My best friend and I will both turn 30 in 2005.

Earlier this year we declared 2004 to be Y29, or "The Year of the 29." The year was going to be the year we both took risks, made big changes and generally were fierce and kicked ass. Sort of like our own version of "Girls Gone Wild" except for all the nudity and promiscuity.

I can't say that Y29 has turned out to be such a sparkling spectacle of hedonism and self-improvement, but I still have five more months left until my Y29 clock runs down.

And I am feeling a bit dogged by the fact that several times in my 20s I've made a pledge along the lines of "By the time I'm 30 I'll know what it's like to feel fit."

New Year's resolutions aren't a tradition with me, so instead I'm going to chart some health goals for the next five months.

Here we go:

Fitness Goals

• Enjoy the heck out of my current physical capacity and skills.
  
• Be grateful for my health
  
• New Year's Day ride with local bike group
  
• Complete a January 5k charity race
  
• Join the local running club in February and participate in their twice-weekly evening runs.
  
• At least once join the Thursday night Urban Assault bike ride through downtown.
  
• Continue weekly weight training, but change up the routine at the beginning of every month.
  
• Snowshoe a long trail in March during the family reunion in Colorado.
  
• Run/walk six-mile dirt trail at local park.
  

Things I'd like to do that are contingent on financial and transportation logistics:

• Austin Danskin Sprint Triathlon.
  
• Sculling course in Austin over three weekends.
  
• Eight-week salsa class
  
• Weekend camping trips at local parks with hikes of 6 miles or longer.
  
• Rejoin old cycling group for their long weekend rides.
  
• Work on organic farm for one week.
  
  
  

Food goals

• Serve myself smaller portions, and then decide if I want more.
  
• Eat slower.
  
• Pay attention to satiety signals.
  
• Practice throwing away or storing uneaten food; explore mental block regarding this issue.
  
• No category of food is forbidden.
  
  
  

Mental health goals

• Don't weigh myself until beginning of February
  
• Moratorium on diet books
  
• Perform one charitable activity per month.
  
• Cancel television subscription in February for at least 30 days, then reevaluate.