3 Ways I’m Setting Myself Up For A Year Of Running Success
With everyone planning their yearly goals, one runner shares how she is kicking off the New Year to set herself up for success.
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Well, we made it, y’all. 2017 is here and as most of us do each new year, I’m thinking about how I can set myself for a great year of running. I’ve done a few different things to get myself ready for this year and since I thought others might be doing the same, I decided I’d share.
Review The Good—And Bad
First, I do spend some time reviewing the good and the bad of the previous year. I’m a data nerd, so I like to spend some time looking at my running data from 2016 (you can see what data I examined in this post). I look at my mileage, my races, and what PRs I set. The great thing about having a running blog is I can look back at all of this—and then look back at my training—and see what worked and what didn’t. I decide what, if anything, I want to change about the year ahead and what my goal races are.
Map Out My Race Calendar
Once I have my goal races set (this year I personally have two, one in the spring and one in the fall), then I start calendaring in filler races—races that I’ll be doing not as a goal, but for fun or the experience. These races end up being the bulk of my year and by thinking about them early, I can work them into training plans and the like.
I’ll be generally staying closer to home this year racing wise because my fall goal race is an international one (Berlin!!!) and that will be an expensive trip. Having that in mind and knowing what races I’ve already paid for makes it easier for me to make decisions on other races that inevitably pop up. I’ve run 20 races for the past two years, and while most of those are shorter races, it is still a lot. I would like to probably race a bit less this year but I’ll compromise with myself (since I love racing) and just make sure to stick to mostly local-ish races (i.e. races I can drive to).
Check The Logistics
Aside from mapping out races, I also make sure that I’m paying attention to all the logistical aspects. Lots of races have discounts to start out the new year, so I check and make sure any races I’m planning on aren’t having sales and if they are—I sign up. (Related note, if you are looking for a fun Women’s Race Series, check out ZOOMA. I’ve run their races for the past 4 years and always enjoyed them. Use code COURTNEY2017 to save 10%!)
I also check my shoe mileage. I currently have three pairs of shoes in rotation and as I start a new year, I like to have an idea when those shoes will need to be replaced. I also recommitment to the small things like stretching and strength training. We all know how important these things are and yet, if you’re like me, you do not do enough. I’m committing to doing these small things at least 3 times a week, which doesn’t sound like much but it’s more than I’m doing now!
Share With Us: What do you do to get ready for 2017 running? Tweet @WomensRunning!