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A word on Goals
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
Strategies for Setting Realistic Goals
by Ujena Fit Club Coach Barry Anderson Goals can play a vital role in many aspects of our lives—and running and fitness are no exception. Setting unrealistic goals, however, can become demoralizing and lead to such frustration that many will eventually give up entirely. It is also possible to set goals that are not challenging enough which will stifle progress. Goal setting does not necessarily have to do with performances in races, or efforts to reach personal best times for various distances. Though those are excellent types of goals, many will benefit from starting their goal setting based on other criteria. For instance, someone just beginning a running or exercise program may focus more on weekly mileage or number of workout days per week. It is also helpful to write your goals down either in your training log or somewhere that you can review them on a regular basis. Comments and Feedback
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,,,,, | Photo: Setting goals can help things happen. Bob Anderson (Red) has set a one year goal of running 50 races averaging less than 7 minutes/mile. So far so good...race number 23 above. Marin Memorial 10k May 28. (At left) The start of the 10k in Marin. Then, you should also set intermediate goals that relate directly to your progress toward your long-range goal. These goals will serve as periodic benchmarks throughout the year to measure your progress—and possibly indicate the need to modify your long-range goal. Finally, establish immediate goals that will help you establish what you wish to achieve in your workouts each day. |