Today is the first day of my 33^rd year. When I thought of all the ways I wanted to start my birthday, there was one crystal clear answer: With a run.

So that is what I did this morning.

I woke up before 6 a.m. and met my good friend and running partner Elizabeth for 8 easy miles to start the day.

It has been about 3 weeks since we’ve been able to run together, and I joked that we needed an agenda to make sure we could cover all the things we needed to catch up on during our miles. It’s a very special thing to not only have an amazing friend, but one who runs your same pace and shares your same running goals. I try never to take that for granted, and I certainly appreciate this special friend more than she knows.

When I think back to all the moments and memories of my 32^nd year, many of them started just like today … with my feet in a pair of running shoes, amazing and inspiring people by my side, the sun rising in the distance and miles to cover that make every day a blessing.

There is no other place I would rather be than right here in 33. I don’t yearn to be younger (although if I could stop the aging clock right here I’d be very happy with that, especially since I’ve plucked out about 33 grey hairs in the past month … and yes, I know I shouldn’t do that but I can’t help myself). I’m grateful for all the blessings and all the challenges that every day brings, and I have a very good feeling that the year ahead has some exciting and meaningful things in store *foreshadowing.*

The past month was a great one to end one year and start another.

March Numbers at a Glance

• 84.22: Number of miles I ran
• 57.6: Number of miles I cycled
• 21: Number of days I exercised
• 16: Number of days I was traveling and spent the night somewhere other than my home
• 8: Number of fitness classes I took via ClassPass (This was significantly lower than the past two months due to my travel schedule)
• 2: Number of races I ran (the Oldsmar Armadillo Run and Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon)

Every week I share my weekly training and how I’m taking action against my 2015 goals. I also share the one thing I’m most proud of from the week and the one pitfall that has challenged me the most. Then, I invite you to do the same. There is a place at the bottom of this post for you to share a link to your weekly recap for others to come and cheer you on or offer you support. If you don’t have a Web site, simply share about your week in the comments section.

Getting Sweaty and Stronger

My fitness goals for 2015 are to stay in half marathon shape year-round (20-30 miles of running per week and long runs of 8-11 miles) and get stronger (2-3 strength training and cross training workouts each week).

• Monday: 45 minutes at Flywheel (23.9 miles)
• Tuesday: 1 hour of strength training focused on arms and abs + a leisurely 30-minute walk around the neighborhood in the evening with Mr. rUnladylike
• Wednesday: 4.5-mile easy run (that felt anything but easy) + 60 minutes of restorative yoga
• Thursday: 4-mile easy run + 4 x 30-second strides
• Friday: REST and travel to Savannah for the half marathon
• Saturday: Ran 13.1 miles at the Publix Women’s Savannah Half Marathon (If you missed the race recap you can read it here.)
• Sunday: REST and recover from the race + travel back to Atlanta

Eating Clean

My nutrition goals for 2015 are to cook most days of the week, limit sugar and bread intake, track my food daily and focus on eating clean(er).

I got back on track on the nutrition front this past week, which meant I was tracking my food in MyFitnessPal and cooking it up in the kitchen. Here were a few notable new recipes I made that we enjoyed in our house last week:

Warm Roasted Potato Salad: I made this delicious side dish from the Cozy Apron to accompany a filet mignon roast and a brussels sprout salad. It was absolutely wonderful and I’d highly recommend it. The bacon and olive oil do add calories, but it was really delicious and definitely worth pinning to your recipe list.

Spicy Hawaiian Chicken Burgers:  I really enjoyed this twist on a healthier burger from Homemade by Holeman. I followed the recipe except I omitted the buns and cut the pineapple into spears instead of cubes. (Grilled pineapple is crazy-good by the way!) I made these on my stove top grill pan and they were yummy.

Springtime Smoothie: I am a huge fan of post-workout smoothies in the morning, and I concocted this protein smoothie last week with some fruits that remind me of the warmer weather that spring is bringing (at least to some of us).

What I’m Most Proud of

It probably goes without saying that I am really proud of my half marathon in Savannah last weekend. I am proud that despite my lower mileage, lack of specific pace training and addition of a lot of cross training, I’ve been able to maintain my race fitness at about 2 minutes slower than some of my best times. I am equally as proud that my friend and coaching client Amy ran a 5-minute half marathon PR as well.

On the non-running front, one of my 2015 goals was to take a photography class. Last week, Mr. rUnladylike and I started a 4-week photography class that I am really enjoying. Our first homework assignment is due tomorrow, so wish us luck!

Where I Struggled

I need to make more time for foam rolling and really focus on my hydration. These are areas I often find myself slacking, and I’d like to be more disciplined here moving forward.

Thought for the Week Ahead

Since it’s my birthday today, this thought really seemed to fit the week:

“There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.” ~William Barclay

Do you typically run on your birthday? How was your training last week? What are you most proud of? Where were you most challenged? Share your comments and/or link up to your weekly recap post below.