Goal Setting For Runners
One thing I can tell you to be true, I talk to a lot of runners. And most of those runners have big goals for themselves. They usually sound something like this:
Finish a half marathon in under 2 hours.
Do a 5k
Qualify for Boston
Complete my first 50 mile race
Break an hour in the 10k
Goals are important. They give your training a purpose. Something to focus on.
Something that is tangible to accomplish as a result of all the training.
Now, if someone comes to me with a 4 hour PB in the marathon, and they want to qualify for Boston and their qualifying time is 3:15.
Is it possible? Absolutely!
It is realistic if you've got a year or two or even three to train.
I'll share with you that it took me a year two years to cut 47 minutes off my marathon time. I initially tried to do it in one year, and I ended up injured and didn't make it to the start line. During that year, I can tell you that the toll it took on my body was not a lot of fun. I spent a lot of time with my physiotherapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, and naturopathic doctor. To deal with my overtraining syndrome, IT band, runner's knee, plantar fasciitis, you name it, and I got it during that training cycle.
I'm never going to tell someone that their goal is unachievable, because probably it is within reach. The big question is when will you reach your goal?
How do you get Faster?
With running, to meet your goals, what you really need to look at is driving incremental improvements in your fitness. To increase your cardiovascular capacity and physical durability.
Ultimately this is done by raising your lactate threshold and your V02 max. By increasing muscle strength, tendon strength, and bone density. All that takes time because you are causing a physical change in the makeup of your body.
Setting Running Goals
When you are setting running goals, you should be chasing self-improvement, doing better than you did before, and focusing on driving the physical changes that make you a better runner.
Given enough time, by focusing on driving the physical changes, any time goals you have in mind will take care of themselves.
You will get that BQ, or the sub two hour half marathon, how long it will take you to get there is the piece of the puzzle that is harder to pin down.
What if you came to me and I told you it was going to take a year, or more, to reach your goal?
Would you have the patience and persistence to reach your goal? Would you stop trying to go out and run a crazy fast (for you) pace every time you put your shoes on? And put aside the immense pressure you have to run a certain pace? After all, nobody needs to run “x” pace in “x” amount of time.
There are no deadlines, and getting faster isn’t just something you go out and do and then are done. It requires lifestyle changes, new habits, and a shift in mindset. That’s the only way you will be able to consistently put in the work, to make the incremental improvements in your body that will allow you to get faster.
Marketing habit building and mindset changs isn’t easy. Because it’s not exciting or sexy. I know you will see training plans out there that are for a “4-hour marathon” or a “1:30 half marathon”, ect. They sure sound good, don’t they? That’s how they sell, do this plan for 12 weeks and you will meet your goals and your life will change. But, how many success stories do you hear from people that used that particular plan? (if you find one, keep looking, and when you can show me 10 I’ll start to think about believing the promise they make about the plan).
Thinking about what you just read, does it change your perspective on the running goals you have set for yourself?
I’ve put together a lits of the top 12 training strategies that heve helped runners boost their performance. I've discovered the stuble nuances that make a BIG difference in the success of runners who meet their goals versus the ones who struggle. With all these athletes successes, I wanted to know:
This question uncovered some golden nuggets, and now I'm sharing them all with you.