Goals

The other week, Seth James DeMoor posted a video about macro-level endurance development and the role of long-term goals which had me thinking. Already from the last two years of active running, I can tell that this sport is really about the long haul, about consistency and understanding that improvements take time. Still, with patience, it is possible to achieve considerable gains in performance, like ten days ago when I ran a half marathon in 1 hour and 35 minutes which is a whopping 17 minutes faster than my first half marathon race two years ago.

Looking ahead, I have a number of running-related goals, some of which I have already made public here on Rawls & Me. The first, and perhaps most predictable one, is to qualify for the Boston Marathon, something that I hope to be able to do within a year or two. Beyond that, I see myself as being more focused on distance and elevation rather than speed. Right now, I am planning on doing a backyard ultra-style event in Stockholm in October but also simply going for longer runs on my own, hopefully setting a new 50k PR in the process. As always, the big obstacle is finding the time. Last week I ran 100k for the first time since mid-February and, although ideal, it is a volume that is really difficult to sustain as a full-time working parent. Nevertheless, after a day in front of the green screen, I was able to squeeze in a run up Hässningberget with Elin in the baking afternoon sun. As always, Elin was much faster than me up the mountain, even setting a new Course Record for women, but in the end I think we both got a really good workout (although I wish we had taken something to drink along).