Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Running Goal Setting


After a long involuntary hiatus, I am officially back to running track workouts!  Yesterday I did an early-morning interval session with my team and it went pretty well for a first workout back.

Long-time readers of this blog may note that I’ve made a number of “comebacks” over the past couple years, all with varying degrees of success.  I get better, then I get overexcited, then I get injured, then I recover(ish), then the cycle repeats…again and again and again.

But it’s time to break that cycle, and to do so I’m going to try something new (to me) – goal setting. I've never really done it before...and people say that accountability is a necessary part of achieving goals...so let's all do this together, shall we?

I’m taking a page from the super-official strategic plan style (i.e. goals, tactics, and measures of success), so here we go! I’ve listed them in order of priority.

Goal #1: To run uninjured for an extended period of time.
Tactics:
  • I will not run through pain.
  • I will maintain my supplementary training (yoga, pool, stretching, abs, foam rolling).
  • I will take weekly days off.
  • I will slowly increase my mileage, and avoid doing too much too soon
  • I will not do long runs more than 10 miles until I’m sure that’s a good and necessary idea.

Measure of Success: When I’ve not been injured for a while.

Goal #2: To maintain the distinction between commitment and obsession.
Tactics:
  • Take a day off when I really really don’t feel like running.
  • Remember to be grateful for the ability to run, and to love running even when it’s hard.
  • Anyone have any other ideas of how to do this one? Running/life balance tips???

Measure of Success: Running continuously makes me happy.

Short-Term Goal: Run the Jingle All the Way 8K (December 11) in under 33:00 (sounds random, but I ran an 8K back in May in 33:07, so I want to beat that time).
Tactics: 
  • Consistently attend track workouts leading up to the race.
  • Rest and prepare in the days before the race.
  • Don’t make excuses during the race – run hard!

Medium-Term Goals: Set a new PR in the 5K (current PR: 18:15). Race a 10K.
Tactic: 
  • If I can train uninjured for an extended period of time, I should be able to improve on my previous time. I’ve never run a 10K…so I should probably try that and see what happens.

Super Long-Term Goal: Run a marathon next fall.
Tactic: 
  • If I accomplish all the above goals, I might try for this one...maybe...

Do you set goals? Any tips for me? 

(I typed my name into Google and image searched -- clearly I have too much spare time -- on the first page is the above picture of me from sophomore year of high school! Crazy right??? The interwebs know all.)