Goals. They can be big, and scary, and impossibly hard. As runners, we often set manageable, small, tiny goals that are reachable. We set goals that we can wrap our heads around. But sometimes, we should be setting goals that are maybe a reach, something that even on a perfect day may not happen. Failure is part of the game, and often times, I set soft goals that I can reach even on an okay day.
More important than choosing the goal is realizing that you are capable of something really really big. When toeing the line of my first marathon, I remember being filled with self-doubt, but as the miles ticked on, I realized that I was a lot stronger than I gave myself credit for. I have been a runner for a long time and lately, I have been feeling ready for something huge. For some reason, self-doubt seems gone and marching forward, I feel like I am capable of something harder than I have done before.
In October, I am running the St. George Marathon, and my goal is to run a Boston Qualifier (3:35).
I signed up for St. George with this goal in mind, but I was debating putting it on the blog at all. St. George is a downhill course that is known for it’s BQs. Yeah, I know a few of you are laughing right now. Given my past times, this is a reach. But I know that my obstacles are not physical. Every time I truly believe that I can be faster, I am. I don’t know where that wall is, and maybe it’s somewhere like 3:40, but by going for that qualifier, I’ll find that wall and I’ll know for sure. My shorter distance (5K and 10K) times reflect that this is within my abilities. St. George gives me the opportunity to find out if that is true.
I am not afraid of failure and I am not afraid of pain. There is no doubt in my mind that going for this goal will be unbelievably painful but that’s fine. I can handle that. And if I fail, I’ll just do it again.
I will be using a training plan by Sage Running. It focuses on making sure that I get the appropriate amount of rest between hard workouts, but it will also be pretty high mileage at it’s peak. Luckily, the plan is easily adjustable if I do run into any over training problems (which I often do because my job is very physical as well). My mantra over the next few months is to trust the training plan. Training officially starts on June 19 and until then I am just base building and getting stronger.
Am I nuts? Yeah, probably, but really, why be afraid of failure? October 7 is going to be a glorious day either way. Maybe this is corny, but all I have to do is believe.
She Runs the Wasatch 
Good for you for putting a scary goal out there! The marathon distance is super intimidating to me and I hope everything goes according to plan. Did you purchase a plan from Sage running or do they have free one online? I look forward to seeing how it all goes.
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I bought the plan, actually. It wasn’t very expensive, but I do like Sage and Sandi a lot. I’ve read their book about running any surface any distance and it helped me a lot transitioning between roads and trails. The plan is very straightforward and I think it’ll be a very good fit for me.
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You go girl! I love the way you put yourself in a position to achieve big scary goals. You are a brave person and I am so proud of you. I’m sure you will achieve it all. ❤ ❤
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🙂 Thanks! And at worst, I’ll just go for it again.
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Good luck! Scary goals are good for us. I found that nailing my pacing and nailing my nutrition were huge in cutting time off my marathon and finally BQing. I recommend giving some thought to those two aspects.
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Sage’s plan really incorporates both. Sage and Sandi are both vegan (as am I) and have lots of videos and blogs about nutrition.
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This is very exciting! I’ll be eagerly following your training.
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Thanks! I’m sure it’ll be exciting regardless of the final result. Haha!
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Sounds like you are in a good place and the right frame of mind to tackle this. I really help you achieve your goal — good luck!
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Thank you! I really hope so too. I feel very chill about this and I’m not too worried about success. If it happens, that’s great, but if it doesn’t, I am sure that this training will make me a better runner.
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That’s a great attitude. I’ve had a few friends go down the BQ Rabbit Hole & it usually wasn’t pretty. 😦
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I love following you as you train! I’m excited for you! DREAM BIG, you got this!
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Seriously! This is pretty big. I have a lot of work ahead of me!
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Wooohooo!!! Let’s do this!!!! ❤
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Yay! Let’s hope it’s a nice cool day! That could help out a lot.
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Ahhh that’s so cool that you’re using a Sage training plan! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. Go get that BQ, I know you’ve got it in you! Heart of a champ!
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Good luck! I love the quote “if you’re goals don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough”. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Every race and training cycle is an opportunity for personal growth and an awesome journey ready to be experienced. I think your attitude is awesome and will be a huge help in helping you reach you goal . I can’t wait to follow this journey
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YES! I love big scary goals. They can be incredibly frustrating at times and I’ve felt the sting of falling short on goals several times, but having something to chase, that I have to really work for, keeps me coming back for more.
I’m going for my BQ in January. So I’ll expect to see you (and Helly) in 2019. Good luck!
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