"Set a fire alight & it just keeps burning" Staying focused on goals.

What the title says…

Seriously. I can’t hold back my excitement for the year of 2020. Infact, I can’t contain my excitement for the next decade. I have big goals (I know, I know *eyeroll* I say this every year…) But I do! My goals get loftier as each year passes and I believe that’s a sign of me embracing my passion. I truly am getting after what excites me in life and I am absoloutely not sorry for that. Will my goals save lives? Noooope. Will my goals contribute towards a healthier planet? Noooope. Are my goals self orientated? slightly selfish? and benefit me and only me? Absoloutely. Am I okay with that? ABSOLOUTELY! Will I ever apologize for that? AB-SO-LOUTE-LY-NOT! and for that reason I am going to keep on burning until the flame dies out.

I usually set my running goals at the end of the race season (September/October) and not necessarily at the end of the year. This gives me time to think on them for a couple of months and ensure that what I envision is exactly what I intend on putting my heart into for the year ahead. Generally speaking having a goal is great. You set your heart on something and you work towards it in the hopes that you achieve it and, if achieved you reflect and set bigger-loftier-goals or, you see where you could have improved and you continue working towards them. 2019 was a year I experienced both. I set out to run my longest distance which was achieved when I crossed the finish line of the Canadian Death Race yet, I also fell short of a secondary goal of running my fastest road marathon in Vancouver. Both experiences taught me a lot and both experiences have fuelled the fire in me for 2020.

Over the years I have become extremely goal orientated and very intrigued with my body and what it is capable of. Each year I raise the bar a little higher and push for bigger boundaries. I really enjoy the process of signing up to a race and putting on my best performance. But, I really enjoy the endless months of training that go into that 1 single day and I try my hardest to never lose sight of that. As cliche as it sounds the months of training bring the goal to life. If it wasnt for the process, the hard work, the ups and the downs I don’t think it would feel that special if goals were easily achieved. My goals ultimately reflect my passion and my passion ultimately reflects my lifestyle and it’s just become this snowball effect that is my life and I really enjoy it. Maybe one day my priorities will shift, a new hobby may come a long or my body will grow tired of endurance afterall, life is constantly changing and nothing is permanent. But for now I am going to keep on chasing what makes me happy and running is exactly that. With that being said it’s not hard for me to stay focused (especially when I enjoy what I do) but, sometimes I am asked if I have any tips on how to stay focused especially during winter. So for all you runners with lofty goals for the year ahead here’s a few pointers on how to stay on top of your game:

1.  You have to be interested in something to fuel a passion
   There is absoloutely no point in setting a goal if it doesnt interest you. To be able to be motivated to committ to something you have to be interested in it and if you’re not interested in it chances are that goal isn’t going to stay a goal for long. What do you find yourself talking about? What do you find yourself researching? What kinds of accounts are you looking up on Social Media? What books are you reading? What podcasts are you listening to? There’s a quote by Julia Child which goes along the lines of ‘Find something you’re passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it’. That to me says everything. This year I became interested in heart rate data which furtherd my interest into sports testing which furtherd my interest into coaching which led me to being coached which has enhanced my training and therefore, has inspired BIG goals for 2020…… (YUP, there’s that snowball effect I was talking about).
2.  You don’t have to justify what it is you’re working towards
   Your goal is YOUR goal. It’s not your friends, it’s not your partner’s, it’s not your co-worker’s and it’s certainly not your family’s. Yes, they may be a part of it and their support is always welcomed but, they do not need to understand why and they certainly do not need you to justify why you are working towards it. 1 piece of advice, ‘Do you, ALWAYS’. That’s not to say other people’s advice is not welcome but, if people start critizing you for how small, or how large your goal is just end the convesation there and then. If you have your heart set on something and you believe in it then that is simply enough. I started running long distances 3 years ago and when I jumped from marathon distance into the ultra world I came across a lot of people who asked ‘Why?’.  Now as soon as that question comes up I tend to change the conversation. I don’t need people to understand what I do and why I do it. If people are interested of course I will share my passion afterall, I love talking about it. But, when people tell me ‘You’re crazy’, ‘You’re asking for injuries’ or my favourite ‘You’re going to be crippled by 35’ I just don’t need that negativity in my life. People are welcome to their opinions but in my eyes negativity or be-littling someone elses goals is wasted energy, people should put that fuel towards their own journey instead of down-playing someone elses.
3. It’s okay to not be motivated but try to give yourself at least 5 minutes
   It’s 5:30pm on a Friday night. It’s been a busy day at work and you’re tired. The last thing you want to do is lace up and head out of the door especially with it being -20 celc outside. You’re faced with the turmoil of ‘am I genuinely tired?’ or ‘am I being lazy?’. Honestly, it’s okay to take a night off. It’s okay to choose Rest & Relaxation over intervals and distance. We’re human, we’re allowed to be tired. I for one feel this often. I work with the public every day and it can be demanding. Some days I am mentally exhausted from saying the same sentences over and over that when it comes to the end of the day and I finally have time for myself I am left feeling absoloutely depleted. But, a few years ago I came up with my own 5 minute rule. I get dressed. I head out of the door and I start. If after 5 minutes I am not convinced then you betcha I am heading back home for that well deserved R&R but honestly, I think thats only happened once or twice. Usually after 5 minutes I am re-energized and enjoying the workout planned. Not once have I ever regretted starting.
4. Don’t get caught up in everyone else
   Everyone is on their own journey. Everyone has their own goals. Everyone is different and everyone is not you! Don’t get caught up in what other people are doing. Don’t follow. It’s great to be inspired by others and it’s great to share tips, knowledge and embrace the same passions. I for one have a list of female and male ‘athletes’ who I follow and look up to on a daily basis. Some I know and yet, some don’t even know I exist. But one things for sure I appreciate their jouney and I appreciate my own. Comparison can lead people down a lonely, unhealthy road. It can lead to self doubt. It can lead to over training. It can lead to mental exhaustion. Don’t do it to yourself. Appreciate where you are at and keep rolling with it. There may be races to race but you are not in a race with anyone else when it comes to your own goals and ambitions. Someone might have ran 10 ultra marathons and won every single one yet someone else may be toeing their first 10km. Each journey is unique and special. Don’t lose sight of your own.
5.  Enjoy the process
   I mentioned this earlier and how cliche it is but it’s also SO true. Having a goal whether that be a bucket list race, a specific time or a certain distance is great!! It is the ‘end product’. It is something to work towards. But from the day you set the goal to the day you achieve it is everything in-between, ultimately, your life! and you really do have to enjoy every single moment that gets you there. The highs, the lows, the inbetweens. For me, racing long distances means I get to put in HOURS on the trails. I get to explore more of the beautiful Rocky Mountains that I call home. I get to explore old trails that I may have ran hundreds of times yet, I always seem to come away with a new experience each time I return. I get to play around with different nutrition. I get to see what works for me and what makes me sh*t my pants – literally, lol. I get to put in hours of solo time yet, I also get to catch up with friends and chat about life. I really enjoy the lifestyle that my goals have brought to me and that in itself justifies the goal.
6. Make goals out of goals
   This is probably my favourite. Why not become interested in other things through your goal. Find other activities / cross training that enhances your goal. Cross Country skiing and Mountain Biking have become my Winter & Summer ‘down time’ actvities and through those activities I have ‘mini-goals’ I work towards. Maybe you decide to look at your diet a little closer or maybe you don’t look at your diet atall. Maybe you decide to stretch a little more and add yoga to your weekly routine. Or maybe you decide that you aim to spend downtime doing non activity related hobbies. Maybe, your goal is to spend that day off with loved ones, reading a new book, exploring a new place, making a new dish. Goals on goals on goals…

6 points I continuously come back to when I feel like I am veering off track or losing sight of my own ambitions. It’s the last day of 2019! It’s the last day of the decade!! Even if you’re not goal orientated and couldnt give a flying fudge on my rambles I hope 2020 and the next 10 years are nothing short of FUN and you’re making the most of your life!