S>M>A>R>T Running Goals

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Runners love growth. The sensation of knowing, today you will run further than you did yesterday. The euphoria that comes after running a personal best and the anticipation of running an unknown trail or route propel you to reach new levels. We never become masters of our trade, but we always have the option of getting better. Runners — rookies and veterans — grow when they set goals. And, now is the time to set running goals for the upcoming season.

Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting system will help you reach your goals.

S.pecific

Setting specific goals is crucial to success. A vague goal leads to uncompleted goals and will not motivate you to push towards your target.

Jeri Chua, from Hong Kong, has competed in many trail ultra-events. She was the first place female in the 2012 North Face 100KM trail race in Singapore, and has placed first more than once at the Sabah Ultra Trail 60KM trail race. She uses goals to help her push past discomfort and reach targets that she feels are beyond her abilities. They are a key part of her mental strategy to get through ultramarathons.

Jeri says, “Having goals that are clear and tangible make them easier to relate to, and psychologically I would feel like there’s a better chance of achieving my ambitions. Short term goals help break down the journey so I don’t get overwhelmed by the big picture.”

Try it: Set the goal to run a specific distance. Perhaps, a personal record run — a distance longer than you have ever run before.

M.easurable

To truly get the bliss that comes with accomplishing a goal you need to set goals that are measurable. If you make your running goals measurable it will be clear when the goal is accomplished. It is great to say, “I will run more,” or, “I will run faster.” But, those goals are impossible to measure.

Jess Mullen is no stranger to setting goals and reaching them. She has completed the Badwater 135 mile ultramarathon, has run the 116 mile Pacific Rim One Day Run, and completed over 120 marathons and ultras.

Jess feels her goals keep her focused and motivated. They have helped her improve times and give her programming that is useful to evaluate and make changes based on her outcomes.

When it comes to measurable goals, Jess says, “How else can you judge or evaluate your progress and attainment of that goal? This helps keep it objective versus subjective.”

Try it: Increase your weekly average mileage by 15% from last year. Or, run in more races this year than last.

A.ttainable

Karl Meltzer is the winningest 100 mile runner on earth. He holds the record with 35 wins and 55 ultramarathon wins. He sets his goals close to an event and feels they give him focus and a reason to race.

I asked Meltzer why goals should be attainable. He says to set, “ones that are realistic. If we have goals too far out of reach, it’s unfair to put ourselves in the position for failure.”

Missed goals can be discouraging. It is better to set a smaller, more attainable goal than a crazy big goal that is a sure miss. Still, it is great to push our trail running to the limits.

Jeri adds, “There’s nothing wrong with lofty ambitions, and in sport I believe that we can set our sights higher than we deem is within our abilities. That pushes us to strive harder and higher. However, if our goals are set beyond attainment, such as to be impossible of idealistic, then it will defeat the purpose of the goal.”

The lesson is that we should set goals that are built for us, goals that we can attain.

Try it: For your next race set a goal with three levels. For example, place in the top ten or win, beat your time from last year, or finish the race.

R.elevant

Why is your goal important to you?

It is critical to keep your goals alive by setting goals that will keep the fire inside you burning. When you first set your goal, it is a spark, turn that spark into a fire by choosing goals that are relevant to you, goals that mean something.

Most runners would agree with Meltzer, who says, “Don’t set them for anyone but yourself, and be realistic. Set ones that satisfy you personally.”

Whatever your goal is, make it matter to you.

“Some people adopt the goals of others blindly without thinking about if that’s what they really want,” says Jeri.

Try it: Decide what you really want. Do you want to have a leaner body, run faster or longer, or run something epic?

T.imely

Deadlines, nobody likes them, but they exist for a reason. A fixed deadline for your running goal will motivate you and add a sense of urgency to your focus. A great way to set a timely goal is signing up for a race. This will help you focus your energy and help you prioritize your running to meet this timeline.

Jess Mullen suggests, “If it’s too far out, it is easy to lose interest. It’s okay to have long term goals but I like to break them up into smaller short term goals because it’s more motivating.”

Keep in mind Jeri’s advice, “Be honest with yourself and don’t be afraid to dream. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, your goals, no matter how big or small, are yours alone to achieve. That feeling of accomplishment is second to none and from experience, it’ll be a stepping stone to greater things.”

Set some S.M.A.R.T goals today. It is good to set goals throughout the running season and keep growing as a runner and athlete.