Running – Finding your why and progress goal setting

Before Corona Virus we were looking forward to announcing our partnership with Tim Pigott from HP3.  Tim as our Running Coach Partner would provide you with expert training plans and advice to help you achieve your race goals. For the moment rather than training plans, Tim has written about the current situation and why it’s worth asking yourself “why do you run”?

Over to Tim:

With such uncertainty around racing this season, and perhaps beyond, it is important to look within for your goals and challenges.  What was it about the race you had planned to do which made you enter?  Why do you challenge yourself with these events?  Why do you train at all? Why, why, why…. (do I sound like a 2 year old yet?)

Why is a powerful word and you should start here.  Using Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ idea you should clarify what your why is.  To help you get there you can use techniques such as the ‘5-whys’ or even ‘7-whys’.  These are well proven techniques to improve your focus and improve your chances of success (in all aspects of life).  The German philosopher Frederick Nietzche once said ‘He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how’.

So if you ask yourself ‘why do I run’, what is your answer?

Your why might be that it is your headspace time, helps you keep you weight healthy, it might be the social element, you like helping others by raising money for charity, to set a good example to your family / friends, to explore and see new places, to explore your own limits, improve your confidence.  The list is endless, and your answer needs to come from deep within you (intrinsic) and not driven by external factors (extrinsic) such as ‘because my friends do it’. An example might be; I want to run a major Marathon (why?), because it is an iconic distance (why?), it’s a long way and it’s hard! (why), I want to push myself to be fit and healthy (why), because it takes dedication to achieve (why?), I want my kids to follow my example and be fit and active.

Best keep running even if there aren’t currently any races then!.

While we can hope that races will return soon, we must prepare for the possibility that they do not.  So what then?  Where does your motivation lie?  Finding your why will help you stay motivated.  Once you have your ‘why’ you can look at the ‘how?’.  These are otherwise known as process goals.

Process goals are the building blocks which will help you achieve your goal; the behaviours, actions, strategies and tactics you need in place.

Do you need to work on physical attributes such as balance, flexibility, mobility, strength, speed, agility, coordination, strength endurance, speed endurance, base endurance?

How about psychological attributes?  Look at including more meditation and mindfulness into your practice.  Mental skills are just as important as physical, often the fastest athletes or those who finish are not the fittest but the one who makes the right decisions at the right time.  Thus you can work on techniques to control your thoughts and feelings, helping you make the right decisions at the right times (in life as much as in racing).

How about environmental factors?  Do you need to do a kitchen makeover in order to improve your nutrition?  Do you need to learn to cook!?!  Do you need to spend time sorting out your garage / pain-cave?

The list is endless.  My point being is there are countless areas we can be working on to grow and improve as individuals which will all help you develop and be in an excellent place when racing does start up again.

Still require a little motivation  to get back training? Tim has recently produced some plans to keep you going during lockdown. Head over to Training Peaks on the links below to read more and see prices.

Base miles plan – which should keep your fitness going until you can prepare for your next event.

Strength and Conditioning – This will help you improve your running economy.

Plyometric training – This will develop your strength and speed.

 

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