This year I set a personal goal for myself: I wanted to become a runner. I can confidently say that I have reached that goal! Additionally, the journey to get there was rewarding in itself. What lessons did I learn from working towards my running goal?
Know your why
Before I started on this journey, I wanted to make sure I understood my motive. Why do I want to start running?
My motivation for running was summed up in a few premises:
- I wanted to spend more time outdoors with nature.
- I wanted a healthier body and mind.
- I wanted a challenge.
If you don’t understand why you are setting the goal, you can easily lose the drive to reach it. When everything is new it’s easy to stay motivated, but as the weeks and months went by, what kept me going is remembering why I started.
Start slow
I have attempted to become a runner several times over the years. Looking back, one of my issues was not having a realistic plan to reach the goal. I figured if I just started running, I would just figure it out. This time around, I took a better approach.
First, I downloaded a training app to my phone with a Couch-to-5k plan. Coming from a sedentary lifestyle, I needed to ease myself gradually into running. For eight weeks, I did three “walk-run” sessions a week. As the weeks progressed, the sessions incorporated less walking and more jogging. Soon I noticed that my stamina had improved. Breathing was less labored and muscles were becoming less sore after runs.
Second, I signed up for a race set for two weeks after I completed my training plan. Completing the plan was great, but knowing that there was a race on the horizon gave me more incentive to keep going. This was especially true halfway through my training plan; the newness of my goal wore off and the realization of the work involved set in.
Build a community
No one accomplishes anything alone; it always takes a village. As I began sharing with my friends my goal to begin running, I slowly built a community of support that has continued to benefit me during this journey.
I discovered that two of my friends were running together several times a week. Previously I was doing training runs on my own, but the idea of running with others intrigued me. So we started running together in the parkway near my home in the morning. Soon others began joining us, both seasoned runners and newbies alike.
Over time, we created a Whatsapp group to schedule our runs. Our small group of three has expanded to over 20 female runners in my neighborhood and beyond. We share encouragement, fitness tips, plan group breakfast runs, and more! In this way, running changed from just exercise into a fun social activity I look forward to each week.
Never stop learning
Over time, I realized success in my goal was going to involve education. One of the most enjoyable things about running is that you are continuously challenged. There are a variety of ways to improve, whether it’s building endurance, using different equipment, or trying new techniques.
Once my initial training program was finished, I tried other training apps to continue improving my distance and stamina. I went to a specialty running store near my home and had a gait analysis to find better shoes. I subscribed to running magazines and podcasts. I borrowed books from my local library and from other runners for inspiration. Not only did learning keep me motivated to continue, but applying the suggestions improved my running fitness.
Accept setbacks
Working towards a goal is never in a straight line; setbacks happen. For me, my setback came four months into my running journey. I had scheduled a 10k race for the middle of July. My training plan was going well; I was gradually increasing my distance and speed. Then the unthinkable happened; I injured the muscles around my knee while doing Pilates.
After the injury, any movement that involved my knee resulted in shooting pain. Forget running; just walking was difficult. I was devastated, upset and angry. The race was in 6 weeks – how was I going to run?
That was when I learned the quality of patience. When you hit obstacles, sometimes the best way to cope is to wait it out. So against my inclinations, that is what I did. I stopped running…for 4 weeks. I wanted to get out there, but my recovery had to take priority. I patiently iced and rested my knee. Eventually, I transitioned to exercises in the pool. In time the muscles healed and I was back on the running trail in time for my race. Not only was I able to complete my 10k, but I got a personal record!
Ten months in, I am finally comfortable with being called a runner. I have thoroughly enjoyed reaching my goal and have no plans to slow down. Running has not only helped me to improve physically but also taught me life lessons that I can apply to future goals as well. If you have ever struggled with a goal, my advice is to start slow, build a community, keep going, and learn from the setbacks. You will be amazed at what you can achieve!