How to set running goals
And then actually make them happen.
Setting goals for your running is fun. It’s a chance to ask ourselves what it is we really want to do and maybe imagine a faster, more disciplined version of our future selves. It’s the fun bit before all the hard work happens, and because it’s fun to imagine ourselves in six or 12 months’ time with the PBs or race medals we’ve always wanted, we can sometimes miss out vital stages of setting goals that will allow us to actually make them happen.
Why set goal for your running?
To me, having a goal for my running is like having a compass. It helps me make decisions about my running and racing for the year and helps me plan out what I’m doing from week to week. You don’t have to have a goal for your running at all, but I’d argue that even if you have no intention of racing or trying to get faster in the next 12 months, you still have a goal of some sort.
No runner wants to get injured, so by default ‘not getting injured’ is a goal we all share and one we’d do well to take steps to make happen rather than just assuming that it will take care of itself. Keeping running or running more regularly - even enjoying running more - can all be seen as goals and need some thought if you want to turn them from a hope into a reality.