It's Goal Time! My Fitness Bucket List

Having closed out my Division I athletic career, I’ve begun to think a lot about what comes after Penn AC's summer program. I’ve seen very fit people leave the collegiate playing field and come back to visit five months later unable to climb stairs without pausing to catch their breath. I don’t want to be one of those people. Athletics have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember and I don’t plan on stopping just because college is over. I saw the Fitness Bucket List on Pinterest the other day and knew that I had to make one. There are so many activities that I’ve never tried because I was sore from practice or I didn’t want to injure myself and risk sacrificing a season. Now is the time for me to try all of those things. And who knows what I could discover about myself…maybe my athletic career is just beginning!

• Be able to do a one armed pull-up.
• Try a spin class.
• Be able to do a 1 minute handstand

• Be able to do a one-handed push-up
• Complete a half-Ironman triathlon
• Bench my body weight

• Try kickboxing
• Get a 2 minute "hang time"
• Run a sub six minute mile
  

• Try CrossFit
• Get over my fear of heights and try rock climbing
• Race in a lightweight double

• Try a kettle bell workout
• Learn self defense
• Try Wii Fit

• Hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
  
• Do a workout using the Exorcist stairs in DC
• Try a pole dancing class! (Yes, they exist for exercise!)

• Participate in Run for Your Lives
  
• Get around using a bike instead of using my car
• Do a Color Run 

• Race in a ridiculous costume
  
• Do 25 chin ups in a row
  
• Learn to ski!

 

A fitness bucket list can be great motivation to become more active or try things you've never even thought of before. Motivation is the number one trait that determines whether people stick with working out. By thinking of fun, active things to do, it won't feel like work! What's the number one thing on your fitness bucket list?


**Thanks to Angie for illustrating my bucket list. 

At the Beginning...

I have always loved writing and, as my chest of journals in my room can prove, I’ve been doing it forever. However, I came somewhat late to the world of athletics. I was on a summer swim team starting at age nine but I didn’t start competing fiercely until I joined my high school swim team when I was a freshman. As a shy kid who would rather observe the crowd than participate, this environment should have been uncomfortable. Instead I found out that I was talented enough to hold my own against far more experienced swimmers and I threw myself into the sport. That same spring, I also joined my high school’s crew team. Through both of those teams I was able to overcome my shyness and channel it into something productive. By the end of my senior year, I was voted captain of the swim team and held two school records. I was also stroke seat of the most winning boat in my crew program’s history to that point. I knew I wanted to continue with athletics in college.

I chose Marist College because of its strong English program and because the walk to the boathouse was ten minutes away from every dorm on campus. Although I’m likely too small to ever be moved out of the bow pair, I love rowing at the Division I Varsity level. Rowing might not allow me to have a “typical college (i.e. party) lifestyle”, but I wouldn’t change anything. Through rowing, I’ve learned a lot about how hard I am able to push myself and others. The people I’ve met through this sport continue to inspire, influence and amaze me every day.  

This is one of the reasons why, last summer, I tried a triathlon at the suggestion of my rowing coach. I crossed the finish line, went home and immediately signed up for two more races. I had found yet another sport that I loved. Athletics has now become an integral part of my life. Through this blog, I want to showcase my writing ability as well as my passion for all sports. My long term plan is to somehow find a job that allows me to stay involved in athletics for a long time, whether it is by competing, coaching, writing, planning events or being a personal assistant to someone really, really fast. 

Everyone goes through transitional periods in their life but it seems to me that the transition from the last year of college to the first year of “real life” is a big one. In that time there are a lot of changes, whether it’s change of location, friendships or job. Through all of the previous “big changes” in my life, training has kept me sane. A sweaty workout always makes all hard decisions look a little bit easier. As I come to this transitional time, I am going to need training in my life more than ever. Using this blog as a vehicle to share my athletic experiences and explore different aspects of my sports, I hope to reach out to people who have my same level of enthusiasm for athletics. Training in Transition is not just my project, but a project cultivated and inspired by those who successfully balance training, racing, school, work and relationships in their lives.