With the new year upon us, it is a popular time for setting running goals or New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, it’s common to start off the year with the best of the intentions only to let our goals slip away as the weeks go by.
When it comes to running goals, this time of year adds additional challenges with the cold weather and short days. While we may set ambitious running goals on January 1st, it’s easy to put them off when the conditions are less than ideal. Rather than lose momentum, try some of these tips to stay focused and achieve your running goals this year.
1. Start a Journal
This can be as simple has a notebook, or you can purchase a training journal, or even set up an electronic tracking system. Whatever will work for you. The idea is to have a place to write down your workouts and how you felt. By writing things down you will hold yourself accountable and also have a way to look back on your progress.
2. Find your motivation
Take some time to explore your own personal motivation. Think about what has kept you motivated in the past. Why do you even want to achieve the goals that you picked? Do you need someone else to hold you accountable? Some people are motivated more by internal factors and others by external ones. You can take this quiz to see which category you fall into. Once you know how you are best motivated, then use that information to plan how you will reach your goals.
You may also like: 5 Exciting Running Goal Ideas that aren’t Races
3. Check in on your running goals
A year is a really long time, so plan some times to check in on your goals. Maybe once a month, or at the end of each week, or even every day if that works for you. Look at what is going well or what is not working, and make adjustments accordingly. If you don’t plan to check in on your goals it will be easy to forget about them.
4. Have a plan
How are you going to reach your running goals? A plan is key to making this happen. First, try to break down your goal into small steps so you know exactly what you will need to do to reach your goal. Then you can come up with a long term plan. Also, be willing to adjust your plan as needed throughout the year.
5. Reward yourself for achieving your running goals
Focus on any small accomplishments you make and reward yourself for them. For example, if your goal is to run 1,000 miles this year then you can plan to treat yourself to a pedicure every 100 miles or a massage every 300 miles. If your goal is to set a marathon PR you can celebrate completing a month of your training plan by going out for drinks with running friends. Acknowledging these smaller accomplishments will help you to stay focused and feel like your hard work is paying off.
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Need some help planning and tracking your running goals? Download my free goal planning worksheet!
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What running goals are you working towards this year?
How do you stay motivated throughout the year?
What is your favorite way to reward yourself?
Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs , and Laura Norris Running to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.
This is really practical advice! I’m not good about keeping a journal–I never have kept a running journal. Now I wish I had!
I usually start one in January and then forget to write in it by March or April!
It’s funny because even though blogging isn’t as popular as it used to be, I’m still doing it–my weekly recap is kind of how I journal my workouts. I do look back and read them from time to time, especially if I’m training for something.
That’s what I loved about my weekly recaps! I haven’t had time to do them lately but I keep track of my mileage in other places. I just don’t write details about how my workouts actually went.
Although I don’t have a running journal per se, I have always kept track of my miles on the “family” calendar LOL. I’m just not much of a digital/electronic gal. I’m trying a new system for 2018 with my blogging, though…actually planning out potential posts and keeping bullet points with future post ideas. As usual, I have to have this on an actual document in my hands, so I’m utilizing a weekly planner I got as a Christmas present.
I have a notebook I used for planning blogging stuff but I don’t write in it as often as I should!
I guess food and relaxation are how I reward myself after working hard!
Those are good rewards for sure!
I just read that article about motivation and tendencies. It was really interesting wasn’t it?!
It really is! I never thought about how different tendencies can affect our motivation.
Just this post alone has motivated me to focus on my main goal this year-get a sub 5 marathon finish time. Thanks!
Good luck with your goal!
My favorite thing about running is writing about it in my journal afterwards….haha
It’s definitely a nice feeling to write down the run after its over!
I love this! Having a plan makes it so much easier to actually stick to a routine. One thing I’d love to focus on this year is stretching and foam rolling regularly!
Those are great things to focus on! And I agree a plan is so helpful.
Omg I’ve had so many beautiful journals over the years. And eventually I slack on using them. Last year I don’t think I did one single running journal entry. This year I’m scrawling in my runs on a calendar and so far so good. haha! My only real running goal left is to complete the 6 world marathon majors and, besides a miracle, I won’t be running any this year. That makes it tough to set other goals.
I always start out the year writing my runs in a journal but I usually forget about it within a few months! I hope to stick with it more consistently this year.
I’m not really a goal setter but I do think a journal or planner works well for people – I love my planner just for regular work/life things – writing things down helps organize my brain and help me to remember to do what I intended to do!
Yes writing things down can be so helpful! I still have a notebook for that and then I like writing down my workout plans in my running journal.
I’ve never kept a journal, but I do keep track of my mileage. I do have to do better in the off season though. It’s easy to track mileage during training, but I find it difficult to keep at it when I’m not training for anything.
I agree it can be tough to keep track of everything when you’re not following a training plan!
Thanks for linking to my blog! It’s made a world of difference for me to stop thinking about reaching goals as all about will power and more about setting up your environment to make it easy to succeed.
I got way into my planner last year, mostly for planning my runs. I call it my adult sticker book. It’s kind of silly, but I find it totally motivating. and it makes it easier for me to see my runs in context with other stuff I have going on that week.
Journals or planners can be such a great way o stay motivated! Glad you found something that works for you.
This is great, actionable advice. I actually got a running journal for Christmas and can’t wait to use it…. I am also a fan of little rewards for reaching milestones/goals.
I love the feeling of starting a new journal at the beginning of the year!
Rewards are so key. And it sounds so much better than bribery, which it often is for me. Pedicure was a long time favorite but my 2017 year end was a yoga mat to make use of my foam roller to take better care of me.
I wish I was a paper journaling person, they’re so much prettier than Excel.
I go back and forth with excel vs a paper journal. Even when I use a paper one it doesn’t necessarily look “Pretty”!:)
I feel you. I took a New York Road Runners’ class the other night that involved worksheets . Not pretty, but something to the handwriting of it.
Great tips! I hope to run another marathon this year. It will be my 38th, but it’s been four years since my last. Though I follow a plan, and log my runs, I think using a journal might help me keep on track. Of course, I do spill all on my blog. 🙂
It’s always nice to have those blog posts to look back on! I can also track most of my runs through Instagram. But there is something nice about writing in a personal journal where you can really reflect on each run.
I like the idea of small rewards when you reach certain milestones. I’ve never done that, but I think for a new runner, it could make a big difference.
Just yesterday I saw many obviously new runners on my route. It’s nice to see and I hope they will stick to it for the rest of the year!
That’s always so nice to see! I don’t do many rewards either but I remember when I was starting out I used to use them for different milestones, and at the time it was motivating!
All tried & true ways to get after any goals, not just running!
Great point!
My weekly run down has become my journal of sorts. These are very practical tips. A year is a long time to set goals for and our bodies and our motivation can change. I like to find some key or goal races for the spring and fall and then create my plan on how to achieve them. One things we can all learned recently is how to be flexible with them
Oh yes, flexibility is so important!
My blog is the best way for me. I can keep track of where I stand.
Food is a great reward for me.
I do have goals but most are doable if I stay un-injured.
Thanks for the tips.
I think for runners staying healthy should always be the #1 goal! You can’t accomplish other running goals if you can’t run.
I need to make a plan and get going on the goal setting. I’ve been slacking this year.
Same here. I picked a race but haven’t come up with a goal time or a plan. I think I need this surge to end and the weather to improve so some of my motivation comes back!
Really great tips! I will definitely check out tips. I’m a big fan of writing things down and tracking my activities, then reflecting on a regular basis and tweaking things as needed. One thing I don’t really do is reward myself. I need to think about that!
You do so well with checking in on your goals and setting new ones each month!
These are all great, and sustainable! I haven’t really thought too much about my goals this year, just because things are still so uncertain and unsettled. I will get around to making some at some point.
That’s how I feel right now too. Im just trying to take it one day at a time!
Great tips! I need to stay diligent with the habit of journaling more about my runs, even if just on Strava. It helps so much with accountability to certain things and to analyzing data retrospectively.
Same here. I used to write down my workouts in a journal and I would blog about my weekly recap. I’ve stopped doing both, so I need to figure out another way to keep track of everything.