I always like the vibe of setting a solid goal for myself.
I haven’t written but forty or so posts for this new blog, but I can pretty much guarantee that one of the emergent themes as I write more is going to be setting and working towards goals.Â
Goals, the almighty framework for self-accountability.
I was in the mood for a new streak this week. I need some mileage to build up before the winter and with autumn now arrived this is a great season to be out on the trails.
Yow know about streaks, right? Your own mileage may vary, but mine usually come in the flavour of something like: run every day for a month. No off days. Go.
Thing is, I’ve still got some pain in my foot since the half marathon in August that I’m working through. Running every day is probably not the best of recovery plans.
Yet, I still want to give myself a goal.
Corny dad joke to the rescue. I told my daughter (who has been running more than me lately) that I was going for a half-Beatle: you know… four days a week.
Ain’t got nothin’ but runs babe,
Four days a week.
It’s a knee-slapping groaner, sure, but it sticks in my head and gives me something to work towards before the snow flies.
Four days a week
Is not enough to snow out there.
Sorry. That was cheap.
Definitions
- august
- In the month of August where I live summer peaks and the days are often relatively hot (in the high 20s or low 30s) muggy, smokey and dry. Rain is infrequent, but when it arrives it comes in the form of drenching downpours and epic thunderstorms. We begin our runs earlier in the day because the local marathon runs late in the month and our training distances are maxing.
- goal
- In training lingo, a planned series of steps and milestones to reach some planned achievement: A race time. A race finish. A weekly mileage total. A streak. Or getting through an injury. Goals are personal and (for me) important.
- streak
- Clothes on, a usually think of a running streak as a number of consecutive days on my feet. Run every day for thirty days, say. Or run every day until I need a day off. Some people have streaks that are years long. Kudos and cheers! But if you need a recovery day, set a more reasonable goal to start with.
