Week 7 of #FinishYear ends today. Here is this week’s update on several of my goals. This past week I was finally able to start picking up my mileage and get back into running, and I finished reading a book that I’ve be slowly reading for almost a month now. I’m still on track with all my goals for the year, but the one I’m most excited about reaching is becoming debt free in just a few short months. Between my tax refund and an extra paycheck next month, achieving that goal is becoming very real to me.

Now for the summary of my goals this week.

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Just finished up week 6 of #FinishYear. Here’s my progress for the week. My biggest improvement this week was in the area of mileage. I’m back to running three days a week now.

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1. Complete 500 miles by running/walking/elliptical this year.

Logged 4.29 miles in the last week. Both runs were outside and felt really good. Pulled out a 9:18 mile for the first mile in my second run. That’s one of my better first mile times.

4. Read 15 books.

I need to pick up “Rework” and finish it. Haven’t touched it in a week.

5. Hand-write all of Proverbs.

Missed Saturday this week. It’s the first time I’ve missed a day. I was driving to Tupelo and didn’t get in until really late and just went right to bed.

7. Become debt free.

Cashed out a CD last week and made extra money this weekend on a freelance gig. Final payoff might be in April now. Might make the final payment on my 25th birthday. That would be a great way to celebrate!

Today marks the beginning of the fifth week of FinishYear. If you haven’t been following along and don’t know what the FinishYear is, read my first post about it and catch up on my progress so far.

1. Complete 500 miles by running/walking/elliptical this year.

Since last week I’ve run another 4.6 miles. I keep having little twinges of pain in my right shin, so I haven’t been able to increase my mileage the way I’d like to. I’ve also logged another 3.7 miles on the stationary bike and 0.7 miles on the elliptical. I had a lot going on last week and didn’t make it to the gym as many days as I normally do. That brings me to 20.85 miles so far. Leaving me with 11 months to log 479.15 miles. Better get moving soon!

4. Read 15 books.

I slowed down after finishing The Hunger Games series. I started “Rework” last week and I’m only about halfway through it. I’m well on track to finish 15 books this year, so no need to rush things.

5. Hand-write all of Proverbs.

Day 29 and I haven’t missed a day yet. I’m almost done with the first 9 chapters of Proverbs. Should be done with this around the beginning of April.

6. Tithe regularly.

I realized this week while working on my debt payoff plan that I needed to make some adjustments to tithing. I was forgetting to tithe out of my freelance income. It’s not much money, but it doesn’t matter what the income is, I still need to give 10% of it.

7. Become debt free.

I’m down to two student loans: $3,813.35 to the Department of Education and $4,931.39 to Nelnet. I had a couple of checks from freelance work in December and January that I put towards the Nelnet loan. That is a bit off course for the debt snowball method, but getting under the $4000 mark on that loan is a a mental goal just to make it seem it seem more achievable.

1. Complete 500 miles by running/walking/elliptical this year.

I began running again last week and it was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a run more than those two runs. I added another 8.57 miles this week between the elliptical, treadmill, and the road. Still have to take it easy for a couple more weeks with the running to really make sure my shin is healed.

3. Complete two more 5ks, my first 10k, and my first half marathon this year.

The Nashville half-marathon is back on the radar, but still just a small blip out on the edge of the screen. I kind of want to do the Disney half-marathon in the fall if I can’t do the one in Nashville.

4. Read 15 books.

Completed two more books this week. The third book of “The Hunger Games” series, and “The Fault in Our Stars”. I’m starting “Rework” tonight.

5. Hand-write all of Proverbs.

I’m about halfway through Proverbs 7 and haven’t missed a day yet. There are some odd verses in Proverbs.

7. Become debt free.

Took my parents to see Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover LIVE” yesterday. And I won a free Financial Peace University kit, but I’ve already gone through FPU. My parents are going to take it home with them. I also paid off the third-to-last loan on Saturday morning, leaving me with just two more loans. I ran some numbers for my debt snowball the other night and it looks like I’ll be able to finish off all my loans in May instead of November, which is incredible. I can’t wait to be debt free this year!