Update 9 on my new year’s resolutions
You can only improve what you track and measure. Therefore, I journal my progress for my 2020 resolutions.
With how much can I finish March?
There are hardly any more restrictions due to Covid19 in China. However, as a foreigner I get particularly well check and controlled everywhere I go now. China is afraid of a re-import of the virus, and thus I am checked with a lot of scrutiny. At work we are obligated to wear masks until 01st March. From them we will also start eating as a group in the canteen again, as opposed to delivered meals to our individual desks. 90% of the shops I see in Hangzhou and Ningbo are open for business again. Some restaurants are still closed for reasons I don’t know. There are no more lock-down policies in place for restaurants, but I assume those shops closed still, have individual problems to re-open. Construction work has picked up all over the place and traffic as well as noise have increased significantly, almost back to what it was before the crisis.
China is back on its feet and ready to keep the economy pumping, for better or worse. While the west is boiling over, China has seen 0 new infections in the past five days. I am embarrassed at how negligent Europe and the US have handle the outbreak of this virus. While China was in crisis mode none of the elected officials in the west took action to prevent the spread, even though they basically had the chance to act as early as January or February.
I was even able to sign up for a marathon race that, god willing, takes place on 2nd March in Baozhou, Hebei. The best is that Eli is back with us in Hangzhou and adds so much fun and joy to our little family.
- 25 books
Finally finished War & Peace. A good book, but not one of my favorites. Now despite my plan to start a short book, I picked up the massive biography of German Chancellor Willy Brandt. It reads very well, but 800+ pages will take time.
- run 2 marathons, one sub 4h, one sub 3h
I’ve built a good aerobic base in the last few months, but can feel my body screaming on the long-runs. My long run last Sunday was excruciatingly painful. I actually planned to run somewhere between 22 - 28k, but took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up with a good 31k. I still haven’t fixed my hydration problem. I need to get a camelback or handheld bottle to carry more water on my long runs. I have already reached my March goal today and am excited to see with how many km I can finish this month. My new goal is 300km. My updated training log.
- visit Germany once
No update.
- go on a bare-bones camping holiday with Jade & Eli
No update.
- sleep 7 to 8 hours per night, aim to be in bed by 9:30pm
I am doing excellent on this goal. Even last weekend, when Eli was finally back with us in Hangzhou I got at least 7 hours. It feels a little weird sometime to go to sleep at 9pm so that I can wake up for my morning run at 5:15am, but my body and mind sure thank me for the healthy lifestyle.
- use a scale to check my weight every day
When in Ningbo I get my measurements in. On the weekend I mostly forget about it which is fine. I measure my blood pressure during the week as well and am constantly above 120 & 80. I found that if I measure my heart pressure later in the day the pressure is within the norm. I think blood pressure is raised right after I wake up because of my fight or flight instinct responding to the phone alarm ringing.
- do not use my phone within 90 minutes of waking up or going to bed
Doing good. It’s not even a challenge anymore at this stage.
- earn a promotion
Let’s see. I am thinking of several possibilities once completing one year in service at my Hooya
- write weekly progress of 2020 goals every Monday
I am not hitting the target day, but at least I write an update weekly.
goals now running family focus writing resolutions update resolutions2020