This post is rated Sprinters, Olympians and Ironman.

Day #4 of our SMART goals analysis.

ARE YOUR GOALS REALISTIC?

Are you running your first marathon this spring? I sincerely hope that your goals is not go sub 3 hours.. I say that not to be discouraging but to be realistic. Think for a moment on the impact of your unrealistic goals. If you set yourself up for failure before you even begin, you will never return AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO AVOID.

Realistic goals set the tone for a rewarding journey. You know what your body can do and you will get stronger along the way. If you are racing a marathon or Ironman, you know good and well that you will never endure the load of race day in a training session. I guess that could cause a bit of anxiety and this is when you will need to rely on the advice of a coach or someone you trust.

You can certainly adjust the magnitude of your goals as you progress. Remember, Rome was not built in one day and Ryan Hall, Olympic marathoner did not run sub-2:30 until he was very well trained and experienced in competitive running.

In the beginning especially, remember to keep your goals realistic. You will do yourself a great service and increase the likelihood of continuing your journey. Incremental progress is intoxicating but frequent failure is paralyzing. YOU CHOSE YOUR PATH…