Get
blurt out that they’re going to do a fun run or run a 1:30 half-marathon, and often they never get round to it. But the serious runner does their research, decides what they want to achieve and formulates a plan to get them there. Having a goal gives us a sense of purpose, and
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when we really want something we will pull out all the stops to make it happen. The place to start is deciding what we want to achieve. For many of us, this first hurdle is the hardest, and we soon find that if our heart isn’t in our goal, we’ll fail to follow through.
GET A VISION According to ‘focus’ expert Phil Olley (www.
PhilOlley.com), we must begin by looking at our life vision and working backwards. “When we look at the big picture, our goals become clearer,” says Phil, founder of The Focus Gym. “One person might see themselves on a podium collecting a medal for their country, while another might see themselves raising thousands of pounds for charity. “When you have a goal that compels you, you will take the action necessary to make it happen. Having that goal in your mind will give you purpose, especially on those cold, dark, wet mornings when it’s much easier to stay at home.”
WORK BACKWARDS As triathlete and clinical sports psychologist Dr Victor Thompson says, once the goal is set, we can then work backwards and break our goal up into smaller steps. “If you live in London and want to climb a mountain, your goal is to get to the top of the mountain,” says London-based Dr Thompson (
www.SportsPsychologist.com). “You need to work out how you’re going to get to the mountain, and then get started on a training schedule. Otherwise, climbing that mountain
22 n RUNNING FREE
GOAL SETTING Setting goals helps to order your mind, fine-tune your
training and perform at your best. But what to aim for – and how to set your goal – is a skill in itself. By Christine Fieldhouse
he ability to set – and work towards – goals is often the difference between the serious runner and someone who’s “having a go” at running. We all know people who, on the spur of the moment,
will remain a dream that’s never fulfilled. “Once we achieve some goals, we feel great
pride. We get a buzz out of organising something and completing it, as well as the physical buzz of the actual event. We get the endorphins from exercise and achievement, and we can share our stories with other competitiors.”
ATHLETES SETTING GOALS Many serious athletes can trace their success down to the goals they set at the start. Ironman triathlete Lisa Picton says setting goals gives her instant focus and helped her achieve far more. Without goals, Lisa, 36, who was first in her age group at Ironman UK in 2010, says it’s easy to “bumble on”. Russell Cox, who got third at Ironman UK last year, agrees – for him, having goals is an instant motivator. “It’s harder to train and keep fit when you don’t
have something to work towards,” says Russell, also a coach (
www.coachcox.co.uk). “Your goal should be challenging, but not impossible.”
“When we have a goal that compels us, we take action and make it happen”
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