I don’t set time goals
Me and Jessica after finishing the Detroit Marathon in 2013.
My goal at the beginning of every race is to finish it. That’s all. And I have been successful in achieving this goal!
However, I’m starting to consider setting time goals for half marathons. I think I’ve done enough now and understand myself and my training enough to set realistic goals for myself.
The reason I don’t set time goals is simple: I don’t think I have enough experience distance running (or, in triathlon) to realistically be able to predict how I’ll do in a race. And I’ve been pretty right about that.
I thought I’d do better in the Marine Corps Marathon than I did but I was right in knowing that I didn’t know how I’d feel after about mile 18 so I’m glad I didn’t have a really clear time goal to meet. Otherwise, I would have been beating myself up over it. Instead, I was celebrating a finish and feeling really really great about the race.
When it comes to half marathons, though, I do have some experience. I mean, I’ve done seven of them and during marathon training we basically run a half marathon every weekend for about three months. I know how I respond to 13.1 miles. I think I’ll be doing a half marathon in March and I will – finally – set a time goal for myself. I’m not sure what it will be yet but there will be one.
Hannah, I have not signed up for CP yet… I am debating on doing the 140.6 or the 70.3 or a 70.3 in NY that day… ah… options
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Well location question is easy…does NY have the best roller coasters in the world?! I think not. Cedar Point it is!
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Hannah, Time goals are good for pushing you in training (to get the work done to get to a time goal) and they are good on race day for motivating you to push past some discomfort to get a goal. Just be wise in using them and understand that if nutrition fails you or injury hits you then those are insurmountable in the fight against time… I use time goals but while racing I really do go off of feel, but because I trained with a time in mind I know what x time feels like… Good luck and maybe I’ll see you at the Challenge race in CP
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Eric, are you doing CP? I don’t think I knew that…I’m pretty sure I’m going to sign up for it. I’m pretty good at pushing myself during training. I’m just really bad at doing it while racing. I need to work on that!
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