Here's To 2013

A new year, a fresh beginning... or as I'd like to think about it, the motivation to recommit to goals already in motion. 2012 was a big year for me- job changes, relationship hurdles, and a major lifestyle change. Here's what I learned and how I want to recommit in 2013:

If you're not reading PSFK, you need to. Especially my articles.

I quit a job I hated and took a chance in an entirely new field.  I left my job as a senior analyst at a major cable channel (cushy salary and benefits included) to be an intern again at the age of 26. I'd read PSFK for years and  had always wanted to find a way to be a part of the organization. When I saw the internship posting, I knew I had to give it a try or always be left with a 'what if' feeling. It's been a humbling but hugely satisfying move. After 6 weeks of working harder than I ever had before, I received a full time offer at the company. I'm much happier than I was at my old job, but it hasn't been without challenges, especially the significant pay cut. After I switched jobs, I really had to reassess how I was spending my money- bye bye barre classes, a 5 day a week Starbucks/Mud coffee habit, and buying new clothes 'just because.' The change has forced me to really think about a budget and what I'm spending money on- which made me realize how poorly I had been handling my finances before I changed jobs.

2013 Related Goals:

- Be smart about a budget, and Save More. Make 2013 the most 'financially savvy' year on the books.
- Continue to grow my position at work

In California, celebrating a very special day

My boyfriend moved to California for 4 and 1/2 months. From January to mid-May, my boyfriend was on the other side of the country. He received an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity and I would have killed him if he didn't take it. But that doesn't mean it wasn't really challenging. It's hard to be separated by 3 time zones and not to have your best friend with you, and there were times I just felt lonely. But it was also an opportunity to reach out to friends and strengthen other relationships when he was gone. I'm so glad he's back, but I'm grateful I had the opportunity to push outside of my comfort zone and learn how to better balance our relationship with relationships with friends.

2013 Related Goals:

- Continue to reach out to acquaintances and newer friends and commit more time for 'girls nights' and 'me' time.

The sweetest feeling

I fell in love with running. I ran track and cross-country in high school, but if we're being honest, it was mainly a way to boost my college application with a team sport. I have the worst hand/eye coordination ever, so running was just about the only sport that made sense. I ran off and on in college, and then in 2009, ran my first 1/2 marathon with Team In Training. I loved it, and when I moved to NYC later that summer, I vowed to run the NYC Marathon before I ever moved anywhere else. I took a NYRR running class and had never been speedier... until I fell off a treadmill and twisted my knee cap a few months later. I wore a brace, went through physical therapy, but never really regained full confidence. I kept putting my name in the NYC Marathon lottery, but only ran a few miles here and there, never committing to another race until 2012. In 2012, I ran two half marathons (DC and Brooklyn), both of which I under trained for and felt awful (even throwing up yards from the finish line at the DC half in March) after finishing. And then, after 3 long years, I made it into the NYC Marathon. I didn't want to feel like I had after the two half marathons in the spring, so I made a serious commitment to training, nailing a calendar with my schedule on my bedroom wall and documenting every run on Just Allie.

And I fell in love.

I decided to separate my running adventures from my regular blog, and Just Allie Runs was born on what would have been the day after the NYC Marathon. I love the accountability of blogging, even if I'm the only one reading it. It's great to be able to look back on how I felt and what I was doing... so welcome to my running diary ;) I'm also learning about the great community that is the running blogosphere, and have loved discovering new blogs and learning from others.

2013 Related Goals:

- Run the NYC Marathon (duh). And although this is scary to put it in writing, run it in 4 hours.
- Run a half-marathon and feel GOOD about it. GOOD=PR. I'm already signed up for the Hilton Head 1/2 in February and NYC 1/2 in March, so hopefully this goal will be a reality sooner rather than later ;)
- Get to know the running community better. Here's the deal. It's easy to read blogs and 'feel' like you know a fellow runner, it's harder to go to a Jack Rabbit group run solo. I have an irrational fear that I'll be the only person who showed up by themselves at the run, and everyone else will already be paired up, and not talk to me. I know it's silly, but it's true. So I've taken the first step and signed up for the Jack Rabbit Resolve program, listing one of my January goals as going to a group run. Gulp. Like Jason told me whenever I complained about a training run, Just F'ing Do It.

Here's to conquering fear in 2013 and recommitting to goals already in progress! Wanna run with me? ;)