Runners Lounge: Plan = Motivation

by Runners' Lounge in Staying Motivated
January 30, 2008

I am a planner. I plan everything. Part of this is necessity and part driven by personality quirk. I know that my loonngg nagging injury in 2007 is a result of too little planning and too much cramming and ad hoc running. Tom's post yesterday on running plans was just the push I need to make a plan. It's time to commit and get a plan.

I have been pretty quiet on the topic. Which is unusual. Usually, within a day of my last race of the year, I have my race schedule mapped out, the training runs laid out on the calendar and I am set. The only exception was in 2007, at just about this time, that I scrapped the entire calendar and plan and ran "planless" for a year. Skipping all my favorite races and runs to make time for other important things in my life. 11 years of calculated, well planned running schedules swapped out by an open calendar of nothingness. But the year "off" taught me alot of things about running including how beneficial it is to run for fun, the pure enjoyment of running socially with friends...and...how desparately I need a schedule.

For my planning, I have been debating which platform to jump on: "get faster" or "go longer". As I have considered this, I have rolled around Vanilla's "Shave your 5K challenge." Getting faster would be a pretty cool thing to do. Do you remember that scene in the Spirit of the Marathon where the guy tries to show us how fast elite runners actually run and his treadmill doesn't go that fast? Come on...speed is so cool!

And then, of course, I have seriously considered going long. Maybe it is time to break out my marathon mind and body again. And do it right this time. The Spirt of the Marathon movie really, really made me think about give it another go.

But after alot of consideration, I know that to stay motivated and engaged in my running plan this year, neither "platform" feels right - they wouldn't be the right goals. My heart isn't into either goal now. Which has been perplexing to me. I kept thinking to myself - if I don't run for speed or distance - what the heck other goals are there? And then it hit me - it's another year of running for fun. I really enjoyed the social, no pressure aspect of just heading out alone or with others and running.

So, I am going back to my old loves, my favorite races of Red Flannel 5K in February, and Drake Relays 8K in April, Dam to Dam 25K in June, Cyman Triathlon in August, Living History Farms 7 miles in November. My only goal for each one is to run it with a friend. No time goals, no pressure - just run it for fun.

On top of these races, I have three more goals:

1) I want to be a stronger runner by the end of this year. I want to train and run for all these races injury free. By end of this year, this nagging back/hip issue will be such a distant memory that I will think I dreamed it.

2) I want to run two races, not in Iowa, that I have never run before - and with a running friend. I want to break out of my routine and try something new and see some new running sites. Of all the goals - this will be the most challenging for me to find the time - but I know it will be the most motivating thing I can do for my running this year.

3) I want to help two people start their running career.

Ahhh...I feel better. I feel the motivation pouring in. A little direction and commitment is a good thing!