All the Goals!!!

So it's 2018 and everyone and their mom are making resolutions for the coming year. While I don't resolve to make resolutions I do believe in making goals for the coming year. I always try to set some attainable goals, such as PR'ing certain races, and others like running 2018 miles for the year.

About 10 years ago I was working as a manager at a Sports Bar and the company culture used the book Raving Fans, which worked toward setting your goals at 15% increments so they are attainable. Once you reach that goal just set a new goal. It's the one self help book I've enjoyed and followed and still try to to this day. Setting a simple goal gives accomplishment and you're not beating yourself up trying to reach something unattainable.

So let's get to my goals for 2018.

1. 1. PR Everything. I've noticed that as I've gotten older and   started running with a group (Thank you Rogue!) I PR'd several distances last year. Two of those, the half marathon and 8k were over 4 years old! I PR'd my full distance but I know I can do better as I was pacing someone to get them a PR. This year I'm looking to get them all.
2. Well, I will run 2018 miles and maybe a little more. In 2017 I managed 1300+ miles but battled with injuries and health problems. I don't foresee that happening this year. I'm working on my hips and core more and cross training so I can get this goal. It comes out to 5.52 miles per day, or 38.6 miles a week.
3. Break 20:00 at a 5k. This is my white whale and I was planning on doing this in 2017 but other things came up and I only ran one 5k, which I PR'd for the course. Track work and the increase in mileage will help me get there so we shall see.

Granted none of these are the 15% I spoke of earlier, but if yo're just starting set some easy goals like running your first 5k or 10k or maybe that first half marathon. Always try to set something easy for yourself and then the harder goals will themselves become easier.

Until next time, lace up and go run!

Ben

Last 5k and The Big Announcement!

So this weekend was huge! Not only was it my first and last 5k of the year, but I also had 2 reveals I made over on Twitter and Instagram Sunday and Monday.

 First the race. This was the local Toys for Tots 5k which I have ran for the last 5 or 6 years so it's my streak race. Over 600 people came out and filled a van several times with toys for the Marines to give out as part of Toys for Tots. Since the entry was a toy there were no shirts or medals but the directors do give out ribbons for age group awards. The course is a lollipop out and back with a hill coming back around mile 3. This is also a goal race for several local Girls on the Run groups so there were plenty of reasons to stay after and cheer.
 It was a 5k so I don't have a lot of details but I finished 2nd in age group and beat my course PR by about a minute, so I finished the year strong. I plan on having a year in review after Christmas and talk about some goals I will carry over to 2018.

The other bit of news that I already posted on Instagram and Twitter is that I was accepted as a Bib Rave Pro and a Nuun Ambassador. I consider this a huge privilege and look forward to sharing the experience with everyone.
 As another bonus I will have a page for race discounts up this week and sharing product discounts with everyone as well.


Until next time, keep the laces tight

Ben

Breaking 20 Project

Training beard

This is just a quick post 2 days before Blue Ridge to start my next goal/project. For the past 3 years I have wanted to break 20 minutes in a 5k. Injury, family and other things have always come up but this year I should have a good chance to attempt this. My goal race is in July, which gives me a little over 2 months for training.

 Part One: Find or make a plan. I have been looking around at different plans, and with my schedule I will be able to get in the training needed. Most of the plans I looked at are 6 days a week with a mix of track and road but I will drop this to 5 days so I will will modify my own plan.

Part Two: Weekly training updates. That's right, WEEKLY. I can do at least that, and maybe throw in an extra post or two when something happens.

During training for Monument Ave 10k and the Blue Ridge Marathon I would use Sunday afternoons for track work. Usually these were mile repeats where I would run a mile then rest for 30 seconds and run another. I thinking about switching my watch to kilometers so I can get a better idea of my splits and see where I need to work and improve, therefore whatever plan I use will be converted into Km from miles.

As of my last training session I am sitting at around 6:45 per mile so I need to take off at least 30 seconds to get to 20 minutes.

Next week I will post my plan.

Ben

PS: IF you read my earlier post I was planning on running MCM this year. I decided not to and will be running the Crawling Crab Half Marathon in October so I will post about training for that during the summer.