So i'm going to start by saying, I'm not a big fan of New Years Resolutions. We tend to pick a big list of fairly challenging goals which often reads more like a list of things to beat ourselves up over; lost weight, get fit etc. Firstly these are "bad" goals in themselves, they are impossible to determine whether you have achieved them - see my last blog post on setting good goals here; https://www.ontherunhealthandfitness.co.uk/post/smart-goals
But secondly we tend to have a list of these big things to tackle all at once in January, big changes to our routines and habits and taking on a fair few big challenges! It's no wonder we've likely fallen off the wagon by the end of January. My goal every January is to catch those runners with a big list of New Years Resolution and help them turn it into a plan for the year which is incremental, achievable and will forge good long term habits. Small changes that stick long term are far more likely to lead to the improvements or results you are looking for.
For example; the best way to make improvements in fitness and to train for races like the marathon is by being consistent with your training; that’s it! All other stuff like pace, kit, fancy equipment or gym memberships are great. But to make progress consistency is key. Just tick off your runs and other sessions if you have them, and you will improve and make progress!
One part of consistency is habit, start small/gently and create a simple habit of a certain number of runs/sessions a week. Keep them on set days and, if you can, set times of day and after a few weeks of a bit of structure and sticking to that routine habits will be formed and you’ll need far less motivation!
So start by prioritising your New Years Resolutions and also break them down into small chunks. So instead of;
- run a marathon
- lose weight
- go to the gym
- sleep more
Perhaps start with;
- run for at least 10 minutes three times a week
(that's it!)
Do this for 2-3 weeks so you get a routine, and make some positive progress. The either progress is a bit by upping how much you run, or add on another small goal like, so 20 minutes of strength work twice a week.
As always if I can help with goal planning or running training just drop me a line!
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