Friday, November 20, 2015

Goals

People ask how I got into running marathons and the truth is I needed a Big Scary Goal to get me running at all again. I ran cross country and track in high school, but once I got to college, I ran only in fits and starts and basically ignored it for long stretches of time. (I wasn’t a college athlete, obviously). I wanted to run because I loved running, it kept me in shape, relieved anxiety, blah blah blah… all of the million reasons to run. But the truth is none of those reasons got me out of bed in the morning. Only a Big Goal that requires serious effort would.

And so I decided to run a marathon. That was serious enough to get me going and it worked. Ten years and twelve marathons later, the same principle holds true. I love running for a million reasons, but getting out the door is still not always easy. I need a push, and the push for me has always been Big, Scary, I-Might-Not-Make-It-Unless-I-Do-Everything-I-Can Goals.

Last week I talked about the fear of injury, and the obvious solution for my anxiety would be to chill out a bit on my times and goals. Enjoy running the Trials because I’m lucky enough to be there. Many people, mostly concerned friends and family, have mentioned this and I’ll grant that it’s a fair point. But… it’s not me.

The fun for me is in the pursuit of the goal, in the figuring out what I’m capable of, in having a great run/workout/daydream and imagining the possibilities. Running the Trials is huge, yes. The thrill of making it hasn’t worn off. But just running them, calling it in and enjoying a seriously high profile jog around LA doesn’t get me out of bed in the morning. The dream of racing well at the Trials does. 

A while back I listened to the Run to the Top Podcast with Dr. Stan Beecham, author of Elite Minds. He talked about setting goals that you’re only 60% sure you’ll hit. You might not make it, but you’ll almost surely run faster than if you went after a goal you were 100% sure you’d hit. I found myself nodding along to so much of what he said:

“We need goals that scare us a little bit… goals that wake you up in the morning and push you out of bed.”

“It’s the possibility that I may not be able to pull this off—that’s what makes every day interesting.”

I make these ridiculously ambitious goals unintentionally. Unofficially they’ve been simmering in my system since the last race. Wouldn’t it be awesome if… I would love to run X… The first couple passes through my brain they seem a little nuts. Yeah right, Teal. But, like I said, they simmer, keep gently bubbling up, and they won’t go away. Pretty soon they seem less like daydreams and more like goals. And I’ve thought about them so damn much I can’t imagine aiming lower.

Sometimes, they’re hugely crazy ambitious, and I come up way short. I never even made it to this past spring’s marathon starting line.

Sometimes (yes, less often), they’re hugely crazy ambitious, and I somehow achieve them. Last fall I was scared to admit to many people I was going for 2:43; my PR was ten minutes slower and I had come off a disastrous performance that spring. But dammit, that 2:43 simmered all summer, so I went for it.


And so this season, like all the others, my goals are Scary Big/Maybe Impossible, but that’s my favorite kind of goal and the only one that works for me. In one feeble attempt to keep me grounded, I’m trying to be a little flexible about them as the season goes on, so I won’t share them here. I will say, at the very least, I’m aiming to run a big PR on what looks to be a fast course. I hope to enjoy my laps around LA, but I know I will enjoy them far more if I’ve put in the work and am chasing something big.

Despite all that, I know I can’t go for PRs in every race. (Every marathon, yes; every race leading up to the marathon, no.) Some races will be workouts, tempo efforts, fun ways to celebrate holidays. This weekend I’ll run the Philly Half, and I honestly can’t tell you what my goal time is. I’m using it to gage where I’m at and to squeeze in one long fall race before the winter grind begins. I’ll be aiming to crush my PR at the next half I do. But this weekend, I’ll just see what happens.

And then it will be back to dreaming big.

Race Schedule:

Jingle All The Way 5K – Dec. 6 {PR attempt, because… I mean, c’mon
Jacksonville Half-Marathon – Jan. 3 {PR attempt
US Olympic Marathon Trials – Feb. 13 {PR attempt, because… well, see above.

Dream bigger,
Teal

12 comments :

  1. Hi! I only recently discovered your blog but it is amazingly inspiring! After a few posts, I started from the beginning and treated it like a really awesome book. I'm also running the Philly Marathon this weekend! It's my second (ran Philly as my first last year), and I'm going for BQ! Well, to be honest, I'm going for 3:31:00 so I can for real run Boston. This post made me just a smidge less nervous and more determined. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading! And good luck this weekend!! It's looking to be a perfect day for running fast, go get that (real) BQ!! :)

      Delete
    2. Thank you:) Good luck to you too!

      Delete
  2. I recently found your blog too and it's one of my favourite running blogs. Seriously. You rock! I am so inspired by you. I'm still a bit scared of my goals and sometimes they stop me from wanting to run. I'm getting a LOT better about it though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for such a sweet comment and for following along! Don't be scared of your goals and don't let fear hold you back!! It sounds cheesy and cliche but you will be amazed what you can accomplish if you believe in yourself! Good luck and keep working on dreaming big :)

      Delete
  3. Every time I read one of your posts I feel like I could have written that post myself... I know I cannot PR at every race and I really don't care as long as I can get a nice PR at the marathon ;) Even when I decide on a goal, I'm super-conservative when it comes to shorter stuff but super-ambitious when it comes to the marathon! But guess what? A girl can dream and the lest that she can do is trying and training HARD for that crazy goal (I listened to that podcast as well btw and loved it!).

    Have fun tomorrow in Philly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Martina! Glad to hear I'm not the only one :)

      Delete
  4. I am also kind of a new reader but love your blog because you dream so big. I work hard but honestly, I don't push myself toward goals that I'm not sure I can attain and that's one motivating factor of your blog. So glad you're over the injury and able to set a race schedule with some good tune-ups between now and the trials!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading, Amy! You'll be surprised at how much more you can achieve if you just dream a little bigger... ;-)

      Delete
  5. This is a great post, I really needed it! I signed up for the Pittsburgh Marathon last week and it's my very first (happening May 1, 2016). I'm turning 40 in March and felt like I both needed something BIG to commemorate it, and something BIG to strive for. I'm already getting pushback from people who don't understand why I want to do this, but they don't have to. It's for me, it's my goal, and it's scary for me which is why I'm determined to try my best! Thanks for reconfirming my ambitions. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a great way to celebrate turning 40!! There will always be people that don't understand, but other runners get it :) Good luck!!

      Delete
  6. LOVED that podcast with Stan, and glad it was helpful for you! Take a listen to Dick Beardsley if you haven't already http://runnersconnect.net/running-interviews/dick-beardsley/ that will help too :) Hope preparation is going well Teal :) Rooting for you!

    ReplyDelete