The 5 year Plan - The 'Also known as the SGR-style Bucket List' post

Ran: 4.5 miles / 7.2K with Lordie

As you might have noticed, I added a 'The 5 year plan'-page and a 'To Do List 2011'-page to my blog.

The 5 Year Plan

I already mentioned The Bucket List in earlier posts. I also mentioned that I plan on making a bucket list Silly Girl Running style. Meaning, it won't be the 'average' things to do before you die-list, but a list for the next 5 years. In the last couple of days I realized that 'the bucket list' indeed has a 'things to do before I die' kind of ring to it, and I don't really like that 'ring', so I'm sticking with 'The 5 Year Plan' or 'Things to do before January 1st 2011'.

Now, go check out the 5 Year Plan! http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/p/bucket-list-5-year-plan.html

The list isn't finished yet. I'm still working on it and looking for ideas and adding 'things' to the list when I come up with something. What is on the list (and I really want to do this race!) is the Walt Disney Marathon Goofy's Challenge! Call me a kid, but I love everything Disney! Instant happiness! :)

Hello, Mickey! That's what I call a 'fun' course! :

What would you put on the 5 Year Plan list?

To Do List 2011

Check out this list here: http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/p/to-do-list-2011.html

Well, this one's pretty obvious, huh? Just a list of things I really want to do or keep on doing in 2011. Nothing too 'wow, what do you plan on doing?'. Just some things I really would love to do in 2011, and I feel I should be doing. Some things on the list, like 'stretching', are just more of an everyday reminder. An important reminder, though! ;)

What are your goals for 2011?

Only the Dutch...

...get away with wearing this outfit. Well, at least we'd like to think so...


Photo was taken at the International Friendship Run in New York (November 2010). Dave, the Brit we met at the Friendship Run and also in the photo, was kind enough to send me this photo. Why the heck I'm wearing a backpack is beyond me...

Cycling: 30 min

New Year, New Run

Saturday: Ran 10.1 miles / 16.2K with the dogs - 1:32:33 hours - easy first day of the year run

Sunday: Ran 5 miles / 8K with the dogs

Today: Cycling: 30 minutes

No better way to start the New Year than to head out for a nice, muddy, mushy, slippery trail run on New Year's Day. So, on January 1st 2011, that's exactly what I did: run. 10.1 miles / 16.2K of pure fun. The dogs loved it. Diddy even ran his distance PR! :)

'Zaterdag' means 'Saturday'...

That trail was slippery and mushy, though. Tired me out completely! It sure is hard to keep your pace up when you're plowing through some serious mud/melted snow. But, on the plus side, I felt like I was flying on the last two miles of the run: these last two miles were on the road/pavement, in case you were wondering. ;)

Well...that's all for now. I will put another post up later today. And yep, that will be the first of the 'official 5 year plan bucket list' posts. :)

Happy New Year to all of you! :)

Happy New Year - Let's kickstart it with some karaoke, shall we?

I hope you all have a great, bubbly and safe (be careful with all this firework!) New Year's Eve!

Have a Runtastic 2011!

Ran: 1.8 miles / 3K with Lordie

Three Things Thursday - the 'There's a Throwback Thursday in here' post

Ran: 5 miles / 8K with the dogs - 42:50 minutes + Cycling: 30 minutes

1. My new Newtons were sparkly white when I opened the box less than 24 hours ago. This is what one lousy 4.5 miler does to new running shoes. Lucky for me, I'm not going for the fashionable and crispy white look. I like it dirty. ;) Yep, I said 'I like it dirty'. And no, I'm not referring to 'that', I'm referring to trail running. ;)

Aren't they pretty? ;)

2. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve 2010 already. Another year has gone by. As for my private life: it wasn't a walk in the park. Not the easiest year, at all. But I do feel like all these personal 'battles and bumps (to be honest...some were mountain-like bumps) in the road' made me a stronger girl - mentally.

As for running: I do realize that this may sound corny, but it honestly seems like just a week ago that I picked up running (January 2010). And I'm still in awe over how much my life has changed (for the positive) in these past 12 months. It's been a heck of a ride, but I truly feel like this is where I'm supposed to be right now, and that this is the 'real me'. And I haven't felt like that in a long time. A long long time.

3. Last but not least: the post Kevin (http://halftriing.blogspot.com/) has been anxiously waiting for all week. Throwback Thursday!

This is me. I must have been about 2 years old in this photo. The photo was taken in France, on a summer holiday with the family.

As you've probably already noticed, I'm sporting the 'preppy European girl' look. Lacoste shirt: check. Striped Bermudas: check. And, yes, I am a girl. Hence the hair. I actually had the same haircut as my mom back then. And Twiggy. And Agyness Deyn. One might even say that Agyness stole my look. I won't hold that against her. That's just not the kind of person I am. ;) Plus, it looks better on 2 year old Me anyway. ;)

The Bucket List - part two

Ran: 6.2 miles / 10K running group practice Cycling: 30 minutes

Did you miss the birth of The Bucket List? If so, you can read all about it here:

http://sillygirlrunning.blogspot.com/2010/12/bucket-list-shortened-version.html

Last night I did some research (yep, I'm taking this Bucket List thing pretty serious) on the five year Bucket List. Ergo, I was googling for cool races to put on the list. And then I came across this video. Start the video at 3:35 minutes. Sit back, and enjoy.

So, now you probably understand why I HAVE to do this race sometime in the 5 years to come, right? By putting it on the 5 year Bucket List I'll also have a couple of years to save my pennies to register and pay for the trip. And yep, the runners actually have to do a trek to one of the base camps. Because the start is at one of the base camps. And you'll have to hike up there. Just saying that again. Since I'm a bit worried that I might feel the urge to actually run up there. But let's not go there for now. ;) Doesn't this race seem amazing? :)

Oh, and while we're at it. I also did some research on the 'Climb the Matterhorn' plan. Apparently you need to be a Level 4 rock climber (not the level 4 indoor wussies like myself, but actually rock climbing - I know now that there's a difference between indoor licenses and the actual rock climbing license). If you're not a level 4 climber, the guide (I'm not stupid enough to try it without a guide) won't even take you with him. Guess who will be spending a lot of vacation time driving back and forth to Switzerland in the next 5 years to get her Level 4 rock climbing license...