"Fit Girl" sets up her New Year's Goals, and It's All Peter K's Fault

I want to start this blog by saying that it’s all Peter K’s fault.

Now, before you block his website permanently from your computer, let me explain. About a year and a half ago, I was working out during a health coaching session with Peter, when he asked me seven simple words that changed my life: “Hey, Al, have you ever tried running?” I replied to that sentence with words that I can’t repeat in this G-rated blog, but let’s just say that my response wasn’t as friendly as his question. In truth, I was terrified. I still pictured my old “Fat Girl” body that was going to bounce in places where it shouldn’t, and was heavy enough to crack the sidewalk with each foot strike. But, I left that session feeling like the gauntlet had been thrown down, and “Fit Girl” never turns away from a challenge.

So, I decided to try running just for 20 minutes; 10 minutes out, 10 back. I left my house, did my 20 minute run and came home with a huge problem – I was hooked.

After running for a few months, my knee started bothering me, so Peter recommended I do some cross training: swimming and biking or spin classes. I did those for a few months, when Peter asked an 8 word question this time: “Hey, Al, ever thought of doing a triathlon?” Will he never learn?

By the end of 2010, I had completed 4 half marathons and 3 sprint distance triathlons (that’s the short kind, in that they only take about 2 hours to complete). I had also run enough races with New York Road Runners to qualify myself for guaranteed entry into the 2011 New York Marathon.

Last week I had another health coaching session with Peter K. Peter knows that he has created a monster, so I’m pretty sure that when he asked this question, he thought it was innocent enough: “So, Ali, what are your goals for 2011?” Ugh, here we go again.

This time, though, the question had me a little stumped. Usually at the beginning of the year, my goals are to “lose weight”, “exercise”, and other abstract concepts that last long enough for me to tell people, but not long enough to actually execute. So, this year I decide to approach my list of goals differently. First, I don’t really need to lose weight anymore, and I exercise enough that the guy who sets up the spin bikes at my gym not only knows my name, but knows I prefer bike #8 and that I like to be in the back left corner of the class. So, what are my goals this year?

I know that in order to achieve my goals, they really need to be concrete. That’s why “losing weight” doesn’t work. The first week I’m always really diligent, and eat nothing but empty lettuce cups and Diet Coke. I lose 4 pounds, and then the “Fat Girl” in me thinks “Goal achieved!” and celebrates with a Classic Double from Wendy’s. Well, I’d lost weight, right?

No, this year I’m going to think of concrete goals. Being a data analyst, I think best in front of an Excel file, so I open one up and start writing down various races I want to do. I hop on the internet and research races with New York Road Runners, as well as various triathlons that I’ve heard about. I write down names, dates, places, distances.

When I’m done, I look at my Excel file, and I’m completely stupefied. No, I didn’t suddenly forget how to use it. I know Excel so well that I could turn a data table into a carrot if I wanted to. What’s got me stymied is the content.

My file is showing me my race schedule for 2011, which consists of the following: 1 duathlon (run, bike, then run again), 4 triathlons, and 14 running races. One of the triathlons is Olympic distance (that’s the second to shortest kind, so it only takes between 4 and 5 hours to complete). The 14 road races are comprised of a bunch of shorter ones: 4 – 6 miles, and then 3 half marathons and that New York Marathon that seemed like such a great idea when I was trying to qualify for it back in 2010.

How in the world am I going to do all this? I’m about to hit the delete button on my file, when I think back to that first run over a year and a half ago. 20 minutes. All I started with was 20 minutes. So, I decide to commit to all these races, and that I’m just going to train one day at a time, and knock out those races one at a time. If I had the courage to lose 70 pounds, and to trust Peter K enough to step out of my comfort zone and run 20 minutes, then I can do these races.

So, if you ever feel like changing your life, find a coach and mentor who is willing to put his own life on the line by asking simple questions. Trust me, you will be amazed by the goals you can achieve. And if you do become a ridiculously accomplished runner and triathlete, you can tell them that it’s all their fault.