I don’t know what’s shocked me more…how long it is since I last posted or how quickly this year’s gone by. I’m still waiting to truly get into my 2021 running groove too.
It has been a mish mash of a running year which is probably the reason for the lack of posting. Much of the first 6 months was generally taking it easy to build strength back in my knee after what seems to have been a touch of tendinopathy. This was followed by 6 months of stuttering starts of running and a few work related curve balls. I’ve managed to get a good string together now over the Holidays, albeit mainly soggy ones. This one pretty much sums up the attempts I’ve had to get a solid spell of running in over the last few months:
This post is all about next year anyway and what I’d like to achieve. It’s always easy to be ambitious and have amazing delusions of grandeur as I tuck into another sherry and mince pie but I’m being realistic. I’m also going to stage my goals so create A, B and C goals. That way, when curve balls turn up and derail plans, it doesn’t stop my running in it’d tracks altogether.
2022
It’s all about building up the base and confidence to run another decent ultra over the summer. The idea of my A, B and C goals is that even if I only manage to get my C goals, I’ll still get to where I’d like to be and am likely to manage these, even with any life that gets in the way. A or B goals would just be a bonus. So…
By end of Feb 2022:
A Goal – half marathon at 5:00/km pace
B Goal – half marathon at any pace
C Goal – 150km run during Feb
By End of April 2022
A Goal – marathon at 5:00/km pace
B Goal – marathon at any pace
C Goal – 200km run during April
By End May 2022
A Goal – 50km run at 5:30/km pace
B Goal – 50km run at any pace
C Goal – 250km run during May
By End Jul 2022
A Goal – Sub 12hr 100km run
B Goal – Sub 14hr 100km run
C Goal – 100km run completed
So there we have it…either a nice way to build up a list of future disappointments or a nice way to build up my running without the stress of a single goal which may waver. C goals are the primary target allowing all manner of get-out clauses but, if all goes well, we can see if just the occasional A or B Goal is possible.
Let’s see…I’ll document the progress on the way.
The eagle-eyed will notice my 2022 goals stop at the end of July. If everything goes to plan then it may be that the goals for the end of the year become even more outrageous.
Let’s not run before we can walk though. Figuratively obviously as this is all about running.
Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2022 can bring a year of running happiness.
longruntom 
Hey, welcome back and happy new year, Tom.
I’ve wondered a bit about you this year since you’ve been so quiet.
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Ah thanks Matt! A busy year meant running took more of a back seat than I’d have liked. Hit the ground running with 2022 though. Happy New Year, hope you have had a good one
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Good goals! I had a funny year in 2021 running-wise, overtrained by just running more and more with no respite (turns out if you run more than the average of your type of runner, you’re probably running too much), then had a fall and broke my hand during a race, then got a Terrible Cold. Dragged my way up to a sensible weekly total again and have just about scraped some nerve back out of the deep recesses of not wanting to ruin my one-person business if I fall and hurt myself more badly … Onwards and upwards, hope you have a super 2022!
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Hi Liz, good to hear from you. Oh no, sounds like quite the rollercoaster of a year. I’ve also been guilty of overtraining in the past when I’m trying to get my running back in track so can sympathise. I really hope you’ve recovered OK now ready for the new year and hopefully onwards and upwards, like you say. Look forward to seeing how you get on
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Great goals here, Tom. Hope you have a great running year! 😀
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Thanks very much Carl, got to keep the motivation going 👍 have a great year of running yourself too!
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You are very welcome, Tom. Thank you so much! 😀
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Nice and logical goals here – I like how you are setting youself up ready for whatever opportunities the second half of the year gives you! They are very logical, numerical targets – wondering if this is the thing that inspires you or the best way you find to have focus on your training? I’ve been reading people’s 2022 target setting posts with interest seeing how differently we all go about it! Good luck with them and I’ll follow to see how you go working towards them
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Hi Mark, thanks for the message. Yeah, I’ve often set goals that are ambitious and become unachievable when unavoidable events appear out the blue so hopefully this gives me wriggle room when that happens. I am quite a data guy so enjoy churning through the numbers. That said, my running is mainly about getting out, enjoying the surroundings and building the fitness for future races. I find the numbers just help keep the trajectory upwards so the races I want to do become achievable! I did really enjoy your post about goals, especially having given so much thought to my own this year
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Thank you for reading my goals post! Always hard to know if you should set really hard goals and change them if life intervenes, or set goals that can be managed around life. I guess the answer is probably sometimes one and sometimes the other! I agree with the numbers side of running being helpful and interesting!
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