1. What is your goal?
This of course is the very beginning. What do you want out of this? Do you want to get in shape? Do you want to run a certain distance? Do you want to cross off an item off of your bucket list? Any of these are all great goals, you just need to spell it out and make sure you have enough time to complete the goal! If you want to run a marathon with no prior training, that will not happen in 3 weeks-no matter how hard you try.
I suggest starting slow (training for a 5k) then building up to a 10k, half and full. I did not do this and definitely paid the price for it.
Once you have a vague idea on what your goal will be, It is time to get SMART.
As I teach the students I work with, if you make a goal it needs to be SMART
- SPECIFIC
- MEASURABLE
- ATTAINABLE
- REASONABLE
- TIMELY (or TIME-BOUND)
So let's run through a scenario to show you how to make SMART goals.
Example: Let's say you want to run the Tinkerbell half marathon (AP/DVC sign up is Aug 6th and regular signup August 13th and you will be eligible for the pink coast to coast if you always run the 2015 Princess Half Marathon).
- S-I want to run a half marathon and have chosen the 2015 Tinkerbell Half Marathon to meet this goal. I need to sign up in August.
- M-I will sign up in August to run in May 2015.
- A-as long as I am signed up, train well, I can do it.
- R- Getting a training plan that works for me (more on this next week!), will help me finish the race
- T- I have 9 months to prepare-ample time. After 9 months, I will have successfully completed the 2015 Tinkerbell Half Marathon
So saying-I want to run a half marathon is great but you need the goal to be SMART to make it achievable.
Next week will talk about picking a training plan that works for you. Training is also an integral part of the plan to have a successful race.
FUTURE TOPICS:
2. Training Plan
3. Gear
4. Form
5. Nutrition
6. Sleep
7. Time to Run
8. Fuel
9. Race Day
10. The future
11. Misc
Have you had any success with making a SMART goal?