Cons & Miles & Friends, Oh My! (Teresa's 2nd quarter review)

Half the year is done, so as we look forward to Christmas in July, it's also time to look at where I am in my goals for this year - celebrating accomplishments & adjusting plans if needed.  As of June 30, here's where I am on the goals I posted at the beginning of 2014:

1. Run 451.25 miles.  So far I've run 342.4 miles, or 76% of my goal.  Perhaps I should've aimed a bit farther?
2. Bike 345.80 miles.  Only 51.5 miles so far, 15% of my goal.  Time to get pedaling
3. Play 2 rounds of golf with my handsome & patient husband.  Kevin, are you reading this?  When do you want to play?
4.  Swim at least once a week from Memorial Day thru Labor Day, when our pool is open.  Polar Vortex anyone?  I've only been swimming once, and it was pretty chilly.  I really did enjoy swimming in last year's Month-Long Iron Man, so I need to get out there again once it warms back up.
5.  Read the Bible through again.  I've kept up with the plan I chose on my Bible app, and was 50% through as of 6/30/14.
6.  Read 26 books for the #Read26Indy challenge. I haven't been updating my Goodreads account - I will do that this weekend - but there are 11 books listed in there that I've read this year, and I know there are at least 4 more at home that I've read but not added.  So that puts me at 58% of my goal.
7.  Incorporate strength training into my fitness routine at least 2 days per week.  Here's a surprise - I have been doing boot camp once a week & I love it!  I look forward to Tuesdays, and I always feel great when I'm done.  A large part of this the other ladies at boot camp - they make working out so much fun!  I can definitely tell an improvement in my strength and endurance.  And I've started adding circuit training to my Saturday morning runs as well.  
8.  Volunteer at 6 events.  I’ve done 5 so far, or 83% of my goal.  One of them turned out to be really fun - my first Con!  I volunteered at Indy Pop Con May 30-June 1.  I ended up working registration the whole time, which was pretty cool.  I got to see & talk to a lot of the people as they were coming in, & admire some pretty awesome cosplay.  I also enjoyed meeting my fellow volunteers, many of whom attend and/or volunteer at a lot of Cons.  I saw quite a few celebrities, including Kandyse McClure, Sylvester McCoy, Kevin Eastman, & Ron Glass.  And I met & got an autograph from Kristian Nairn!  Hodor! 

   

   Hodor

9.  Collect 21 commemorative t-shirts.  I have 13 so far this year, or 62%.  
10.  Run a 5K in under 30 minutes.  I have several 5K races this fall, so I'm going to really start working on this.  I am sure I can do it - I just need to push myself more and not just run at a comfortable pace all the time.
11.  Run 2 half marathons.  Complete.  I ran the Mini in May, and the Indy Women's Half in June.  I am currently trying to decide which fall half I will do as well.
12. Kimmy graduated high school with honors June 6!  We are all so proud of her, and now she's on her way to Butler!
13.  Take better pictures.  I attended an Indy Geek Girls workshop on blog photography, and I definitely learned a few things.  I am happy with a lot of my pictures this year, and I hope you all enjoy them too.
14.  Enjoy all the surprises!  I already mentioned boot camp and Indy Pop Con - both unplanned but both highlights so far this year.  The coolest thing though has been all the new friends I have made.  In fact, I may end up calling 2014 the Year I Met My Tribe.  Runners in general tend to be pretty welcoming & inclusive people, but I made some really good friends through the Team Blue Mile training for the Mini, the Indy Women's Half Training through Carmel RRG, another friend that I met through Every Move, and all the ladies at boot camp. 

    

    New Friends!

    Running started out as a solo activity for me, and while I still enjoy solo runs & always will, it's also a lot of fun to run or train with a group - encouraging & getting to know each other along the way.  I definitely did not expect that at the beginning of this year, but it's turned out to be one of the nicest things so far!