Goals

With so many upcoming changes to social media platforms, I realize that I have come to rely on things like Instagram and Facebook to get my thoughts out. More and more than has meant limiting what I write down due to the general limitations of those sites and the fact that Instagram is great for photos, but I realize that a lot of people probably don't read everything written down there. I certainly won't stop using them as a means of sharing stuff I do, but I want to get back to the old blog to write down longer stuff, so that I can actually explain what I mean and not get into a weird conversation with a stranger about why I am wrong (probably because I had to limit what I said and didn't cover things correctly).  The socials will be for short quips and pretty pictures.

Anyway, it is January of 2025, so let's talk goals. I don't specifically mean my goals (though I will add a touch on that). I mean having goals in general when it comes to athletics. 

When I chat with people about sports either online or in person, as a coach or just some dude, I find that the idea of a goal is often not there. Generally the notion of "just finish it" comes up. The idea of just making it to the finish is certainly not "not a goal" and is in no way a bad concept, but for many it can mean a lack of focus when it comes to training. And a lack of focus can sometimes get us into trouble. 

The concept of a training plan is to help focus an athlete, so what they are doing makes sense and limits the risks, especially of injury. This is definitely a bigger concern once the notion of longer distance events starts to become more exciting, (things that take over 2 hours or perhaps even all day events like Ultras). 

Athletes that didn't start until they were adults often lack the built in limiters to stop when things aren't going well and reassess (I know I certainly got injured enough in my 30s and 40s). Part of this is due to a lack of focus and a goal (which ideally should be realistic, though just a little beyond reach). 

Personally I like to have an A and  B goal for every event I am going to do (B is the minimum for success, A is when all the perfect parts come together for the perfect day), even if it is a for fun event. This allows me the notion of stepping back if things aren't going well (during training or the day of) while still feeling some satisfaction that I achieved what I needed. That goal should almost always be one that you control, as in do not attach it to how another person does in the event or during training. If your goal is to beat someone you need to realize that you have now given away a lot of the control of your success. The success of winning (the race or your age class etc...) is great, but is just a handful of candy compared to achieving the results you trained for. 

Chat it out with your fellow runners, your coach, your partner. Find the balance to make the goal a reality in your life. Realize that just because you aren't going for PRs or podiums that goals can still be the best way to focus on making the sport you are in a little more fun.

Now, my goals coming up are focused around getting to the end of the Weekend at Wentworth Miler in June in under 24 hours. It is a lofty goal for my first attempt that that distance. I know my back up is 36 hours, so I have a safety net, but I will aim for my big goal for sure. I will blog about that training soon. 

My first checkpoint towards that goal was achieved this past Christmas, as I attempted my first ever 100 miler week. I achieved it in 7 days of aiming for at least 23 km a day.  I worked toward that week for 2 months, as was rewarded with not only hitting that level of running, but also doing so and feeling really good, able to keep my regular training as soon as I finished. While it was a challenge, it was not something that broke me.