Before I begin, I have to say your feedback from the Running Coaches’ Corner linkup was just amazing. I’m so happy you guys learned a lot from the RCC and I love that so many of you link up week after week. Your comments were fantastic. Thank you.
This week has been all about looking back on 2016. You can read those posts here:
- 9 Reader Favorite Recipes of 2016
- My Year in Review: 2016 Edition
- Top 7 Running Coaches’ Corner Linkup Posts of 2016
Today I’m looking ahead to 2017. Goals, dreams, and what else may be in store for me next year.
Looking Ahead to 2017
I know I promised on Tuesday that I’d be here to tell you about my 2017 goals and aspirations. But before I do that, I need to tell you a little story of my life on Wednesday afternoon. Bear with me. I have a point.
It started as any Wednesday would. I met up with my friend for some morning miles before I started my day. Came home, had some breakfast, caught up with my husband (he’s taking this week off from work), and then took a shower. I did some blog work and then came downstairs for lunch. As soon as I finished making my salad, just as I was about to sit down at the table, I felt a terrible pain in my left foot. It was so bad I couldn’t put any pressure on my foot. I was reduced to hobbling/hopping on my right foot to move around the kitchen. After about 30 seconds of this, I called it quits and sat down on the steps.
I made an emergency appointment with my chiropractor. Why? Because I’ve had this sensation before in my left foot. I actually brought it up the other day in my post about the strange foot pain that happened to be a bone out of place. Same thing here. So I immediately made an appointment to get it fixed.
12 Miles Left?
Why did I make an emergency appointment? Well, among other reasons, I have 12 miles left to make my mileage goal for 2016. Twelve. I’m not about to let a stupid fake-injured foot derail my plans. Granted this is my ‘B’ goal — I’ve already met my ‘A’ goal of 1,000 miles in 2016. But 12 miles left for the next goal? And now this? You gotta be kidding me.
Anyways — I get to the chiro and he’s doing all his fancy tricks to fix my foot, and I mentioned that my knees are kind of out of alignment because of a challenging snow-covered trail run a couple weeks ago. Of course he says, “and the truth comes out!” He knows I have a history of becoming injured on the trail. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. As much as I love trail running, it does not love me back.
It’s time I accept it. And it’s time I move on. It’s taken a lot of self-reflection and realization that my desired goals for 2017 should not be my realistic goals for 2017. Here are my old goals:
Old 2017 Goals
Looking forward to 2017, I originally wanted to:
- run my first ultra
- switch from road to trail
- run far instead of fast
I love hiking and canoeing. Taking my family creek walking and being active outdoors is when I’m happiest. I had big plans with my friends Sara and Julie to hit the trails all summer long.
But given all that, despite my deep desire to play in the woods, I’m a road runner. I’m a road runner through and through. My body knows it, and now my brain knows it. I already knew what I was going to declare in my post today — about all my road races and goals — but my visit and conversation with my chiropractor on Wednesday really sealed the deal. We talked about what my body can handle and why. I had a similar conversation with my coach about a week ago. I’m finally in a place where I can say I’m 100% all good with where I’m at mentally and physically.
2017 Goals and Aspirations
Over the last three weeks or so, I’ve been thinking long and hard about my running goals for 2017. Without further ado, here are my new goals (in very broad and general terms) for 2017:
1. Run MCM (or a fall full marathon) uninjured.
This is a big one. I keep harping on it, post after post. But try as I might, I can’t let it go. Even if I don’t end up running MCM in 2017, I need to get a full marathon under my belt and I need to do so without hobbling across the finish line. 2017 is my year. It will happen.
2. Focus on strength and balance training even more so than before.
Right. I can’t accomplish #1 goal without accomplishing #2 goal.
3. Stay in shape during my off season with half marathon tune-ups.
Contending races are:
Hoosier Half Marathon
20-Mile Drop
Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon
Cleveland Half Marathon
Rock Hall Half Marathon
4. To incorporate short, easy trail runs to prime my body for a possible 2018 trail racing debut.
But not a moment before because frankly, my body just doesn’t react well to it. Introducing trails will be a long, slow process.
These are all my ‘A’ goals. My ‘B’ goals include a half marathon and 5K PR, as well as expanding my knowledge base with continuing education coursework.
I plan on working with my healthcare providers and my coach very closely through 2017 to ensure I’m being safe and smart. Not only do I want to avoid injury in the short term, but I want to make sure I can continue running far into the future.
I’m at peace with my decisions and goals for 2017. I was waffling quite a bit for many weeks about my running direction, but given the events over the last year, and particularly the last two weeks, I know where I need to be and I’m completely okay with it.
I just want to run and be happy.
xo
TALK TO ME!
Have you had a major revelation in terms of your upcoming goals?
What’s one goal you have set for 2017?
Linking up with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud.
