The Pursuit of Runningness: What Keeps You Running?

Most people think of a goal as a destination or where you want to go. Actually, goals are the road map that gets you there. They reassure you. They tell you that you're not lost, that you're doing a good job, that there's not much farther to go. But what good is a map if you don't follow it, or can't follow it? You'll never get anywhere. That's why it's important to set goals that work for you.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, I have been slowly reshaping the structure of my New Year's resolutions. I know I'm a little late in having these accomplished, but I'm trying hard to re-craft these into challenging yet realistic goals. I want to be as specific, and not generalistic, as possible and believe this focused approach will allow me to better measure my overall progress.

So ... why this approach? Imagine if you'd say to yourself, "I'm really going to run hard today." How can you determine whether your goal was actually met? On the other hand, if your goal is to run multiple hill-repeats for 45 minutes, three times a week, you'll know just where you stand when you reach the weekend. I just want my 2008 resolutions to be more steadfast, more resolute if you will, instead of ending up on the "would've/could've" pile like last year's. You see, leaving an endeavor open-ended allows even the best intentions to fail.

So, where am I at in the process? Here's a quick peek at a few of the goals I've written down for 2008 already. These are what keep me running and striving to move forward ...

Run a minimum of four days and 20 miles each week
Run a sub-4:00 hour time at Grandma's Marathon in June
Volunteer for at least two area races
Submit registration for the 2008 NYC Marathon (and keep my fingers crossed!)

Seriously, what does keep you running—especially when the weather isn't so great, or you're tired, or your to-do list is a mile long? What goals are YOU setting for yourself this year?

How do you get out the door when it’s too hot, too cold, too windy, too rainy?
Will you train for races to stay motivated?
If so, how will competition help motivate you?
How will other runners inspire you?
What’s your primary motivation for running—to lose weight, relieve stress, stay fit, run really fast? Will this work?
Music-listeners, do you listen on the run & what kind of music do you listen to? Will you listen more or less?
How will you reward yourself after a hard effort? Will you use these rewards to challenge you more?