How I Quit Stalling and Finally Hit a Goal

All except one. 

Last year, in spring of 2021, I started running.  I wrote about my running journey in this earlier blog post, so I won’t go too far into it.  In quick summary, I started running consistently in the spring of 2021 and ran my first official timed 5K in July of 2021. I don’t have a treadmill so once we got to fall and winter, my running stopped until I picked it back up again this spring. 

The runner’s high I felt after my first 5K is completely indescribable. I had tears in my eyes and felt such pride every time I looked at my bib. I knew I was hooked.  Seeing my final running time, I knew I wanted to do better. So, what did I do? 

I set myself a goal. 

I decided I wanted to run a 5K in under 30 minutes. That goal felt like something I could do. It meant shaving less than a minute off my original time, which felt doable. So this spring, when I started running again, I set out to achieve it.  

I had numerous setbacks along the way. The first was that our spring weather didn’t show up until the end of June. Last year I was able to start running three times a week at the beginning of May. This year, I did a couple runs in April/May but really couldn’t get consistently to three runs a week until the end of June. 

Then, once spring finally did hit at the end of June, the weather turn hot fast. When getting up before my family to get a run in was impossible due to scheduling conflicts with work and kid summer camps, I had to choose to run in 75 degree plus weather, or not run at all. Of course I chose to run, but those were some of the most difficult runs for me. 

Finally, I was able to compare my running times this year to the same time last year and I was coming up short. I knew that part of it was the heat because last year was not this hot this soon, but it was still discouraging to see my mileage coming in under where I was last year. 

However, I pushed through. I had run a 12K and a 5K in May and saw that my times weren’t too far off considering I had taken the whole fall/winter off from running. I knew my next 5K was coming up in July and I set my sights on getting in under 30 minutes. 

One big difference from last year was that I was prepared. During the same 5K last year, since it was my first official race I had no idea what to expect. This year, I had calculated when I would need to complete each mile. I knew there were markers along the way that would help me gauge where I was at, so I was able to plan if I needed to increase my speed or if I was sitting just right. I also felt I knew my body better this year so I could tell if I still had more in the tank or if I needed to back off so I could push at the end. 

The morning of the race I was all nerves. I had been writing down this goal daily in my journal for a whole year. Every single day. Some of my nervousness wasn’t even about the race, it was about the idea that I might actually accomplish the goal and then I would have to find a new goal to add to the list!  

My brain also had to come up with a plan for what to do if it went either way. If I achieved my goal, then I would celebrate, look at my other goals, and start planning what to do next. However, if I didn’t achieve my goal, I knew I had to have a plan in place. I decided that if I didn’t achieve my goal, I would find the next 5K and continue to run three times a week and not get too discouraged. Going into the race with a plan either way helped calm my nerves a little. 

During the race, I paced myself well and kept an eye on my Fitbit. I knew I needed to run a mile in around 9 minutes, 40 seconds to make it in under 30 minutes. The first mile clocked in at around the minute mark and I was cautiously excited. The second mile I was in the 18 minute range and was feeling great but knew I had to keep it up. I felt great as I got closer to the finish line because I could see the “race clock” and it was well under 30 minutes and I had started at the back of the pack and knew my time was even under what was on the screen. Seeing that race clock gave me the motivation to push even hard on that last half mile. 

Finally, I crossed the finish line. The race clock showed under 30 minutes so I was cautiously optimistic. I went over to the timer booth and typed my bib number into the machine. Waited patiently. There it was.  

I had done it. I had finished a 5K not only under 30 minutes, but I had clocked in under 29 minutes. Yes! 

I’m still a little in shock that I completed that goal. It was such a rush to come in that far under my goal when I was so concerned about it. I felt like I could accomplish anything! I haven’t stopped thinking about it since and the after-burn of completing that goal has carried over into other areas of my life. What else can I do??

I think that’s one of the most important parts about goal setting and completing the goal. Yes, it’s amazing to knock one off the list. However, the motivation you feel afterwards that gives you a huge push to start going for the next one is so important.

I’m still looking at my goals trying to decide which one I will tackle next with my full force of commitment. What are you aiming at? I’d love to hear what goals you’ve knocked out lately and if you also feel that afterburn that gets you motivated for the next one?