However, many runners focus on the wrong types of goals, which can be very harmful on race performance. Join Casey as he explores the best way to set running goals in order to help you maximize your training and racing.

If you enjoy the episode, please take moment to leave a review on iTunes. It is much appreciated!

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I have decided to take some time off from running and seriously address my runners knee issues with the RunnersConnect Strength Training Program. Although I’m bummed about putting the 30 Minute Runner program on hold, I’m using my pent up energy to catch up on some reading.

One book that has caught my attention is “Win Forever” by the Seattle Seahawks football coach Pete Carroll.

The book has some great information on Coach Carroll’s philosophies on coaching and success in football and life in general.  One chapter that really has caught my eye is on the “Three Rules” that Carroll requires all of his football players to follow.

As Carroll states these three rules apply not only to football players, but to any situation where the goal is to get the most out of people.  I believe that the rules are highly applicable to runners. The three rules are:

Rule 1: Always Protect the Team

Carroll explains:

We wanted [the players] to be fully aware of what they were doing at all times and to understand that for every decision they made there would be a result that affected the team…

Although running is individual sport, it is helpful for runners to view their bodies and overall training plan as part of a “team.”  Runners need to understand how each choice they make can affect their ability to maximize various components of their training.

For example, by choosing to watch that extra television show at night, you will make it tougher on yourself to get up for your morning run.

Another example: By choosing to stubbornly run on that painful knee, you will risk further damage to the knee and other parts of your body that are forced to compensate (this one applies to me).

Rule 2: No Whining, No Complaining, No Excuses

One of the great destroyers of any promising training program is the excuse. “I don’t have enough time to run,” “I have no one to run with me,” and “It’s raining,” are just few examples of unacceptable excuses that prevent runners from achieving their goals.

Consistently whining and complaining about running also leads vicious cycle of negative self-talk that includes motivation killing thoughts like “I’ll never be a good runner,” “I just don’t have the right body type to run,” and “I can’t do it.”

Runners need to be conscious of the inner dialogue they have with themselves.  A negative, self-destructive dialogue can create the expectation of negative results from running and a total lack of confidence.

It is critical to replace this tendency for self-sabotage with positive, affirming statements, such as “I will be a good runner,” “I will run relaxed and with confidence,” and simply, “I can do this.”

Rule 3: Be Early

Obviously it is important to be early for races, but this rule has a much broader purpose. “Be early” means to approach running in an organized and constructive manner.

Don’t just aimlessly jog a few miles a few times per week with no purpose. Study training plans, understand how incorporating certain kinds of speed work can make you faster, and think about signing up for races and taking them seriously.

By approaching running with respect, commitment, and with an attitude of learning you will be rewarded with increased fitness and an enormous sense of satisfaction.

By following these three rules you will put yourself on track to maximize the benefits of running provides.  You will learn the key concepts of avoiding bad choices that could harm your training, stopping the destruction of negative self-talk, and approaching running with a sense of discipline.

What are your rules and guidelines for running?

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The Concept of Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is the psychological theory that states that people are more likely to engage in actions that they truly believe that they can achieve, and avoid actions in which they feel they will be unsuccessful. But how does a runner come to “believe” that he or she can achieve a goal. According to a recent article by Human Kinetics, there are four different sources of self-efficacy: (1) past performance accomplishments, (2) verbal persuasion, (3) vicarious experience/modeling, and (4) physical/emotional states.

Past Performance Accomplishments

Perhaps the most important source of confidence in achieving a goal is past performances. Reflecting on great races or workouts allows a runner to form judgments about how attainable goals are. For example, if a runner ran a 4:20 mile a month ago, running a 4:15 mile in a month with good training is certainly possible.

Verbal Persuasion

When building confidence for a goal, runners should care about what they hear. Receiving encouragement from families, friends, and coaches can affect a runner’s confidence. Also, runners should engage in positive self-talk to reinforce their ability to achieve their running resolutions. It is amazing that the impact words have on a person’s assessment of themselves.

Vicarious Experience/Modeling

Another way that runners can come to believe that they will achieve their goals is to model themselves on other runners. For example, if your training partner has run a 3 hour marathon, you can obtain a great deal of confidence by modeling your training on your partner’s training program. If it worked for him, why can’t it work for you?

Physical/Emotional States

A runner’s belief about whether he or she can achieve a goal is heavily influenced by how they feel during training runs. For example, if a runner feels tired running 400 meters at 70 second pace, it is unlikely that he or she will believe that a 4:40 mile is possible. Additionally, a person’s emotions can influence self-confidence. If a runner is constantly feeling down or depressed, it is unlikely that he or she will have the will to achieve goals.

Conclusion

Running resolutions are a great way to motivate yourself to achieve running goals. However, it is important to set realistic goals that you believe that you can achieve. To set believable goals, reflect on past performances, verbal encouragement from others and yourself, the performances of your peers, and your physical and emotional states.

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Oftentimes, an overactive mind can be the biggest enemy to allowing the body to run fast. One solution is to quiet the mind by learning from one of the greatest golf teachers of all time: Harvey Pennick.

One of Mr. Pennick’s most famous pieces of advice for golfers is to quiet the mind before a swing and only have one thought: “taking dead aim” at a target. Before a shot, all negative thoughts must be shut out, and the golfer’s entire mind must be focused on one thing: hitting the ball at the target.

The mental clearing obtained from repeating the simple phrase “take dead aim” helps to relax the muscles and prevent over-thinking from sabotaging the swing.

Runners can learn a lesson from this advice. Instead of focusing on the different runners in a race, obsessing about running correct splits, and worrying about every negative thought, try quieting your overactive mind with one thought: “relaxed and focused.”

By repeating this phrase, or something similar, you will be able to reset your mind and prevent negative thoughts from tightening up your body. In your next workout or race, work on training not only your body but also quieting the mind and allowing your relaxed body to run faster than ever.

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All runners know the common phrases of negative self-talk, “I just hope I finish” or “my training has been horrible,” or “this race will be a disaster,” or simply, “I’m screwed.” These types of thoughts have the tendency to become a self-fulfilling prophesy, thus guaranteeing a bad race.

When your pre-race routine is filled with negativity, you will think back to your thoughts when you feel any negative emotion during the race and say, “Yep, this what I expected.” The negative thoughts will then build on each other until your race is completely destroyed.

So how can you combat negative thoughts and emotions before a race? The answer is to use positive self-talk while running. Positive self-talk consists of brief words or phrases you say and repeat to yourself when you feel negative thoughts coming into your head. For example, you might say, “Today is a great day,” or “I believe in myself” or “I am ready,” or “I am going to race awesome,” or simply, “Breathe, Relax.”

You might think these phrases sound a little cheesy, but it is so important to put positive thoughts in your head instead of negative ones. When the race starts, use these phrases whenever you feel bad thoughts or emotions come into your mind. This mental technique might help get you through the rough parts of a race and finish strong.

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Intrinsic Motivation

According to psychological research, the best runners are those that are intrinsically motivated to train and race. “Intrinsic motivation” means to run solely for the pleasure of running and not for external rewards or praise. An intrinsically motivated runner does not measure running success with beating other runners, but whether running provides them with personal enjoyment and satisfaction.

Task v. Ego Orientation

In developing an intrinsic motivation for running, it is important to understand the difference between task orientation and ego orientation. A runner who is “task orientated” appreciates the process of learning about running. A bad race will not have a huge negative affect on a task orientated runner because he or she understands that bad races are part of the overall improvement process.

On the other hand, an “ego orientated” runner judges running success solely by comparing himself or herself against other runners. Ego orientated runners feel tremendous stress and nervousness before races because they will regard their entire running endeavor as a failure if they don’t win or beat other runners they feel they should beat. This kind of “win or else” attitude is very destructive to a runner’s image or his or herself and certainly does not lead to “intrinsic motivation” for running.

The Best Running Attitude

The most successful runners have a running attitude that mixes ego orientation and task orientation. These runners want to compete and beat other runners, but they also understand the danger of finding enjoyment only in winning a race. Although winning races is a goal, these runners are not solely motivated by external forces; rather, they understand that the best way to achieve the goal of winning is to view running as a learning process. Therefore, while they have a burning desire to obtain medals and win races, they also have a sincere appreciation for their individual improvement independent of their victories over other runners. The competitive drive is balanced with a long-term, sustainable outlook for running.

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