How Do You Measure A Year?



“In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter, in strife?”

One year. 525,600 minutes. 365 chances… chances to wake up, to do something more, to be better than yesterday. Looking back on 2016, did you do that? Did you wake up, try to do something more, try to be better than you were yesterday?

2016 – What a year! 2016 brought with it my first 200 mile relay race, a 1000 mile move to a new state on my own, and my first marathon. 2016 brought me independence while living on my own and full-fledged “adulting”. Rent is dang expensive! Moving away from my family, boyfriend, friends, and the state where I’ve spent my entire life (literally), was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. This time away was a once in a lifetime opportunity that has allowed me to grow into a better version of myself, and to “figure it out”. I can’t thank my crew enough for supporting me every step of the way. I went into this year hoping to try a marathon and see where it took me. Months of winter training in the freezing cold and snow lead me to not only meet but EXCEED my goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon on my first try. The pride and joy that I felt the moment I crossed the finish line… I still fight tears when I think about it. That is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. I wanted to run Boston before I turned 25. Here I am, running Boston one month before my 24th birthday. In 2016, I logged 1,461.8 miles over 422 workouts. This amounts to 250.3 hours, and 10.43 days spent running. Time spent chasing down goals, setting new PR’s…spent doing what I love. In 2016, I reached new speeds, higher inclines, and further distances. I found passions I did not know existed. I’ve put my heart and soul into fitness and nutrition this year, and I have seen immeasurable progress. Though it did not come without some bumps in the road, I could not be more proud of how far I’ve come in the last year. I cannot wait to crush bigger and better goals in 2017.

So many people ask: How do you do it? They say: You are insane. I could never do that. You’re all wrong. You CAN. 5 years ago, I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would be running marathons. It sure as hell did not happen overnight. As we close out 2016… here’s a few things that may help you understand how I got to be where I am today.

Let’s forget about the clichés for a second. It’s the end of one year, the beginning of a new one… and we all know what that means. The time to set New Years’ Resolutions. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that many New Year’s Resolutions fail by the third week of January. Only 9% of us can successfully follow through with a New Year’s Resolution. Why is that? We shoot for the moon and we set big (and sometimes unrealistic) goals that we plan on magically acting on as the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. This year, I will go to bed earlier. This year, I will stop drinking coffee. If I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s that change cannot and does not happen overnight. Science says it takes 21 days (3 weeks) to make or break a habit. Do the math, and you can see that most of us have already bailed on our resolutions at this point.

Now, I am not discouraging you from setting a New Year’s Resolution. It means you’ve identified something that you want to change, and you’re taking the first step in the right direction. You’re on your way. But why do we limit such changes to the coming of a new year? The only thing that changes between 11:59 and 12:00 is the date. We have 365 fresh, beautiful days to work with. Shift your focus. Look at the bigger picture. Maybe January 1st is the day you start. Setting longer term goals will help to keep you accountable. Taking the stairs 4 at a time will only make you winded faster. Trying to cut out sugar or drop ten pounds in a week will do the same. It’s highly likely that you will lose steam by week 2, and find yourself creeping down the stairs at midnight for a late night cookie binge. You want to run a 5k in 2017? Great. Pick one, maybe a few months out (say, April). Sign up. January 1st can be day one of your training. If you work at it, the goal you have now set for yourself, you’ll crush your 5k in April. You want to quit caffeine? Perfect. If you drink 4 cups a day on December 31st, there’s no way you can just stop cold turkey. Take it from someone who tried to quit coffee once. Wean yourself down by one cup per week. By the end of January, you’ll probably be able to function in the early morning hours without that jolt of espresso.

So yes, it is a new year. It is no secret that we all tend to look at the year as a fresh start; a clean slate. But let’s be honest with ourselves. At 12:00am, you’ll be the same person you were at 11:59pm. The only thing that will change is the date (which we will all probably write incorrectly for the first two months of the new year *insert eye roll emoji*). Go into 2017 with a fierce intent to accomplish something. Accept that it will take time. Take the steps to change one at a time (not 4 at a time). THAT is what matters; it’s how you chase down your goals during the 365 days you have to achieve them. There will be good days, great days, even, but there will also be some bad ones. You need to believe in yourself and your goals, no matter what the condition. Do not let your fire go out. Light it on January 1st, and let it be your fuel. 2017 can be your year, I know it can! And you never know, you just might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

Wishing you all of the health and happiness in 2017, xoxo