Getting Started: Setting Goals

Once you make the decision has been to get off that couch and to start an exercise or running program it’s very important to put together some realistic goals for yourself.

The important word in the paragraph above is “realistic” because if you aren’t honest with yourself, the first month or so can lead to frustration, stress, disappointment and that means that you may find yourself giving up or just quitting.

So being able to look in the mirror and say, “I want to be able to”¦” and to finish that statement with a goal that is reachable is important.

Remember that you are allowed to also adjust your goals as you go along this journey. No one says “Well Mike you can set your goals only now and that’s it”¦no adjustments”¦no takeys back”¦now or never.”

Nonsense. Is that how life is? Certainly not. We go through life making adjustments all the time”¦we have to be flexible in order to get through the day, the week, the month, the year”¦through life.

The same holds for a running and/or exercising program.

So here are a few questions for you to ponder when taking up an exercise or running program:

“¢ What is the most important overall goal you are looking for?
“¢ Is your goal overall improvement in health?
“¢ Do you want to be able to run a certain distance?
“¢ Do you want to run a certain distance in a certain amount of time?
“¢ Do you want to lose weight?
“¢ Do you want to do a combination or all of the above?

One of the realistic areas we all have to consider when setting goals with an exercise or running program is to understand exactly what our limitations are and that is something that is different for everyone. So for instance, this year I am setting a long-term goal for myself, and to meet that goal by setting short-term goals as well.

For instance, the long-term goal is to improve my half-marathon pace. So I am looking for a certain pace range for that distance. Is it realistic? Yes because in the past I have come within 30 seconds of that pace so it’s doable.

Is there a way to put together short-term goals to help me reach that long-term goal? I think so.

I know I cannot go out tomorrow and run a half marathon in a certain amount of time”¦maintain a certain pace”¦but over the past month I have been slowly building up my stamina and conditioning to hit that goal pace mark on shorter distances. I have a plan over the next six months to gradually look at how often I will run and how I will gradually add not just the distance but incorporate the pace for which I want to eventually run for a half marathon.

So I am being realistic about not just how long it will take me to achieve this goal and whether or not it’s achievable but also realizing that along the way I need to set realistic and timely milestones so that I am making progress along the way and feeling good about it.

For anyone starting off with a running program one of your first goals is to understand that it’s not going to be an overnight training session and that running is very much like a half or a full marathon”¦it takes a while to do it.

It’s a good idea to set milestone goals”¦for instance. If you have never run start simple and for the first several weeks walk and slow jog and every day add two to five more minutes to your workout.

Perhaps a short-term goal for you is to be able to run an entire mile without having to stop to walk”¦in a sense to build upon a foundation and to add a little each day.

One of the pitfalls we are all prone to is overdoing it and thus resulting in a setback. You don’t want to get into the rut of one step forward and two steps back”¦hence why it’s important to be realistic”¦especially early on.

Once you get into the rhythm of running and exercising routines your goals become both easier and realistic to establish.

For instance during the first month or two of your running program you will recognize how much you can add to your workout each day”¦understanding what is just right for you and also what is too much.

You will also recognize, as your body talks to you, what you will require for rest”¦this will vary and shift as your program goes along.

I’ve often been a fan of the “milestone chunking” approach mentioned above, which to me seems to be the safest and most realistic approach to training.

When you “chunk” you have two visions”¦a long-term vision, and in my opinion, much more importantly, a short-term vision that once you reach”¦allows you to set another short-term vision.

So here’s an example”¦going back to my plan for this year”¦I might as well stick to something I feel I can easily explain.

In my quest to run a half marathon within a certain pace, I recognize that this is a gradual process”¦thus I have set a thirty day plan for myself that says at the beginning of each month I hope to run an two miles further than I did at the beginning of the previous month”¦at the pace range I want.

That gives me 30 days to increase my mileage by 2 miles while maintaining the pace I want to achieve. This gives me the opportunity to take a gradual approach to this quest of mine.

Yes my long range vision has me focusing on a particular date to run a half marathon distance at that pace but I’m really ignoring that because I need to focus on the short-term goals and I know that if I can attain and meet those goals then I have a pretty good chance of reaching the long-term goal.

To that end I take the short-term goal”¦that monthly goal and break it down into weekly and even daily chunks so that it’s easier to see little pockets of progress.

Finally, think about what makes you happy and what you need to do along this journey to keep you going.

By happy I mean”¦RESULTS”¦.if you are realistic in your goals”¦that’s half the battle towards achieving success.

To help”¦why not figure out a way to check your progress”¦chart your training”¦perhaps join a tracking website like www.dailymile.com which will give you the opportunity to log your progress.

Seeing results is a great motivator in helping you get up every day and look forward to building towards your eventual long-term goal”¦your long-term realistic goal.

So”¦be real”¦.be realistic.

If you are a member of Team AllEars join me in a discussion of goals on the Team AllEars FaceBook page.

If you would like to become a member of the Team AllEars Running team please send an email to Team AllEars Co-Captain Michelle Scribner-MacLean at [email protected].

Remember, the only way to run is to run with purpose.