Setting Goals

Do you find it hard setting running goals?

Is there anything holding you back, preventing you from setting your stall out and having something tangible, purposeful, and inspiring to aim for?

We know enough to know that goals should be defined and refined, but this takes effort; you really need to think hard about how you define and refine your goals, where do you even start?

You might still be convincing yourself that you’re not a real runner so why would you need real running goals to work towards, but don’t we all need a bit of motivation?

If you run you are a runner…….

Goals such as wanting to run faster or longer are the usual standard response in the running world and often if your goal isn’t defined you could end up with far too many “flibbertigibbet” goals leading to a difficulty in finely tuning just one. This often results in you “chasing too many rabbits” and not getting what you want or really deserve.

If you run, you are a runner, and if you have a goal, it should be YOUR goal, and not anyone else’s. Once you’re inspired by your goal, you’ll start paving the way to having the freedom of knowing where you want to go. 

Where are you right now?

But to get there, you need to know where you are right now, without exaggeration or modesty and with complete honesty. And this is the hard part because at times we can be paralysed by where we used to be or where our friend is or even where our nemesis is, all of which arepotential barriers to success.

“Why don’t I already have XYZ goal?”

The first part of the goal setting process is to ask yourself “Why don’t I already have XYZ goal?”

You could start by writing down what could have held you back in the past, for example sacrifices you felt you had to make that prevented your from going to a training session, kids, jobs etc, or sessions that you felt you didn’t belong in, or pleasing other people and putting them first before your needs. 

Have a think…..

It could be that you “don’t” run in the rain or the dark or the heat……. You might wake up feeling tired so you convince yourself that you need a rest day (this is a hard one because how do you know if you need to rest or it’s just an excuse?), or you change the session on the plan because it’s a session you don’t like.

Think about whether In the past you have given yourself every chance to succeed including having support, rest, sleep or eating all the right food and/or hydrating enough the week before a big race. Or did you drink too much alcohol, eat rubbish, stay up late, wear the wrong trainers, socks, t-shirt, bra, pants…. knowing that all of these variables would have an impact on race day…….but you did them anyway.

Are you scared of doing your absolute best?

Of giving it your all to only achieving mediocrity? Could you be potentially self-sabotaging your efforts to re-enforce your belief system of not being “good enough”? I know I have in the past.

And these are big questions that could trigger uncomfortable feelings, however, sometimes you need to feel uncomfortable to start to know where you want to go. And it isn’t as simple as setting a goal for a time on the clock. I really believe who you become whilst achieving your goal is the goal.  How does the person, the runner you aspire to be behave? What does their training look like? How do they do it and what is preventing you from becoming the runner that you could be?

If you feel ready to really look at what you want to achieve, you could start by answering these questions below, you can write them down on a seperate piece of paper, or send them to me to start a conversation; whatever you do with your answers, it’s a good place to start.

You can be scared and brave at the same time.

*Questions adapted from Snow, Andrew. Run Elite: Train and Think Like the Greatest Distance Runners of All Time (p. 68). White Tip Publishing. It’s a useful tool to start thinking about what achieving your goal will mean to you.