7 things to remember this year
Do you have new running goals this year? Keep these principles in mind to achieve them in a healthy, sustainable way
This is the time of year when a lot of runners are thinking about their spring running goals and racing plans. Maybe you’re tackling your first 10K or half-marathon, or perhaps you’ve set an ambitious time goal for your next marathon. Whatever you hope to accomplish this year, keep these principles at the top of your mind to avoid burnout, enjoy your training and ultimately, achieve success.
Don’t believe the arrival fallacy
The arrival fallacy is a term coined by Harvard lecturer and psychology expert, Tal Ben-Shahar. It is the illusion that once we reach our goal, we’ll achieve lasting happiness. A lot of runners believe that when they finally run that sub-four hour marathon, break 40 minutes in the 10K, or achieve whatever standard they’ve set for themselves, they’ll finally be happy, but as anyone who’s ever experienced the post-race blues knows, this isn’t the case.
Inevitably, your achievement will lose some of its luster as you shift your focus to a new goal, which is why it’s important to learn to enjoy the process of working toward that goal. Doing so will give you everyday fulfillment, and help you feel happier. If your training feels more like a chore than an enjoyable activity, perhaps your goal this year should not be an outcome of a race, but to learn how to enjoy your runs and workouts more.
Motivation (and mood) follows action
It’s a mistake to wait for motivation to strike before you head out for your run, head to the gym or hop on your foam roller. You also don’t need to feel good before you finally get going. Motivation proceeds action, and more often than not, you need to get going to give yourself a chance at feeling good, not the other way around.
Trust your training
So many runners sabotage themselves on race day by questioning whether they ran enough mileage, did enough workouts and generally worked hard enough to achieve their goal. No matter how many ups and downs you had during training, when you step onto that start line, trust that you did what you could. Relax, do your best and try to enjoy the experience.
Do what you can with what you have, starting where you’re at
If you’re starting the year coming off a long layoff due to injury or otherwise, or if you’re simply not where you thought you’d be by now, it’s OK. It’s also OK if your life circumstances have changed and you no longer have the same time to commit to training that you once had. Don’t compare yourself today to your past self, and do your best with the time and resources that you do have.
Push hard, but have self-compassion
Runners can often become addicted to achievement. Setting goals is an excellent practice, but it can become negative when we start running ourselves into the ground in order to achieve them. Listen to your body and give yourself breaks when you need them — it will make the whole process more enjoyable.
Don’t over-complicate things
It’s easy to get bogged down in complex training philosophies and fancy workouts, but in most cases, doing the simple things with consistency and discipline is what will ultimately get you to where you want to be.
Have patience
Progress is never linear, and there will be times when you’re putting in the work but not seeing the improvement you were hoping for. When you’re working toward a goal, remember to have patience and trust that if you keep showing up, you will eventually reap the reward for your hard work.
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