Tuesday, March 14, 2017

My New Running Goal (Tuesdays on the Run Edition)

So as I have been running I get thinking (as everyone does).  I really haven't had a lust for running and really don't have a goal race this year.  I'm signed up for the Ukrop's 10k and the Star Wars Dark Side Weekend but my goal is to just have fun during these races.  So as I have been running I've come up with a new goal.  It's not big or anything, but it's something for me to work towards.


For my midweek run I have a 3, 4, and 5 mile loop that I can do in my neighborhood.  I've been doing these loops since I started running.  When I started running I didn't know anything from anything.  I didn't know about dry-fit clothing, GPS watches, running blogs, or even the walk/run method.  While I didn't know anything about the walk/run method, I naturally started out that way.  I would run the down hills and walk everything else.  I built up my running by not only running the down hills, but also the flat parts.  And then before I knew it, I was running the whole 3 miles, including those nasty hills.

So why am I getting into how I started running, when I'm talking about goals?  I had always ran my midweek runs, weather they were 3, 4, or 5 miles, then on my long runs I would do a walk/run.  Over the past two years, I have lost the ability to run the full 3 miles and would walk/run them.  I think some of that had to do with marathon/Dopey training.  Some of it came from gaining weight.  But once I started to walk/run the midweek runs, I just continued to do so.

I now want to build myself back up to running the full 3 miles (and 4 and 5 as I get up to that).  I want to be able to run my midweek runs like I used to.  For the past few weeks I have been working up to it without even thinking about it being a goal.  And now that I am getting closer, I know I can do it.

What is funny is that I'm going back to the way I did things in the beginning.  Even after all my years and knowledge, I go back to what I know and what I know works.  I have been walk/running the first mile as a warm up and then skipping walk breaks for the last two miles.  Run the downhills even if I'm on a walk break.  Now I'm not only skipping the walk breaks if I'm on a down hill or flat part, but I'm skipping them on some of the hills.  I push through even though I'm out of breath and want to stop.  I know I can keep going.

I know it will take me another month or so to get there naturally and not to push myself, but it's a small goal to work on.  Then maybe from there I can work on the 4 and 5 mile loops.  I know it's a silly small goal, but it is what I've started to work towards in the last couple of weeks.  I am still not wanting to do a lot of long distances this year, so this is a perfect small goal for right now.  Maybe it will help me with my 10k time for my Disney proof of time.

Do you make yourself non-race goals?  Do you like to set smaller goals instead of bigger ones?






10 comments:

  1. YES! I think non racing goals are so good, because they can keep you focused on the small steps of the running journey every day! :)

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  2. This is a great goal! I've been thinking about goals like this instead of race day goals as there ends up begin so much out of our control on race day.

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    1. Yes, way too much is out of your control on race day. I just want to have fun no matter what.

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  3. I do non race goals all the time. This winter it was all about not taking the easy route all the time and doing the tough stuff and the hills. Really has made me a stronger runner!

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    1. I love to hate hills. It's great especially when your race is flat. :)

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  4. This is NOT a silly goal at all! I've been thinking along these same lines lately too. I want to keep running but I don't want to put in the effort to become "faster", just consistent and injury free and enough to enjoy races. Some may think "why continue to run if you don't set goals" but that's just not where my life is right now. I don't care THAT much about running....hahah

    P.S, I love that picture!

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    1. That's exactly what I think. Yeah, the photographer did an amazing job. :)

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  5. It sounds like a great goal to build up your mileage! I have non-race goals all the time - I'm always trying to work on my consistency and increasing my cross-training!

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    1. Yes, cross training is always the one thing to work on. I always could do more squats. :)

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