The New Year is almost here, and it’s time to set some running goals for 2015!
Setting Running Goals
There are few things more satisfying than setting a goal and totally dominating it! 🙂 The nice thing about running is that it allows you to set precisely measured goals, i.e. beat 22:00 minutes for the 5K distance. It’s pretty easy to determine whether you achieved your goal or not! There are so many different goals you can set. You can aim for a mileage goal, race PR, number of races, etc. There are so many possibilities!
A, B, and C Goals
One tactic I like to use is setting A, B, and C goals. It’s a way of making your goals reasonable and achievable. Training doesn’t always go as planned, injuries happen, and sometimes things just don’t work out the way you thought they would. It helps to have your “A” goal– the goal you most want to achieve, your “B” goal– a goal you would be happy with if you didn’t hit “A,” and your “C” goal– this is the goal you will strive for if something like an injury pops up in your training.
Measuring Your Progress
Once you have decided on a goal for 2015, make sure you have a way of tracking your progress. You can use one of the many running apps out there to track mileage, race times, etc. If you don’t want to use an app, you can create your own spreadsheet or keeping a good old-fashioned running log! I have some sample pages you can print out to create your own training binder.
Celebrate Your Goal with a Reward
Decide on a reward to give yourself for achieving your 2015 running goals. You can pick something like new running gear, race entries, or wine/beer whatever you think will really motivate you! You can choose one big reward on small ones for mini milestones along the way. I like to celebrate small goals to keep myself motivated. It’s what works for me, but everyone is different, so figure out which would work better for you.
What are YOUR running goals for 2015? Let’s hear ’em!
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