Yesterday I booked my place for the Manchester Half Marathon. My motivation was partly that I enjoy participating in events, but mostly that I like to have a focus for my training. As I write this the event is exactly three months away which allows me to plan my training so that I get to the start line in the best possible condition.
Goal setting has always been a big part of my training. Like many my first experiences in sport and fitness were playing school sport. It still frustrates me that I have a runners up trophy for finishing second in the league from primary school football. When in 2002 I became a fitness coach, often my goals became to do with work..... could I teach 3 body pumps in a day without dropping my weights? Could I keep strong technique in the last track of my sixth class of the day?
Now working with private clients and in sport Goal setting is a slightly more formal process. For my athletes in sport their goals are a part of the appraisal process that will decide if they get a new contract. With my online coaching the goals are a bit more two way because if someone is motivated enough to pay me to help them lift more or run faster they are expecting results.
In sport, athletes have many goals to work on. I remember working with a 15 year old who was achieving first team numbers in the gym, by the time I had worked with him for 2 years he could have competed with any athlete in Super League Rugby. Unfortunately whilst he was exceeding his physical goals the tactical and skill elements of the game did not improve at the same rate.
Goal setting is everywhere, the ability to measure progress against a target is the foundation of much of our society ranging from work appraisals to slimming groups. It allows us to be held accountable which helps us progress. Many set a target as a new year resolution, although we all know over 80% fail before the end of the first month. This is often due to either low motivation at the start, or motivation reducing over time often due to lower than expected progress. For some the target is just too crazy, I had someone ask if I could help them run a marathon in eight weeks time, they were struggling to hit 3 miles and were struggling with injuries.
So if like me you have booked a training event set yourself some simple goals. I know I can already run the distance so my focus shifts to doing it better. For me this means reducing my time, but for others it could be running pain free or improving fitness to actually enjoy the event. So I have 13 weeks, although I will have to taper my training in the 1-2 weeks before the event. So essentially I have two 5 week blocks, with a lighter week in the middle. I will then assign a target to each block. As my regular runs are around 6 miles I will use the first block to increase the volume of my running so I am more comfortable at the longer distances. For the second block I will focus on improving my speed.
In one paragraph I have a basic plan for my training. Now I can add the meat to the bones by planning some sessions. Scientific literature suggests a maximum of a 10% weekly increase in distance covered, so adding around 10% per week from my current totals takes care of block 1. Within this I can keep my training week the same as it fits my work and life schedules. I also have a comprehensive strength training programme to ensure my muscles and joints are up to the increased demands.
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