Since I started running, I was always told that its important to have a goal. That's the only way a runner stays motivated and keeps leaving the house in running shoes. So when I first started, my goals were fairly simple, but important goals for any new runner none the less. I set goals like, making it through a 5km without walking, or breaking 30minutes for a 5km or even just to run twice a week. Slowly but surely I started reaching all the goals I was setting and I found myself setting more challenging ones. I set distance goals as well as time goals. Some goals I reached quicker than others. For example, I ran my first 21.1km race in February 2010 and Two Oceans half marathon in April 2010. However, it took me a lot longer to reach the goal of breaking 2hours for a 21.1.km. I finally did it in September 2010. It was so worth the wait and hard work! After Two Oceans in April I needed to set a new goal, something new to work towards. So I decided on that day that I would run the 32km RAC Tough One in November. It seemed very far in advance to be making these decisions, but I knew I would have to work pretty hard to break 2 hours for a 21 first, before I could attempt such a challenging race. So it all started falling into place. I ran the 32km in 3:14 and set a new goal almost immediately. Next challenge...Pick n Pay full marathon, 42.2km, in February 2011. And I did it! Along the way I set short term goals for myself as well, things like breaking 25minutes for a 5km, improving my time at Time Trial and breaking 50minutes for a 10km. All these short term goals kept me training for the long term one! Now, after running two full marathons and then setting the goal of not running for a few months, I need some new challenges. Short term goals...there are so many! Breaking 1:45 for a 21.1km, breaking 23minutes for a 5km, consistently running a sub 18minute 4km Time Trial, running five times a week, not getting injured, hill training at least once a week, the list goes on and on! Long term goals- there are just as many...32km Tough One in November in hopefully a sub 3:10, a sub 4hour marathon early in 2012, first ultra marathon - Two Oceans 56km in April 2012 and ultimately, Comrades in June 2012. I've yet to set a goal that I did not achieve, but the reality is it could happen. But even if I don't manage to reach all these goals, its the trying that keeps me running!
Since I started running, I was always told that its important to have a goal. That's the only way a runner stays motivated and keeps leaving the house in running shoes. So when I first started, my goals were fairly simple, but important goals for any new runner none the less. I set goals like, making it through a 5km without walking, or breaking 30minutes for a 5km or even just to run twice a week. Slowly but surely I started reaching all the goals I was setting and I found myself setting more challenging ones. I set distance goals as well as time goals. Some goals I reached quicker than others. For example, I ran my first 21.1km race in February 2010 and Two Oceans half marathon in April 2010. However, it took me a lot longer to reach the goal of breaking 2hours for a 21.1.km. I finally did it in September 2010. It was so worth the wait and hard work! After Two Oceans in April I needed to set a new goal, something new to work towards. So I decided on that day that I would run the 32km RAC Tough One in November. It seemed very far in advance to be making these decisions, but I knew I would have to work pretty hard to break 2 hours for a 21 first, before I could attempt such a challenging race. So it all started falling into place. I ran the 32km in 3:14 and set a new goal almost immediately. Next challenge...Pick n Pay full marathon, 42.2km, in February 2011. And I did it! Along the way I set short term goals for myself as well, things like breaking 25minutes for a 5km, improving my time at Time Trial and breaking 50minutes for a 10km. All these short term goals kept me training for the long term one! Now, after running two full marathons and then setting the goal of not running for a few months, I need some new challenges. Short term goals...there are so many! Breaking 1:45 for a 21.1km, breaking 23minutes for a 5km, consistently running a sub 18minute 4km Time Trial, running five times a week, not getting injured, hill training at least once a week, the list goes on and on! Long term goals- there are just as many...32km Tough One in November in hopefully a sub 3:10, a sub 4hour marathon early in 2012, first ultra marathon - Two Oceans 56km in April 2012 and ultimately, Comrades in June 2012. I've yet to set a goal that I did not achieve, but the reality is it could happen. But even if I don't manage to reach all these goals, its the trying that keeps me running!
No comments:
Post a Comment