After reflecting on 2018, it’s time to look forward and set out some goals for 2019!
Previous Goals:
Looking back at my previous goal post, I achieved most of what I wrote down.
Short-term:
My previous short-term goals were as follows:
- Run 5k non-stop – I now do this with every run
- Sub-35 minute 5k – done
- Run 60 minute non-stop – done
- Run 10k non-stop – done
- Sub-1:15 10k – done
- Complete a half marathon – done
- Run 1000km in 2017 – fell short by 89km
- Lose another stone (was 11 stone 4, started at 12 stone 7) – I now weigh 9 stone 5
- Complete my first obstacle course run – completed the Inflatable 5k
- Join a local running club – still not managed this one
I struggled towards the end of the year with the snow affecting my training. I started a new job and then purchased a house with my fiancé, so my running took a back seat. Unfortunately that meant that I missed out on reaching 1000km for the year.
The other failed goal, join a local running club… I keep putting this off. I have a few local clubs and I’m not sure which would be my preferred choice.
Long-term:
My long-term goals were as follows:
- Complete a marathon – done
- Push average pace to 6:30 min / km
- Complete an ultra
- Sub-5 hour marathon
- Run 5k in under 30 minutes – done
- Sub-60 10k
- Complete a Spartan Tri-fecta
- Complete all 4 Wolf runs in a year
- Finish a Tough Mudder – having priced up these events, I’m not sure I’d be so keen!
Goals For 2019:
Short-term:
For 2019 I would like to achieve the following:
- Complete 10 events throughout the year (excluding Parkrun)
- Reach 50 Parkruns
- Run 1000 miles across the year
- Get my 5k time to sub-25 minutes
- Run a sub-1:05 10k
- Sub-2:15 half marathon
- Sub-5:30 marathon
- Join a local running club (try again!)
I need to get my bling fix, as I love getting new medals for my hanger! Training for an event also gives me more motivation to push through the hard sessions so that I can hopefully get a personal best on the day. For 2019, I already have half marathons booked for January and March, and then a full marathon in April. I’d like to do the Birmingham half marathon again, and perhaps the 10k too if Chris or my cousin also wants to enter. I’m not sure if I can really commit to two full marathons though as I’m getting married in July. Our honeymoon will be in September, so logistically and financially it would be a bit much to try and fit another one in.
50 Parkruns… that’s the goal. I really want my 50 t-shirt (you get a free t-shirt, excluding postage, for each milestone, so 50, 100, 150, 250, 500) and I’m hoping 2019 will get me there. I’m trying to make Parkrun a Saturday routine, but there will be weekends where it is missed due to other running events.
Last time I attempted a yearly challenge I ended up falling short of 1000km. This time I want to set the bar a bit higher and go for the 1000 mile challenge. It makes sense to change from kilometres as I now train in miles and will be looking to increase my mileage to try and better my race times.
Having recently achieved a 5k personal best of 27:22, and running sub-30 a few times, it would be nice to try and improve on this. The next logical step would be sub-25. My 5k time is definitely not going to be my main focus though as I look to boost my speed endurance. As such, I am also looking to improve my 10k time. I can run at a decent pace for the 5k, but run out of steam for the 10k. Ideally I would like to get this sub-60, but that’s going to take a lot more work and time to achieve.
My last half marathon was 2:33:47, so I would love to get sub-2:15. I have been training for a sub-2:30 half marathon in January, however that now looks more than achievable. With how my training has been progressing, I am expecting to easily finish sub-2:30 (*touch wood*). As such, I have been setting my sights on a faster time goal and according to the McMillan Calculator sub-2:15 should be achievable by the end of the year. With more dedicated training, I think that this is definitely achievable. If I use the McMillan Calculator with my recent 5k time of 27:22, it predicts that I could run a half in sub-2:07!
I’ll be the first to admit that my first ever marathon experience wasn’t the greatest in terms of my performance. I loved the day and the atmosphere, but I was under-prepared and the heat on the day really took it out of me. Finishing in 7:03:07, I was happy to have completed it, but disappointed with my time. I have another marathon planned for April so I am looking at getting my time down. I would be happy with sub-5:30 for next year, although under 5 hours would be a dream! I’m going to give sub-5:30 a try in April at the Blackpool marathon.
This is a nice simple goal on the surface, but one that I keep putting off. Originally I was waiting until I was a “better” runner and not the one really lagging at the back and having to walk. Now that I’m a “decent” runner, I shouldn’t really have any excuses. There are multiple clubs near me, so choosing one is proving difficult. This is also where my anxiety comes into play as I’m stressing about the unknown. Having to drive a new route, meet new people, adopt a new schedule, is all very stressful! Hopefully I can conquer this as I really want to make more progress with my running and everyone keeps saying that joining a running club was the best thing that they did for their running.
Long-term:
For my long-term goals, I don’t have a set time-frame. They are things that I would like to achieve in my lifetime.
My updated long-term goals are as follows:
- Get my “easy” run pace to 10:30 per mile (around 6:30 per km)
- Run a sub-5 hour marathon
- Sub-2 hour half marathon
- Sub-60 10k
- Qualify for the Boston Marathon (good luck!)
- Complete all 6 Abbott World Major Marathons
- Complete 20 different marathons
- Run all of the events on my bucket list
- Complete a Spartan Tri-fecta
- Complete all 4 Wolf runs in a year
- Finish a Triathlon
- Complete a full Ironman
Over the long-term, I am looking to improve my average pace, as well as race times. Improving my “easy” running pace will mean that I can sustain a quicker pace over longer distances. It will also allow me to train and race at faster paces without being in a high heart rate zone. At the moment, 9:30 minute miles puts me in zone 4 / 5 over the 5k distance. Previously, I used to hit these zones when running at 13:00-14:00 minute per mile pace.
Improving my average pace will help me achieve my sub-5 hour marathon, sub-2 hour half marathon and sub-60 minute 10k goals. At the moment I am running the 5k distance in 28:37, but am unable to maintain that speed over the 10k. Once I manage to reduce my average pace, then both of these race times will be quicker.
My next two long-term goals on the list are linked. In order to complete all of the Abbott Majors I would need to complete the Boston Marathon. In order to enter this event I would need to run a qualifying time in a valid qualifying event, or be extremely lucky and get a charity place. Charity places are sparse and require you to raise a lot of money, so it isn’t the most ideal option. At the time of writing, a qualifying time for my age and gender would be 3:35. Due to the number of people who hit that qualifying time, I would be required to run around 3:30 to stand a chance of qualifying. Yup, that means I need to half my marathon time from my first ever marathon in London… well, I like a challenge!
The next two goals are loosely linked. I want to run 20 marathons in different locations across the world. There are a number events on my bucket list that will help me achieve this. Using my love of running to see the world sounds ideal! I’d love to complete all of the events on my bucket list, or at the very least the purely running related ones. There are so many other events that I would love to complete which didn’t make my ultimate list. I just want to complete as many unique events as possible all around the world.
The other goals on my long-term list are not purely running related. Chris would also like to complete the Spartan and Wolf run races with me. We aren’t in any rush to complete them; they are just things that we would like to achieve “one day”. I am trying to work on my upper body strength in preparation, but I’m a long way away from where I want to be.
The same goes for the triathlon. I’ll complete at least one in the future, but my focus is purely on running for the time being. I really need to work on my swimming before signing up for a triathlon. Obviously this ties in with completing an Ironman, which is probably the hardest endurance event, and definitely the hardest triathlon! I would love to complete one just to say that I have done it as it would be a great opportunity to push myself and see how far I can go.