Forums >General Running>Craziest damn running goal you've ever set
The Irreverent Reverend
Whats the craziest damn running goal you've ever set? Why did you set the goal? Did you meet it?
Today I decided that I want to run a Boston Qualifier in 2014. I've run one marathon ever, two years ago. And while respectable, it was nowhere near a BQ. It'll be a hard goal. I'll have to lose 20 pounds (at least) and pick up my pace quite a bit. Why did I set this goal? Perhaps it is because I'm regretting my decision to give up running after high school 20 years ago, even though I was pretty fast (4:23 1600M). Perhaps as I push 40 years-old I'm looking for a challenge. Perhaps I'm just deranged.
Anyway, what crazy running goals have you set for yourself, and why? And, did you ever meet your goal? What was the experience like for you?
Husband. Father of three. Lutheran pastor. National Guardsman. Runner. Political junkie. Baseball fan.
The craziest thing? Considering the fact I am a 'relatively' new runner, probably signing up for a 24-hour race with a goal of 75+ miles. Then planning on doing 3 more of these 24-hour events this year...
The goal you have set is a tough one, but a good one, and I will wish you the best of luck!
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞
Feeling the growl again
Qualifying for the US Olympic Marathon Trials.
Nope. Didn't do it. I truly believe there was a window where I was in shape to do it...unfortunately that window did not match with the timing of my goal marathon...which ended up being an injured and half-hearted effort.
What was it like? Well, the race I DID run at the peak of conditioning was an absolute dream. Unfortunately it was not a marathon.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Qualifying for the US Olympic Marathon Trials.... What was it like? Well, the race I DID run at the peak of conditioning was an absolute dream. Unfortunately it was not a marathon.
Qualifying for the US Olympic Marathon Trials....
Still a dream worth having.
Mine is probably my current goal: running a sub-3 marathon this fall.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
I'd have to put sub 24 hours at the Western States 100 right up there.
Mmmmm...beer
BQ my first marathon, which right now is looking like next March. I'll see how I'm doing as the time gets closer, and may readjust my goal if needed, since there's another goal that I won't even mention in public right now. lol
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
Signed up for a 24HR run in September. I plan to run 100 miles. That's Plan A. Plan B is not run 100 miles. I don't want any "sub plan" to become a bail out point where it is OK to stop.
My history is a half dozen marathons, a 50K in 2007 and a 50 miler in 2010.
Doing the Goofy Challenge.
Jodi
PR:
Half: 1:48 (March 3rd, 2013)
Full: 4:05:40 (March 17th, 2013)
2013/2014 Goals:
Sub-4:00 hour Marathon
Sub- 125 poundsSub- 1:45 hour half.
levitation specialist
Trying to BQ on my first full This coming May.
Why is it crazy?
Well, first......it's my first ever full & I am not fast. My times and effort say that I will be close, but the weather and how I feel that day will probably be the tipping point one way or the other(which sortof takes the control factor away and that scares me......not thinking about it......not worrying about it......okay, I am).
Second....l actually dislike long runs. I actually dislike the amount of time training takes from my family. I feel like it is another thing I have to make time for, whereas with lower mileage, I actually liked it. So I can't dedicate 5-6 hours to running each week, which is what 50+ mpw marathon training takes without guilt and missing things, things that are important right now. So in a way, I don't want to BQ because I cannot do this again next winter.
I think maybe someday, I can be a full marathoner and make it to Boston. But I don't know if that is 2014. I'm not sure I want it to be 2014!
But I love 10ks to halfs!
Yeah a BQ for me this spring as well.
A 3:05 just seems so damn fast but with my first child due about a month after my goal marathon I will never have as much time to train as I do now. This will be my third marathon and I will have to knock just under 22 minutes off but I will keep working at it. I will decide in May if that is truly a reasonable goal.
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
From where I sit, if you can do 50+ mpw in 5-6 hours, you're FAST.
Trying to BQ on my first full This coming May. Why is it crazy? Well, first......it's my first ever full & I am not fast. My times and effort say that I will be close, but the weather and how I feel that day will probably be the tipping point one way or the other(which sortof takes the control factor away and that scares me......not thinking about it......not worrying about it......okay, I am). Second....l actually dislike long runs. I actually dislike the amount of time training takes from my family. I feel like it is another thing I have to make time for, whereas with lower mileage, I actually liked it. So I can't dedicate 5-6 hours to running each week, which is what 50+ mpw marathon training takes without guilt and missing things, things that are important right now. So in a way, I don't want to BQ because I cannot do this again next winter. I think maybe someday, I can be a full marathoner and make it to Boston. But I don't know if that is 2014. I'm not sure I want it to be 2014! But I love 10ks to halfs!
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
Live Free & Run
- Running the Goofy Challenge
- Run a Half marathon (maybe a full marathon depending how I do with them) in all 50 states, Canada, England & France
Working on both right now. Will probably do the Goofy in 2015/2016
PRs
1-Mile - 6:18 on 4-4-2015
5K - 21:48 on 10-31-2015
10K - 47:57 on 10-24-2015
HM - 1:52:36 on 3-25-2017
FULL - 4:41:12 on 1-11-2015
Upcoming Races
Tanger Outlet 5K
Disney World 19.3 Challenge
Race the Runways 10K
Craziest goal? I ran 6 marathons in 9 days in 6 different states...
be curious; not judgmental
So crazy, I can't share it.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus