Never have I been more excited to think about running goals. My friend Laura recently shared a perspective on goal-setting that really resonated with me. She suggested the best goals are the ones we may only be able to accomplish 50 percent of the time. Ah yes, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Pushing ourselves outside the box we often create in our mind.

Those are exactly the kind of goals I’ve been craving but have been unable to commit to … until now.

For the past two years, starting a family has been my priority. In 2015, I couldn’t commit to an intense training cycle because “I might get pregnant.” Instead, I ran “for fun.” It turns out that running for fun isn’t all that fun when you’re never performing at your full potential and are constantly thinking about how much more you have to give. I ran four half marathons during the span of a year, including my slowest half marathon to date. So much for “running for fun” being fun for this competitive, type A runner. Then, I spent almost all of 2016 pregnant, which significantly slowed my running until I had to stop completely.

2017 is the year of my running comeback. Or at least the start of it.

I realize it’s going to be challenging to return to running after several months away and while juggling being a new mom. Regaining – and eventually surpassing – my strongest fitness level from 2014 is going to take time. But now I get to hunt it down with a hunger that has been brewing for far too long. I thrive when faced with something hard, especially when so many people like to remind me that I’ll be too tired, or too busy or too [fill in the blank here.] I am not naive to the realities that there will be intense periods of exhaustion, mental fatigue and de-motivation. But, I am the best I can be for others when I am the best I can be for myself. If something is important to me, I find a way to make it happen.

Three Big Goals

I have three running and fitness goals for the year. The underlying goal that goes without saying is that I will be trying to do these things while figuring out how to balance being a new mom who works full-time, trains and puts family and friends first.

1. Achieve my pre-baby weight within four months (before the end of April). 

I’ve gained about 30 pounds during my pregnancy, and I’m ready to say adios to those pounds once Baby rUnladylike is here. In addition to breastfeeding, which will aid the weight-loss process (or so I’ve heard), I plan to eat as clean as possible and start exercising easy and slowly as soon as I’m approved to do so by my doctor. On the nutrition front, I don’t believe in restricting food groups or making significant calorie cuts. I’ll likely be following a modified version of the 21 Day Fix plan with added portions/calories. It focuses on high quality foods that are mostly unprocessed.

2. Rebuild my running base to a comfortable 25-30 miles per week by July 1.

Most of 2017 is going to be about rebuilding my running base. While I can’t wait to run another marathon, running a solid marathon is not something I believe one can or should do in less than a year to perform at the level I’d like to perform. I believe the best marathon performances come from having a really strong half marathon base for a sustained period of time. Thus, I’m going to try to work my way (slowly and carefully) up to 25-30 miles per week by the summer. I’ll include at least two days per week of strength training to help prevent injury and muscle imbalances while incorporating cross-training like the elliptical and bike to enhance endurance without extra pounding on my joints and legs. Once I’m able to run 3 miles continuously several times per week again, I’ll spend 12-16 weeks solely focusing on easy miles that increase in volume.

3. Run a strong half marathon in November.

I’d like my base-building to pay off with a solid fall half marathon performance that reveals my current fitness level after 10 months of running again. In July, I’ll start to add speed work and pace-based workouts back into my training schedule, crafting a dedicated half marathon plan from July through October. I plan to select a flatter November half marathon that boasts cold temperatures and a fast course (conditions that bring out my best running). I’d like to be as close to my pre-baby fitness as possible, ideally breaking 1:40 or being somewhere in that vicinity (my current PR is 1:38:27 on a very hilly course under-trained).

So there you have it. These goals may not sound that aggressive, but I know they will be challenging to accomplish while breastfeeding and learning to adapt to life with a little baby. I am so excited for 2017 for so many reasons, and I’ll be documenting my journey to lose the baby weight, rebuild my running base and regain my half marathon fitness … all while juggling life and motherhood. My real hope is to discover that with prioritization, we can have it all.

Thanks as always for your support and for joining me on this journey. xo

What goals do you most want to achieve in 2017? For any moms out there, tell me about an awesome running accomplishment(s) you achieved after having your first baby.