Someone, lets call this person 'Sally' , asked me about how to find a good plan to start training to run 3 miles. I told Sally that I would write one up, all I would need is a timeline, a goal to reference and her current running ability and history. I offered some tentative dates of 5k's that are run in the Valley.
Sally was adament that she didn't want to run a 5k, nor would she give me a timeline that fit into her schedule. Sally was very 'dodgy' with all my questions except that she wanted to be able to run 3 miles.
My point here is not to beat up on little Sally. My point here is that goals are best met when there is a sense of urgency attached to it. A plan without a goal is not a plan. I can get anyone to run 5k, barring medical conditions, but when asking any quality fitness professional a question, they are going ask the why or what.
Many times I have responded to internet questions about protien intake with, "What are your goals?" Why buy expensive protien powders if you already get enough protien in your diet? Why ask for a 5k plan if you don't have a reason to run the distance.
My answer to Sally is, "Run every other day, be consistent, increase no more than 10% a week and you will be able to run a 5k between 30-60 days."
The part that hurts is that Sally like many other people out there that suffer from a specific condition of Common Man Syndrome, expecting results overnight. Just getting a plan from a personal trainer is not going to get someeone to run 5k. Just like just having a health club membership is going to get you into shape. The other part of the equation is The Why.
Sally was adament that she didn't want to run a 5k, nor would she give me a timeline that fit into her schedule. Sally was very 'dodgy' with all my questions except that she wanted to be able to run 3 miles.
My point here is not to beat up on little Sally. My point here is that goals are best met when there is a sense of urgency attached to it. A plan without a goal is not a plan. I can get anyone to run 5k, barring medical conditions, but when asking any quality fitness professional a question, they are going ask the why or what.
Many times I have responded to internet questions about protien intake with, "What are your goals?" Why buy expensive protien powders if you already get enough protien in your diet? Why ask for a 5k plan if you don't have a reason to run the distance.
My answer to Sally is, "Run every other day, be consistent, increase no more than 10% a week and you will be able to run a 5k between 30-60 days."
The part that hurts is that Sally like many other people out there that suffer from a specific condition of Common Man Syndrome, expecting results overnight. Just getting a plan from a personal trainer is not going to get someeone to run 5k. Just like just having a health club membership is going to get you into shape. The other part of the equation is The Why.
5 comments:
Good post!!! The other thing I see people do is have a laundry list of goals that is so big and so vague that no one could possibly achieve them all! Quantifiable, specific, and focused does it for me.
No goal = no accountability.
It's an easy out for those tough moments that we all know too well.
Without IMAZ staring me in the face 75 days from now (YIKES!) I would not be nearly as consistent in my workouts.
I know I will be held accountable on April 9, 2006.
great post. i had goals before on races and such but since i have signed up for this marathon training series, i'm doing it. covering the miles. there are no excuses anymore because no one can do it but me.
you definately need a timeline/goal.
all this time i've been readin' you, and today i learned that CMS manifests itself in conditions...
maybe you should publish a known list, so we can look out for them in our 'no limits' challenge.
I have been having a problem with feeling urgent about my goals because my big race is SO far away and I haven't been able to sign up for anything yet. However, I found a 5k in April to sign up for and another in March. Yay urgency!
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