Get Faster with Running Performance Goals
Photos by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified running coach
Running performance goals are not your average goal. Unlike the lofty aspirations of outcome goals like “I want to win my race,” performance goals are the smaller milestones that help you achieve your big goals. Performance goals are easy to measure and break down. Running performance goals measure your athletic performance and create a blueprint for achieving progress in your training. They are more in your control than outcome goals while still being based on your performance. By learning what running performance goals are and how to set them, you can become a stronger, faster runner.
Related Post: Peptides for Weight Loss: Experts and Patients Weigh In
What Are Running Performance Goals?
There are three main types of goals for athletics — outcome, performance, and process goals. Outcome goals are the ones that are the big, main goals. We have the least control over outcome goals and often depend on external things such as rankings or places. An outcome goal may be to win your race age group or get your best 5K race time. Outcome goals are common in high-level athletics but because there are so many factors we can’t control — our competitors, the weather, etc — outcome goals should only be one way you measure your running progress.
Running performance goals are small, measurable milestones in your training that help you make progress and keep you on track for your bigger goals. Some running performance goals may include: running 20 miles a week, lower tempo run pace to 30 seconds faster, and do an interval workout of 6 x 400s at goal mile pace once a week.
Benefits of Setting Performance Goals
Performance goals measure your progress and keep you accountable as you train. Running performance goals offer the blueprint to help you become a faster, stronger runner. Without performance goals, our big goals are just dreams.
Performance goals are beneficial for people who struggle with anxiety, and they can also be a welcome change in focus for people who have body image issues. Because performance goals focus on small, attainable milestones and your performance — what you do and not how you look or awards you receive — they are a great way to balance out the pressure of outcome goals and take the focus off of external appearances and awards. (Please note, for people with ongoing anxiety or body image issues, a trained therapist is the best resource for deciding what tactics are healthiest for your situation).
How to Set Running Performance Goals
I generally recommend focusing on one big goal at a time for runners. This will help you stay focused and not get overwhelmed with your training. Once you set your big goal, make sure it is a S.M.A.R.T. goal — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.
Is your goal realistic? It should be challenging yet attainable. There is a balance to strike between difficult and too easy. Studies show that setting a difficult goal is often more fulfilling and surprisingly more achievable than easy goals. So do not set your bar too low or you’ll be less motivated to achieve your goal.
Once you set your big goal, it is time to set running performance goals. What milestones do you need to meet in order to achieve your big goal? If your goal is to run a marathon, for instance, you will have performance goals that include weekly long runs for specific distances— starting with a 6-mile long run and working your way up to an 18-mile or 20-mile long run. If your goal is to run your fastest mile, you will have a lot of speed workout performance goals.
Measuring Progress
It’s important to measure and record your running progress goals. There will be times you don’t hit every goal and that’s ok. With life’s fluctuations, it is important to regularly assess your goal progress and see how you measure up. Workouts like benchmark runs are a great way to assess your speed improvements.
Check-in at least once a month on your big goal progress and adjust your program and goals accordingly. This will help you stay realistic and challenged in the pursuit of your goal. You may need to tweak your performance goals when you assess where you are at with your training. For instance, if you have not been hitting your speed workout interval goal times, you may need to set slightly slower paces and build up your speed more gradually.
Sometimes things come up in training — injury, sickness, mental health issues — and we have to adjust our big goals. That is ok and perfectly normal. If you face a lot of health setbacks, you may change your main goal from getting a PR to finishing your race, for instance.
Try to keep a flexible mindset in your training and you will enjoy the process more and will have more long-term progress.
Keeping Perspective
Speaking of the process, setting some process goals is a great way to create a well-balanced training plan. Process goals are small daily habits that boost your health and fitness. Process goals may include drinking 8 glasses of water a day, taking 10,000 steps a day, meditating for 10 minutes a day, taking a complete rest day each week, etc.
By setting a variety of goals on your running journey and assessing your progress regularly, you will have a more enjoyable, fulfilling training and racing experience.
Related Posts: How Habit Bundling Can Improve Your Fitness, How to Make a Self-Care Plan, Improve Your Running with Goal Setting
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
