Plans for 2016

As a runner, I always have goals.  Goals are good, goals keep me motivated, goals push me out of the door for a run when it's raining, freezing, or burning outside.  But goals can be hard to set.

When I first started cycling and running my goal was to have an "event" every month whether it was a cycling tour or a 5k race.  This kept me going.  Even when I was done with one event I knew I would have another event in about a month so I couldn't slack off.

After I had been active for a while I started setting more specific time and distance goals.  Some of the ones I remember were 5k under 45 minutes, 5k under 40 minutes, 5k under 30 minutes, 10k under an hour, 13.1 under 2:20, 13.1 under 2 hours, and marathon under 4:45.  I've met all the goals except for the marathon one.  After I reached many of the time goals I was happy with them, I didn't feel a need to set a faster goal.  If I got faster, great, but I didn't feel a need to push that number much lower.

I also lost the desire to have a race every month.  Once I started running marathons I realized that throwing a 5k into my month wasn't as necessary.  I already had to run over 100 miles just for a training plan so I didn't need a race to keep me moving.  The marathon was enough motivation.

Now I find myself in a new year, with new goals to set.  How do I set a goal that pushes me without injuring me?  Do I try for better times?  Do I attempt more distance?  Do I add more races to my year again?  Usually I look to the past year to set new goals.  Here's what I got from that.

2014 Stats

 These 2014 stats helped me build 2015 goals.  I wanted to run 1250 miles in 2015.  I wanted to have a half marathon under 2 hours.  I wasted to run a marathon in under 5 hours, or even better, under 4:45.

I focused on times, training, not racing.  I had no goals for 5k or 10k.  I didn't have a huge list of races I wanted to do.

2015 Stats

I look at these 2015 stats now.  Even though it doesn't show (course was short) I improved my 5k (24:46).  I also improved my 10k, met my goal for the half marathon and was still 10-25 minutes off on my marathon goal.  I reached and surpassed my distance goal by 124 miles.  I also acquired an injury this year.  So it makes me wonder if I pushed myself too far.

This is what makes goal setting difficult.

The one goal I have set is to run 1500 miles this year.  Assuming my injury doesn't debilitate me, I should be able to do that.  But other goals aren't so clear.  I seem to be setting them unintentionally.

For 2016 I have already signed up for and/or committed to many races.  These races, their proximity to each other, and my purpose in running them may make this a slower yet fulfilling year for me.

What I am signed up for so far:
April 10th: Xenia half marathon
June 5th: Mainly Marathons full marathon, Ohio (I'm pacing my husband for this one.  I say pacing, I mean just not leaving him to do it on his own.)
September 24th: Adams County marathon (I hope to break 4:45 here, but my schedule may sabotage me.)
November 19th: Smoothie King Big Easy Runfest half marathon (trip with the hubby, but I'm not slowing down for him)

This seems innocent enough...... but...... I am committed to a few others...

Commitments:
July: A trail 5k in Pennsylvania that my husband has done and wants to drag me to...
September 11th: Winan's to Winan's half (It's local half, must do since I have run it since the inaugural year, and 2 weeks before Adams County)
September 17th: Indy Women's Half (black flagged last year, I must do it officially this year for fun, and the week before Adams County)

We have also signed up to be members of ORRRC this year, meaning we can do quite a few trail races at no charge and we will be taking advantage of this.

So, back to my goals.  It seems like I want to do quite a few races this year including half and full marathons, though I'm less concerned about my finish time (except Adams county).  I also appear to want to spend more time on trails and help others reach their goals (the Mainly marathons will be long.  My husband's expected finish time is 7 hours.)  I would love to be a pacer at some races too, if I can.

So goals are still hard to quantify.  I know I have some and I am signed up for races so I will keep myself moving but the finish line is blurry.  I guess I will know it when I cross it.