaps they're correct, but hey I'm always up for a challenge and proving others wrong.

And, my interest in golf has been renewed recently....the old "absence makes the heart grow fonder" deal I suppose, and the fact that last summer, despite reduced practice and play, my ball-striking was fairly consistent as were my scores. However, there's always room for improvement!

My goals are to dedicate more time to practice (beginning with indoor sessions this winter), increase my play from approximately 35 to 45 rounds this coming summer, lower my scoring average by 2 strokes and finally, enter more tournaments.

So while my goals for golf are perhaps more modest than those I've set for running, I believe they are equally achievable. However, I'll need to manage my time efficiently, because I still have a full-time job and family commitments to consider.

But I figure if Anne can find the time to train for an ironman, I can find time for golf and running. And aren't goals about testing your limits and pushing yourself to achieve something difficult?

So wish me luck and stay tuned!