As a goal race approaches, it’s always a good idea to have a clear race objectives in mind. But, how do you determine what’s a “good” goal to set? It’s great to have lofty aspirations that might be slightly out of reach at the moment, but could be attainable if you’re patient. But, it’s important to understand that a goal that’s too challenging has the potential to cause you to over train, push your body harder than it’s ready for, and leave you feeling defeated and dissatisfied.
Therefore, it’s key to set SMART goals: ones that are specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and timely. Additionally, your goals should have a personal aspect to them to make them meaningful.
- Be specific. Having a generic goal like I want to run faster, or I want to run more is fine, but it doesn’t spark the fire. Set some precise goals to help keep you on track. If you want to run faster in a distance you’ve run before, set a goal that’s a few minutes faster and adjust your training to try and hit that goal. If you’ve been training by solely doing easy runs, maybe set a goal that every Tuesday you’re going to do hill repeats, a fartlek, or intervals. Use a definitive target to guide you to reaching those aspirations.
- Be realistic. You know where your current fitness level is, and where it can be after months of training. If you’re sensible while establishing your goals, they will be more attainable. Jumping from a 2:30 half-marathon to a 1:30 half marathon probably won’t happen in a single build, but that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Chip away at your goals and re-evaluate after each new benchmark. Work on getting form a 2:30 half marathon, to a 2:25 and so on. Those smaller victories need to be celebrated as they’ll fuel the fire to keep training and hit the next target.
- Have a time element. Setting long term goals like wanting to qualify for the Boston Marathon by 2020 are great, but are so far away it’s hard to remain motivated for that long. On the other hand, setting out to beat your personal best in a race three weeks from now that you haven’t adequately prepared for isn’t a good idea either. Set goals that you can work towards and accomplish within 3-6 months. This allows enough time to build, focus, and keep the goal within reach. Remember to set mini goals within that time frame too. At the end of each week, or every couple weeks look back over your training and see if you’re still on track to reach your main goal. Re-evaluate if necessary by either making the goal harder or easier depending on where your training indicates you should be.
- Keep yourself accountable and motivated. It’s your personal effort and dedication that is going to be the determiner of if you do/don’t achieve your goals. If your work life is busy, set a goal to get your training done in the morning so if you’re kept at work late, you don’t miss a training session. Find people with similar goals and use them as support. Meeting up with a friend or group will hold you accountable too. Furthermore, tell your close friends and family your goals. By voicing what you want to accomplish, you will solidify your goal as people will become interested and will ask how your progress is going. They’re your support team, so use them. If anyone else asks what you’re working on and you’re reluctant to tell them, don’t be afraid to under-promise and then over-deliver.
- Make your goals personal. These goals are for you and you alone. At the end of the day, no one else is bothered if you missed a run; well they might be if you’re irritable as a result. No one else can set your goals for you either. Coaches will provide advice on what they think you can achieve and what it’ll take to get there, but you have to be the one buying in. Determine what you want to accomplish the most, and make the necessary lifestyle changes to make that dream a reality.
