5 Seconds

One of the dangers of racing is that at some point in time running for the ?fun? of it becomes running for ?goals?. Not that goals are a bad thing but they certainly add an element of pressure to your running. The danger in this is that we begin to degrade our performances based on not reaching that goal, regardless of how well we raced. Perspective should be kept so that we can keep the joy in running. Anecdotal reports have runners giving up running because even though they can run a 35 minute 10k, blistering fast to most of us mid to back of the packers, it wasn?t good enough to get them to the podium so what was the point. Others have run a PR but have missed their goal time by 5 seconds and felt bitter disappointment at the result. To keep the joy in running you should write down your race goal at the beginning of your training season. Revisit it often and really think about how realistic your goal is related to the effort you are currently putting into your training. You will not run a faster time if you blow off your speed work sessions as an example. As you get closer to race day have an honest chat with yourself as to the likelihood of reaching your set goal. If it is not realistic, set a new goal that matches the elements of your training. This should cover not only your actual workout sessions but also any illnesses you have had, work or family stresses, chronic lack of sleep or poor nutrition. Running at least one race per season for ?fun? is also beneficial. Leave your watch at home and make a point of looking around as you run or pace a friend who is new to racing. Regardless of your outcome, pat yourself on the back for a race run hard and a training season completed, but most of all, keep it in perspective.