I was one of the lucky lottery winners this past December when I was selected out of thousands of hopefuls who were not guaranteed entry into the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. I submitted my form with a hope, a prayer, and a little liquid encouragement (cheers!) Truthfully, when I received the confirmation email almost six weeks after submitting my entry – I wasn’t sure whether to rejoice or cry.

Running a marathon is on my ’40 Before 40 List’ – and I knew if I was going to cross this one off – I wanted to do it BIG. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about the Chicago course and atmosphere – so why not?!

Since the BIG race isn’t until October, I’ve decided to run in a local half-marathon to get my butt in gear (and because I can be the queen of procrastination). The local race is in April, so here’s a peak into what training looks like for me this week:

Sunday – Run! (I’m on week three of Coach Jenny Hadfield’s Half-Marathon Training Plan. I’m doing the Run/Walk program because that’s what feels best for my body)

Monday – Cycling Class (I take Group Ride at my local gym – this is a great way to build cardiovascular endurance while cross-training to prevent injuries)

Tuesday – Strength Training (Currently doing the strength training circuit in the Jan/Feb 2018 issue of Women’s Running Magazine)

Wednesday – Yoga/Stretch Class (My current obsession is Group Centergy – another class offered at the gym – it’s a beautiful blend of yoga and Pilates)

Thursday– Run!

Friday– Rest 🙂

Saturday – Run! (This is typically a longer distance run)

What are your fitness goals for 2018? Or better yet – what are you hoping to cross off your bucket list this year?