Beginners and Beyond

What major running goals have you reached (and what is still out there)? (Read 188 times)

LRB


    I almost forgot.  One of my big goals after I had been running for a few years was to win a race outright.  

    I have thought about that, but it is totally impractical at my current 5k time.

     

    I came in second overall once but there were only like two people racing, me and some dude in a wheelchair.  Needless to say he smoked my ass!

     

    Seriously though, with the volume of events in my area, if I am ever able to run sub-20:00....

     

    well, let's just say that I would like to have that chance someday as well.

    Awood_Runner


    Smaller By The Day

      LRB - There's a free 5K in Livonia, MI every weekend.  I could make a medal, and we could just show up every weekend until one of us wins it.  The sub-20 guys have to take at least one weekend off.  Don't they?

      Improvements

      Weight 100 pounds lost

      5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

      10K 48:59 April 2013

      HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

      MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

      Just B.S.


        I guess the definition of "major" will vary greatly from person to person.

         

        As someone who started running in May 2000, to help lose the last of the 40+ lbs I had carried for an

        extra 8 years after the birth of our last son my goal was only to get to a point where I didn't hate running.

         

        Did my first half in 2003 at age 41. Hubby and son joined me the next year and the rest is history. Through the

        years we have inspired each other. It's a great thing.

         

        I honestly never started any type of goal setting in regard to times until the last 2-3 years.  And with lots of had work

        and probably some luck I have achieved each on the very first attempt.

         

        Half # 25 is coming this weekend. 

        Sub 2 - first time in 2010, again in Oct 2012 -set PR of 1:57:44 at age 50 

        5 fulls since age 48.   PR of 4:20 set Oct 2012 at age 50

         

        I will continue to do marathons and half marathons, not sure for how long. As long and we are having fun and can

        run them in a decent time frame.

         

        My new goal is that I am switching my focus more to triathlon as I have discovered a talent for swimming that is

        apparently much better than my talent for running!LOL  Hubby and i have also done duathlons for the last 4 years

        so triathlon is a natural progression.

         

        After a few tri's this summer we arehoping to be able to train for and complete a 1/2 IronMan together next summer. 

         

        As a family we now have over 20 full marathons, over 60 half marathons and almost 200 races. We have made

        so many great friends, travelled all over and , had great adventures together. Hopefully set ourselves up for a healthy

        and active older age and set for our sons a great example of how fitness can be fun.

         

        I don't think it can get much better than that. 

         

        EDITED TO ADD: On my 3rd marathon with an elevation gain of 1,900 feet into a 30mpw head wind the entire way

        I completed my goal of running an entire marathon without stopping. It was slow because of the hills and wind (4:35)

        but it was accomplished.

         

        I have run about 9 of the half marathons without stopping, even at water stops.

          I have thought about that, but it is totally impractical at my current 5k time.

           

          I came in second overall once but there were only like two people racing, me and some dude in a wheelchair.  Needless to say he smoked my ass!

           

          Seriously though, with the volume of events in my area, if I am ever able to run sub-20:00....

           

          well, let's just say that I would like to have that chance someday as well.

           

          You just have to pick the right, small, local race. That being said you never know who might show up. Around here you need to get quite a bit under 20:00 (frankly, sub-18:00) to think about getting it done in most 5K's unless you venture well outside the metro area. But if you have a lot of races around your area you never know. Good luck!

           

           

           

             
            I rarely reach my goals, because I set them too high, but that always worked for me. When I was a kid, I always looked at men's world records and thought, I have a lot of work to do. My mom ran in high school and college and she always admired a great Emil Zatopek. When I was a kid I told her that I will run a faster marathon than Zatopek and that I will run in Olympics. I did run a faster marathon than Zatopek, but never made it to Olympics.  
             

             

            That may be one of the best goals attained I have read. To have that on your running resume has got to be very satisfying. I want to be like you when I grow up. Wink

             

             

             


            Antipodean

              As a family we now have over 20 full marathons, over 60 half marathons and almost 200 races. We have made

              so many great friends, travelled all over and , had great adventures together. Hopefully set ourselves up for a healthy

              and active older age and set for our sons a great example of how fitness can be fun.

               

              I don't think it can get much better than that. 

               

              * That is what it's all about! Thanks for the inspiration, Beth.

              Julie

               

              "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."

              ~ Sir Edmund Hillary

              Love the Half


                 

                You just have to pick the right, small, local race. That being said you never know who might show up. Around here you need to get quite a bit under 20:00 (frankly, sub-18:00) to think about getting it done in most 5K's unless you venture well outside the metro area. But if you have a lot of races around your area you never know. Good luck!

                 

                Yep.  The winning time in the race I won was 19:30.  Admittedly, that was on a difficult course but even on a flat course, I probably wouldn't have run faster than about 18:45 and I still won by 45 seconds.  I just randomly pulled up the race results from November, 2012 in my area and looked at the first 5K.  The winning time was 20:06.  A New Beginning 5K  Other winning times in November:

                 

                20:16

                16:39

                16:26

                21:14

                20:53

                20:33

                17:46

                17:32

                20:01

                 

                Of course, if you insist on only running in USATF certified, chip timed races in large metropolitan areas, your chances are zero.  However, if you are willing to get a bit off the beaten path and run in some Popsicle stick timed races, then you have a chance to win even without sub 6:00 speed.

                Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                Adam_McAllen


                Beer-and-waffle Powered

                  This is a nice thread, it's interesting to see all the different approaches to running.

                   

                  I'm with you happylily and still bluesky, I need the races to have goals.

                   

                  runmomto3boys - You're already damn fast, and you've only been running a short while. I would not be that surprised if sub 3:00 was in the cards for you.

                   

                  I ran track in grade 12 (2006) with the goal of getting days off school and hanging out with the girls on the track team. I succeed! The only race result that I have is a bib from a 1,500m race with "5:49" written on the back (3:53/km or 6:14/mile pace).

                   

                  I started running more seriously in 2007 because I wondered if I could run a Half-Marathon without stopping, which I did in 1:57. A while later I was at a party and someone asked if I ran XC for the university, which really planted that seed in my head. So I talked to the coach, ramped up mileage and joined the next year. I got smoked by a ton of people, but by the end of my second/last season I'd worked my way up to "alternate".

                   

                  Two years ago I ran a half-marathon (1:21) at faster than my 1,500m pace from high school and a 59 minute 10-miler which were goals of mine. Right now my main goal is to stay healthy and work my mileage back up (I can't run well if I'm not running a lot). I'd like to run a marathon at faster than my 1,500m pace from high school, (I'd need a 2:43:52). My long-term goal would probably be a sub 2:30 marathon because then I could get free entry into the Ottawa MarathonBig grin.
                    

                  This is a really nice thread. I have always been a decent runner and running comes easy to me, but I'm so impressed with people who were overweight and in some cases by a lot and now they run and many of them made a mind blowing transfer from a couch potato to ready amazing runners  (RJR and his ultras just to name one). 
                   
                  I think, that most people here understand that somebody's goal to run for 30 minutes without stopping is as valid goal as for somebody else to run a fast marathon or 100 miles ultra. Everybody's circumstances are different, so our goals are different too.  

                  +1 to how goo expressed it.

                  In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them

                  runmomto3boys



                    I rarely reach my goals, because I set them too high, but that always worked for me. When I was a kid, I always looked at men's world records and thought, I have a lot of work to do. My mom ran in high school and college and she always admired a great Emil Zatopek. When I was a kid I told her that I will run a faster marathon than Zatopek and that I will run in Olympics. I did run a faster marathon than Zatopek, but never made it to Olympics.  
                     

                     

                    That is just incredible, Goo!!!  What an absolutely phenomenal accomplishment!  Mind blowing!

                     

                    Adam: Thank you very much!  You have already accomplished so much in your own right: WOW!!!   I have every reason to believe that you too will hit all of your goals, including that 2:43:52 and eventually that sub-2:30 FM!

                    sirdizzy


                      Goals I've reached:

                      Run a mile without walking

                      Run  a 5k without walking

                      Sub 30 5k

                      Sub 25 5k

                      Sub 50 10k

                      Complete first half

                      Run a half marathon without walking

                      Sub 2:10 half

                      Sub 2 half

                      1:50 half

                      Complete a marathon

                      Sub 5 marathon

                      sub 4:30 marathon

                      sub 4:22 marathon (for the sub 10mm pace Smile

                      Complete a triathlon

                      Complete an Olympic triathlon

                      Sub 1:25 sprint triathlon

                       

                      Outstanding goals

                      Sub 20 5k (this is a goal I may never achieve because I think to do it I would have to focus solely on the 5k for a year and I really hate 5ks, I may get it through other means but no idea when).

                      Sub 45 10k, I was going to try for this in March I may not now as I am curbing the races I am doing as I just started doing a layaway plan with the local bike shop for a brand new carbon fiber triathlon bike and that is where all my money is going until its paid off so I can have it for my Half Ironman in May.

                      Sub 1:45 half, trying for this on Saturday

                      Run a marathon without walking

                      Sub 4 hour marathon, this goal is up in the air right now, my wife is due October 5th same day as the marathon and she wants me to forgo or DNS the race in lieu of getting the new bike we will see how things are closer to the race, if I miss the race I may try for it in November or December.

                      BQ , more marathon goals will be added if I get closer, I like to take my goals in chunks.

                      Sub 1:10 sprint triathlon, trying for this in April

                      Sub 3 hour Olympic triathlon, trying for this in September.

                      Finish a half ironman, my first will be May 4th Smile

                      Sub 7:30 half ironman

                      Sub 7 half ironman

                      Complete an ironman

                      AG in a major local race (I have AGed in smaller races and even won small races outright I want to AG where there is 500-1000 competing against me).

                       

                      Goals are tricky because a lot of times I will do a race and say ok I want to this in the next race rarely have I set arbitrary way out goals.  Like I'd like to run a sub 1:30 half but have always just look at the next goal of getting there.  For nearly a year it was just a sub 2:10 because I wanted to average a sub 10 pace, then it was a sub 2, then it was a 1:50 now the goal is sub 1:45, then it will likely be sub 1:40 and so on and so forth.  Some of the goals I started with were sub 2 half, sub 4 marathon, BQ and sub 20 5k just because they were nice even round numbers.  And lately my goals have become a lot more triathlon focused and I slowly become more of a triathlete then a runner.

                      RSX


                        I just came up with a new goal of beating my brother who just joined 1 of my running clubs. He is 2 years younger and we have only run the same race once when I beat him in Falmouth. He started biking years ago and stopped running, but came back recently. I'm kidding about that as a major goal but will probably do some of the same races although he favors trails.

                        LRB


                          LRB - There's a free 5K in Livonia, MI every weekend.  I could make a medal, and we could just show up every weekend until one of us wins it.  The sub-20 guys have to take at least one weekend off.  Don't they?

                           

                          I saw that on runmichigan.com, that is a great idea for those who do not like the pressure and/or anxiety that goes with races.

                           

                          Here, in late July and August are good months to score high.  And the weekend of the Crim Festival of Races is the best because all the elites and wanna be's are there.  That was actually the weekend I came in second overall, and first male.

                          Hipfan


                          Proud Calgarian

                            As someone who got 3 wins in small races last year (a 5k with 99 runners, an 8k with 78 runners, and a 10k with 133 runners), it's fun to say that you were #1 that day for sure. However, I don't think that any of my times (18:49, 30:48 and 39:56 in high-90's heat) would be good enough to win a race bigger than that.

                             

                            It'd be a dream to somehow have your best running day at a big event and actually make the podium, and for me a big event is just 500-1000. Smile

                             

                            I have thought about that, but it is totally impractical at my current 5k time.

                             

                            I came in second overall once but there were only like two people racing, me and some dude in a wheelchair.  Needless to say he smoked my ass!

                             

                            Seriously though, with the volume of events in my area, if I am ever able to run sub-20:00....

                             

                            well, let's just say that I would like to have that chance someday as well.

                            2015 Goals and PRs:

                            5k - 17:59 (18:05);  10k - 35:59 (36:42);   HM - 1:19:19 (1:19:59);   FM - 2:49:59 (3:05:46)

                            Docket_Rocket


                              500 is what our smaller 5K gets....

                               

                              As someone who got 3 wins in small races last year (a 5k with 99 runners, an 8k with 78 runners, and a 10k with 133 runners), it's fun to say that you were #1 that day for sure. However, I don't think that any of my times (18:49, 30:48 and 39:56 in high-90's heat) would be good enough to win a race bigger than that.

                               

                              It'd be a dream to somehow have your best running day at a big event and actually make the podium, and for me a big event is just 500-1000. Smile

                               

                              Damaris

                               

                              As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                              Fundraising Page

                              LRB


                                It'd be a dream to somehow have your best running day at a big event and actually make the podium, and for me a big event is just 500-1000. Smile

                                 

                                 

                                Drop a couple of them zeroes and I am in, ha-ha!