Reflection on Time-Based Goals

I’m a big reflection gal. I love to think back on processes and pursuits, analyzing for what went well and what didn’t. Naturally, the beginning/ending of each year is a big reflection time for me, and naturally, the beginning of the year was also very hectic - so while I meant to write this earlier in January, here I am just now having the time to come up for air and write. 

Before this becomes too much about my own running journey - I want this to be instructive in how the reflective process works. For me, I review how I approached my goals that year and decide which of those processes I want to carry forward and which I would like to discard. Then, more importantly, I think about what I enjoyed and what I didn’t enjoy - and if I didn’t enjoy something, was it productive in some way, or did I just plain hate it? This helps me move forward in a way that is not only more effective, but also more joyful. As much as I love to dive into the nuts and bolts and biomechanics, I know that I simply cannot lose if I choose joy (this is foreshadow). 

I struggle constantly with the allure of time goals. After all, that is how I got into the sport and what drew me in. When I played soccer, my hard work didn’t always pay off and result in more playing time, but that was the case in running. The simple aspect of hard work translating into results was at the core of why I loved sports in the first place. As I prepared for my first track season, I knew a 3 mile out and back route from my house (as measured by mapmyrun.com, since there weren’t GPS watches back then) in which I tried to run faster every single time. I loved the feeling of seeing the faster time, and as a new runner, PR’s come by just by trying more and trying harder. The longer you’re in the sport, the more difficult it is to find that feeling of accomplishment. 

Fast forward to today, where I have had a marathon time goal for several years. I truly love the process of training - checking the boxes of the workouts, strength sessions, mobility, sleep, nutrition, hydration. There is something about the consistency and dedication that I enjoy. However, I’ve reached a point where the dedication hasn’t necessarily translated into race results - and there are likely several reasons for that - but it has honestly started to wear on me. I’ve reached a point of frustration and am having difficulty staying focused in workouts. I had a big workout on New Year's Eve leading into the Houston Half Marathon, and I simply couldn’t do it that day. I woke up anxious about being able to push for that long and when I started to warm up, I knew my heart wasn’t in it. So, for the first time in recent memory, I didn’t do a planned workout. (The horror!!) We are often told that we will rarely regret a run, but I had the feeling this was a time where maybe I would, and that was enough for me that day. I felt some guilt and shame about it initially, but eventually concluded that it was an act of self-care. 

Goals should add to our lives. Read that again. No matter if you’re a professional runner pursuing the Olympics or an everyday runner just pursuing your personal running goals. No matter the level, there is a reward and a cost of the pursuit - and the reward better be worth more than the cost. 

For all of us, there will come a time when overall time bests will be in the rearview. Whether it’s due to age, circumstances, or something else, there is running after PR’s. Even if we are in the golden age of our running, it’s important to keep that perspective - to make sure we love what we’re doing independent of achievement of our personal bests. 

At the Houston Half last weekend, I was able to incorporate this reflection in a way that felt really good to me. In my first few steps, I realized that my shoe was loose, and sure enough my laces were completely untied and whacking my ankles as I ran. I had to make a decision - do I stop and tie my laces, which would involve taking my gloves off and likely sucking a lot of time? Do I ask a spectator to help? Do I just run with it like that? Around mile 3 I felt my foot start to cramp a little from the instability of my shoe, so I put on my PT hat and decided I needed to fix it. I knew a friend and teammate was going to be on course around mile 5, so I thought asking her to tie it would be best - I could give her a hug and get my shoe tied! Win win! 

It was so great to see her, and in the next few miles I thought about how worth it those 30 seconds were. I was having a great race - my body felt good, my mind was calm, everything was clicking. I usually don’t pay attention to my watch when I race, so I really didn’t know what time I was on track for but I didn’t care. That stop was part of my race experience and helped me find more meaning in it. I ended up running about a minute off of a PR, but I would have been happy with the decision even if it meant giving up a PR. 

I could have been upset at myself for not tying my shoe properly (double checking and double knotting from now on), as it’s such a rookie mistake, but I chose to be happy that I had that moment with my friend. I think this year I want to keep making choices like that one. 

So ask yourself:

-Is this goal adding to my life?

-How is this goal serving me?

-What do I want more of when it comes to my running?

-What do I want less of when it comes to my running? 

And then move forward. 

Keep going, you got this!

Dr. Kacy Seynders, PT, DPT