Looking Back at 2011
Lets hear it for 2011! Hooray, huzzah and all that goodness.
Talk about changes – 500 miles closer to the equator, warmer, under new employment, engaged to be married, 18 pounds lighter, so many new places to explore.
Many of my 2011 goals were met or exceeded – which has caused me to set even more ambitious goals for 2012. This may pose to be a problem, since I tend to be a “list-maker” and like to track data from all sorts of things. I’m stepping back to look at my goals for 2011 before I finalize the 2012 set and see how I did:
- Ride 1000 Miles and finish a Century: Last year I fell a few hundred miles short of my cycling goal and it really bummed me out, so I set out in 2011 determined to meet my goal, and to push myself more than ever before by finishing one century ride. Well I met my goal 1011.7 miles, and I completed not just one, but 2 centuries (100 Miles of Nowhere, and Seagull Century) Goals Met!
- Run 200 Miles and a Half Marathon: This was a huge accomplishment, seeing as I am not a runner. But Not only did I run 233.9 miles this year, I also completed the Stratton Faxon Fairfield Half Marathon in June just under my goal – 2h29m9s. Goals Met
- Get Engaged: Maybe this is a resolution more than a goal? But on May 14th this year at Fort McHenry in Baltimore Kate and I got engaged. Resolution Met
- Lose Weight: I started 2011 about 10 pounds above where I was for most of 2010, so I knew that I wanted to shed that weight – and them some. I set an ambitious goal of losing just over 30 pounds. Well I didn’t make it all the way there, but I did lose 18 pounds – and I feel so much better. Partially Met
- Healthier Living: This one was simple, eat healthy, with good portion control, more greens, and less junk food. This one was one goal I didn’t work too hard for. Not Met
- Read More: Over the past few years I have taken to reading (only a tiny bit) so I wanted to push myself to keep pace with 2010 by reading at least three books. I may be missing something, but I know I got through at least 3, possibly 4 and have started two others. In 2011 I read Jonathan Franzen’s “The Corrections“, “Freedom” and Fat Cyclists “Comedian Mastermind“. Goal Met
- Make New Friends in DC: This was a weird one because I am not sure how to qualify it. I met some great people in DC this year, and hope to meet even more in 2012. I still don’t feel like I have a core group of friends like I did in Boston – but I’ll have to work on that. Partially Met
- Work out at least 10 times per month: A simple fitness goal, and I am going to claim victory even though 119 “activities” is slightly under the 10 per month average. All told, the year ended with 119 work-outs, 1254 miles cycled, run or hiked, 124.6 hours of activity and 91646 calories burned. Goal Met
- Participate in a DC Randonneurs Event: Failed, no more to say. Not Met
- Drive Less: I used to drive somewhere near 25,000 miles a year – many of them driving to out-of-the-way destinations around New England for work. This year I wanted to cut that down to less than 17,000 miles. I am happy to say that I drove less than 14,000 miles – significantly cutting down on my emissions. Goal Met
January 2011 - Such a change from January 2012
Theme of 2011: Changes
February 2011 - A New 'hood
First Nats Game (I still don't like them, Red Sox or O's for me)
May 2011 - New Orleans for Jazz Jest
I read an article that quoted the chef from H Streets Granville Moores that said if you are ever not wowed when you see the Capitol Building, then your time in DC is near an end. I am still amazed when I see that building.
- Favorite Photo of Myself in 2011: Seagull Century
Coffeeneuring Challenge
